Invite system changed

[Adam]

I noticed last night that you are no longer able to send GMail invites to yourself. It wouldn't even let me send one to my non-GMail account, which is pretty clever!

[IamTheKing9]

Why would you want to send GMail invites to yourself or to your non-GMail account, anyway? You must already be having a GMail account.

[Adam]

Personally, I use them mainly for aliases on forums where I don't want to reveal my real identity (and my GMail account has my name in), and also for things such as directory submissions which I have to do a lot of at work, and don't want all the associated spam coming to my main email box.

I've got my finger in a lot of pies and like to keep things seperate and organised. Unfortunately GMail doesn't let you create sub-folders so that's the only way to do it!

[malapati]

This is bad and illeagl .. my friend ..

[IamTheKing9]

Hi malapati,
What exactly do you want to say? The fact is, I did not understand. What is bad and illegal, anyway?

P.S. I'm not accusing you of anything. I just want to know what exactly you meant, because I did not understand what you said.

[mondine]

Originally Posted by IamTheKing9

What is bad and illegal, anyway?

Y'know, this is kind of an interesting question. Reading through the forums, I see that it is generally accepted that it is against Google's Terms of Service to create multiple user accounts.

In actuality, the clause in the TOS states that is a violation to:

"Create multiple user accounts in connection with any violation of the Agreement or create user accounts by automated means or under false or fraudulent pretenses"

I do not see this as precluding, by definition, the use of multiple accounts for benign reasons. I'm curious how others might interpret this.

[IamTheKing9]

Well, what you wrote, mondine, is really quite interesting. I never knew that creating multiple user accounts was illegal. But what if we don't "create multiple user accounts in connection with any violation with the Agreement", or if we don't "create user accounts by automated means", or if we're not "under false and fraudulent pretenses"?
I think that whether Google keeps this rule as it is or not, someone or the other will definitely find a way past it (the rule). But in my opinion, Google should not have made such a rule in the first place. After all, it is a profit for them if there ar more GMail users, isn't it?

[mondine]

Originally Posted by IamTheKing9

But in my opinion, Google should not have made such a rule in the first place. After all, it is a profit for them if there ar more GMail users, isn't it?

I can see the rule being useful in some situations. Say, a spammer gets a gmail account, uses it to automatically generate the maximum number of accounts possible, and then the maximum number that those accounts can generate? The spammer then has a massive supply of 'disposable' accounts that he doesn't care about losing, or having blocked, before just going on to the next one.

This would definitely not be in Google's best interests, and the type of thing I can see them protecting themselves against. It's also a good argument against having the automatic Gmail invitation 'spoolers', which they actively discourage.

[IamTheKing9]

Well, for all I know, you might be right. Spammers aren't exactly what Google would like. But if the person who is creating multiple accounts is good, then there's not much of a problem. Except that Google won't even think of that.

[dajor]

well, i own around 40 gmail accounts, but i didn't know this is illegal i only want to have some virtual web space and have like 3 accounts for peer 2 mail files