] Gmail was created by the web search company Google in
] April 2004 amid much excitement as every user is promised
] an unprecedented gigabyte of storage space for messages.
] Google encourages users to keep all their old messages
] and automatically searches these to determine what kind
] of web advertisements might interest users.
]
] But Gmail's copious storage space has inspired a number
] of programmers to come up with completely novel ways of
] using the service.
]
] These include a "weblog" or online message board that
] uses Gmail to store postings and a desktop file system
] that plugs straight into the Gmail system.

Article: Google's Gmail inspires imaginative 'hacks' | New Scientist