Where's a Lert when you need one?
August 6th 2007 18:59
Search for ‘Elert’ on Google, and several results will come up proclaiming ‘Email is dead!’ and that Elert is a new and unique line of communication enabling you to receive information on a myriad of subjects.
Piffle, I say.
What is Elert? Elert is a new gadget that only allows businesses and info services to contact the Elert users who’ve subscribed. The theory is that instead of getting a pile of junk mail in your email every day you can cut it all out by using Elert.
But two questions arise which Elert enthusiasts don’t seem to be answering. Firstly, how do your friends and acquaintances get hold of you by email if you’re only using Elert? And what’s the difference between getting piles of junk through spam and getting similar junk through Elert? None, as far as I can make out. Do Elert users really think the people who send spam aren’t going to get in on the act somehow? And do I really want advertising on a host of subjects, but through a different channel? I think there’s enough advertising in the world now without encouraging it through a ‘new and unique line of communication.’
Even more importantly, I find that gmail gets rid of the spam problem for me anyway. Since I started using gmail the only contact I’ve had with spam is when I clear the box every so often. Otherwise I never see all those ads for increased penis size, and women who want to do all manner of things with parts of me I’d prefer strangers not to touch.
If gmail is already achieving this, and the only advertising I’m getting is advertising I’ve subscribed to already, what the heck use is Elert? It appears only to be of use to advertisers, who can now claim that they’re direct marketing people who only want to know. Hmm.
Piffle, I say.
What is Elert? Elert is a new gadget that only allows businesses and info services to contact the Elert users who’ve subscribed. The theory is that instead of getting a pile of junk mail in your email every day you can cut it all out by using Elert.
But two questions arise which Elert enthusiasts don’t seem to be answering. Firstly, how do your friends and acquaintances get hold of you by email if you’re only using Elert? And what’s the difference between getting piles of junk through spam and getting similar junk through Elert? None, as far as I can make out. Do Elert users really think the people who send spam aren’t going to get in on the act somehow? And do I really want advertising on a host of subjects, but through a different channel? I think there’s enough advertising in the world now without encouraging it through a ‘new and unique line of communication.’
Even more importantly, I find that gmail gets rid of the spam problem for me anyway. Since I started using gmail the only contact I’ve had with spam is when I clear the box every so often. Otherwise I never see all those ads for increased penis size, and women who want to do all manner of things with parts of me I’d prefer strangers not to touch.
If gmail is already achieving this, and the only advertising I’m getting is advertising I’ve subscribed to already, what the heck use is Elert? It appears only to be of use to advertisers, who can now claim that they’re direct marketing people who only want to know. Hmm.
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