[ Tim O'Reilly offers a cogent and reasonable defense of GMail, which echoes a lot of the feelings I've been having about all the uproar. He mentions the one thing that I consider the fundamental argument which is "DONT USE THE SERVICE IF IT CONCERNS YOU!" Why the fuck should the government get involved here? If you're worried about your privacy, don't sign up... simple is that. If no one signs up, they fail, market forces have taken care of the problem. I certainly don't think the market can be left to decide everything, but this is definitely one where it can, and should.

Besides that he makes a number of good points, and thankfully points out some of the benefits that could come out of the service, which I think is getting lost in all the froth and misplaced vitriol. -k]