Thursday, May 13, 2004

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Just read a review of Google's new Gmail. Sounds like history repeating itself. First, Google made their name in search, because established leaders, such as Yahoo, couldn't figure out how to make search pay, so their search capabilities stagnated, as they focused on other things. Now, web-based email services, such as free email pioneer Hotmail--long-ago acquired by Micro$osft--are about to experience the same thing. One tiny example of how Google will upend them: 'Yet another clever organizational feature is "conversations," known to computer geeks as threading. Back-and-forth messages on a single topic, even among several participants, appear as one entry in your in-box. When opened, the exchanges appear like file-folder tabs, which you can expand or collapse individually or all at once.' Threaded emails! Who would have thought it?! Threaded conversations were well-established in CompuServe over 10 years ago. I've long been mystified why they haven't caught on in email-land. 3:08:04 PM    comment []