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March 30, 2007
Is Google Taking Over?
I never used AOL, but I had friends who told me that it was awful—that people kept bugging them, wanting to chat.
Google might be turning into something similar. I mean, as a Mac user, everything seems fine. But when I log into my gmail account from work, using Internet Explorer, Gmail wants to tell me what everyone is doing—based on nothing other than the fact that I've sent them e-mail in the past. People like my colleague at the nonprofit, who is a fellow night owl. And bloggers whom I would never presume to send notes to for any frivolous reason: Gmail wants Windows users to know whether they are at their machines at any given hour of the day or night.
It's kind of creepy. I understand that it's supposed to facilitate chat, but do I really want to chat with everyone I know? Do I want them to be able to chat with me?
And is chatting efficient anyway?—isn't there a certain amount of sitting around while the other person types? And having them wait while I type, producing lines that contain [cough, cough] typographical errors?
Hm. I don't know if I like this Brave New World. I think I want the old one back.
If I'm a good example I don't usually IM my friends on Google Talk unless I have something to say. No bland "How's the weather out there?" questions.
Can't say much about Gmail since I don't use it enough. There must be a default setting in it to keep yourself offline when using it. If not complain to Google because I'm sure others would like that feature.
You can sign off of chat by clicking the "Set status here" button.
We all knew they would invent a method of communication that didn't involve the brain. Someone should write a program for a random answer generator so that anyone over 18 doesn't have to really participate. Nobody will ever know.
But it isn't that I mind other people knowing when I'm online. It's that I find it strange that gmail wants me to know what people like James Joyner and the Ace of Spades are doing.
I guess, strictly speaking, it's no weirder than the fact that my neighbors used to know how late I was staying up reading because of when the lamp went out in the living room, though. So perhaps it's a matter of geographical proximity--or lack thereof.
I feel like I can see into other people's living rooms, and I have no way of knowing whether they want me to.
People close the blinds when they desire privacy. Besides, computer can do things when their "human companions" are not around. For example, I'm taking a shower now before going to bed. 7AM Mass comes so fast you know, and tomorrow's is a long one.
"Let the issues be the issue.
About Joy W. McCann: I've been interviewed for Le Monde and mentioned on Fox News. I once did a segment for CNN on "Women and Guns," and this blog is periodically featured on the New York Times' blog list. My writing here has been quoted in California Lawyer. I've appeared on The Glenn and Helen Show. Oh—and Tammy Bruce once bought me breakfast.
My writing has appeared in The Noise, Handguns, Sports Afield, The American Spectator, and (it's a long story) L.A. Parent. This is my main blog, though I'm also an alumnus of Dean's World, and I help out on the weekends at Right Wing News.
My political philosophy is quite simple: I'm a classical liberal. In our Orwellian times, that makes me a conservative, though one of a decidedly libertarian bent.
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