Google GMail
I now have a Google GMail account, this being the new, free web-based email from Google that offers a whopping 1 gigabyte (1000 megabytes) of free storage.
It’s still in beta. You can sign up for it at gmail.google.com. They’ve been parcelling out new accounts gradually, and I got mine now because I do a lot of advertising on Google both for my business and for clients.
If you Google “Clipper migration”, you will see my ad in the upper right column. This is called pay per click advertising. My ad appears when someone Googles that phrase and I only get billed if they click on the ad.
What in the heck, you ask, is “Clipper migration?” Well, if you have to ask, then you’ll never Google that phrase! But for those with ancient Clipper and Foxpro DOS-based databases that need to be moved into Windows – they are the ones who type phrases like that. They need to find me, and I need to find them. Google makes this to happen. I have four such search phrases. These ads cost maybe $50 a month, and I get a steady stream of inquiries from all over the planet, and often they turn into business.
GMail might well be another such amazing application. 1 gig of free storage is a huge amount. The competition is responding. Starting today, Yahoo will offer 100 megabytes free and paying customers will get 2 gig for $19.95 a year and no ads. However, GMail does offer Google searches on your email, as well as what looks to be some new and innovative ways of handling email.
I’ll let you know more about GMail once I’ve played with it more.