When Google announced its plans for a web-mail system, I was not surprised at all. The 1GB limits they setup were certainly a bit unexpected, but not outside of the thinking of its two captains and the company as a whole.

What has surprised me, however, is the quasi-cottage industry that has formed surrounding this aspect of their business. In general several groups of people have formed:

• Insiders - those that have GMail accounts and report back on their admiration or lack thereof for the new service.

• Outsiders - those that are desperately seeking entrance into the GMail system. I’ve heard of people buying GMail accounts on EBay, using GMail accounts as prizes for objects, and even the formation of a GMailSwapping Network where people can barter away their prized and cherished possessions for a GMail account.

• Crusaders - those that are fighting the GMail service from launching because of concerns regarding provacy, security, ickiness, etc.. Recently, in what must be one of the few, if not the first, case of legislation being filed to preemptively limit the functionality of a web-based application, the California Senate approved its very own Anti-GMail bill.

  Ironically enough, Crusaders need not be Insiders at all. They have been known to object solely on the principle of the issue at hand.

It seems on universal discussion, however, is related to Google’s Invitation-Only services (GMail, Orkut). Many feel that it is a wonderful system that loosely prevents abuse. Others find it exclusionary, even elitist and resent the admission practice. Marketers, of course, think it’s wonderful, and who could blame them. Google has garnered tremendous free publicity and mindshare as result of these tactics.