Oct. 7, 2008
"Mail Goggles" To Combat Stupid E-mails
Imbibed Too Much? New Gmail Feature Asks You Math Questions Before Allowing You To Send E-Mails You Might Later Regret
-
(google.com)
When enabled, Mail Goggles kicks in at the time you specify (default is between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. on Friday and Saturday), and throws five math problems up on the screen when you press "send." You have a limited period of time to solve them. If you can answer the questions, presumably you're of mind sound enough to tell off your boss, or pour your heart out to your ex-lover.
If you can solve simple math problems even when under the table, there's an option to ramp up the difficulty of the questions, but sadly they remain in the arithmetic realm and don't drift into interesting algebra or calculus.
To activate Mail Goggles, go into Gmail's settings, and turn on Mail Goggles in the "Labs" tab. Then adjust how and when it works in the "General" tab.
Seriously? I'm hoping this feature shows up on blogging products.
By Rafe Needleman
Copyright © 2008 CNET Networks, Inc., a CBS Company. All rights reserved.
More From CNET Tech News
Add a Comment See all 20 Comments
- I can''t do math so now this. The read it before post yer say,
- Reply to this comment
- could come in handy for some
- Reply to this comment
- Stupid emails? As if....
- Reply to this comment
- Well, I like the idea at the end proposed for a filter on bloggers. If you had to solve simple math problems to be able to post on this site, the number of posts would drop by about 90%.
Posted by random_radar at 09:49 PM : Oct 07, 2008
Don''t say that - I like reading your posts! LOL - Reply to this comment
- It''''s funny how nobody discusses the article...
Posted by bonquishta35 at 08:48 PM : Oct 07, 2008
Well, I like the idea at the end proposed for a filter on bloggers. If you had to solve simple math problems to be able to post on this site, the number of posts would drop by about 90%. - Reply to this comment
- It''s funny how nobody discusses the article...
- Reply to this comment
- You don''''t need one. A simple way to stop moronic and vicious bloging is to have everyone use their real name. When it requires courage to speak up most blogers will shut up.
Posted by spiritwalk at 05:34 PM : Oct 07, 2008
Except that moronic and vicious readers will use your real name for nefarious purposes, so if you do not have the money for high-end lawyers and a security system to augment whatever other protective measures you have taken...
Posted by ibsteve2u
------------------------------------------------------
Which just goes to show the total failure of the internet to be the great benefit to mankind it was touted to be 20 years ago.
People are always wringing their hands about how mankind has not evolved enough to deal with nuclear power. What a joke! The internet has become a haven for malajusted perverts and sociopaths, idiots are driving like maniacs through traffic texting on their phones, morons are in the unemployment line with bluetooths in their ears as if the actually have anything important that needs instant communicating, when kids play after school its in front of a video screen raping and killing SIM prostitutes with their thumbs.
No need to worry about mankind destroying itself with one blast of the bomb. All our handy gadget technology will take care of that. - Reply to this comment
- Was that on your Commodore 64?
Posted by easeup at 02:30 PM : Oct 07, 2008
A Tandy 1000, actually.
Posted by ibsteve2u at 07:48 PM : Oct 07, 2008
I may disagree with your opinions, but you are definitely old school.
Cheers to you, Steve! - Reply to this comment
- Was that on your Commodore 64?
Posted by easeup at 02:30 PM : Oct 07, 2008
A Tandy 1000, actually. - Reply to this comment
- You don''t need one. A simple way to stop moronic and vicious bloging is to have everyone use their real name. When it requires courage to speak up most blogers will shut up.
Posted by spiritwalk at 05:34 PM : Oct 07, 2008
Except that moronic and vicious readers will use your real name for nefarious purposes, so if you do not have the money for high-end lawyers and a security system to augment whatever other protective measures you have taken... - Reply to this comment
- And I way concur with the above author''''''''s "Seriously? I''''''''m hoping this feature shows up on blogging products."
Posted by ibsteve2u at 02:06 PM : Oct 07, 2008
....................................................
You don''t need one. A simple way to stop moronic and vicious bloging is to have everyone use their real name. When it requires courage to speak up most blogers will shut up. - Reply to this comment
- govwatch ... then dont use Gmail, and just keep posting stupid responses blaming socialism for all your fears.
How can it be socialism when you choose to connect to the internet, choose to use Gmail and then choose to enable the "drunk" feature.
Sounds like your ISP should have a "stupid and paranoid" feature where they ask you questions about the Soviets, Cuba, McCarthyism and the Cold War and if you are too paranoid your computer melts. Idiot! - Reply to this comment
- To govwatch: Yur an idiot. Nuff said.
I think they should put breathalizers in phones so when you go to drunk dial your ex, a little voice goes,"Are you sure about this? Yur pretty drunk and this didn''t work out so well the last time..." - Reply to this comment
- To Govwatch: Socialism? Are you kidding? Since this is a feature you can turn on and off at your own choosing where''s the harm?
I also don''t see any socialist aspects to it. I think you''re so busy looking for the evil nasty bogeyman of repressive government or political ideology that you''re seeing Fascist in your Froot Loops and Socialists on email websites.
I think its a clever idea, and it might stop some from drunk-mailing. But I''m mentally coherent enough that even at a .20 I can do complex algebra and answer trivia questions. So it wouldn''t be much of a hinderance.
Besides, what''s to stop someone who does get stymied by it from just disabling the feature and going ahead and sending that regrettable message anyway? - Reply to this comment
- I ranted just on BBS sites, then - but still, one or two "Gad! I wrote that?!?!?" shocks in the morning were enough for me to add a longgggggg and complex sentence that a) I had to remember and b) I had to be able to type in within a certain time frame before I could activate my - 300 baud - modem.
I may have learned better now, but Google has the right idea.
And I way concur with the above author''''s "Seriously? I''''m hoping this feature shows up on blogging products."
Posted by ibsteve2u at 02:06 PM : Oct 07, 2008
Was that on your Commodore 64? - Reply to this comment
- Where''s the "Message Board Goggles??!!"
- Reply to this comment
- Google are you out of your mind???? Maybe you should have taken a few math questions yourself before you spent time and money to come up with idiotic idea. Do you know how to say "SELF-responsibility"?
A giant step forward to more socialism! - Reply to this comment
- lolll...to tell the truth, I implemented much the same thing for myself way back in the 1980s when I realized what the Reagan/Republican game plan behind "trickle-down" economics really was.
I ranted just on BBS sites, then - but still, one or two "Gad! I wrote that?!?!?" shocks in the morning were enough for me to add a longgggggg and complex sentence that a) I had to remember and b) I had to be able to type in within a certain time frame before I could activate my - 300 baud - modem.
I may have learned better now, but Google has the right idea.
And I way concur with the above author''s "Seriously? I''m hoping this feature shows up on blogging products." - Reply to this comment
- Thats NICE
- Reply to this comment
- the winners must be very proud
- Reply to this comment
