On Thu, 29 Apr 2004, Michael Halcrow wrote:
> On Thu, Apr 29, 2004 at 02:42:01PM -0600, Tony Despain wrote:
> > _________________________________________________________________
> > FREE pop-up blocking with the new MSN Toolbar ? get it now!
> > http://toolbar.msn.com/go/onm00200415ave/direct/01/
>
> A couple of questions.
>
> 1) How is this not spam? By spam, I mean ``unsolicited bulk email''.
> These advertisements are certainly unsolicited, and they are
> delivered in bulk (although in a clever way, as tags on the bottom
It's not spam because the sender - a valid member of the UUG - consented to
include it with their message.
But I do agree that it's somewhat sad when people essentially lend their good
name and my relationship to them to Microsoft for a few dollars a month.
Most people would be annoyed if I started all my conversations with "Budweiser
makes really good beer" in exchange for some amount of money every month.
They'd feel that I've betrayed their trust by taking up their time and trying
to turn their sympathetic feelings toward me into money for Budweiser (of
which I'd essentially be getting a tiny cut).
Some people (rms included) feel strongly enough about it that they don't like
to wear branded clothing, and I can't say that I blame them. So, those of you
who use Yahoo/Hotmail/etc., we still like you, but we'd rather not let big
businesses take our time and try to manipulate us just so you can have a free
web-mail account. Look around, there are alternatives that are worth it.
zayda.com is one (ah, the irony...).
-J
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