# OK, I give. What's the deal with gmail invites? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 15, 2004, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-i-give-whats-the-deal-with-gmail-invites/264496 "2004-09-15T02:00:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2004, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-i-give-whats-the-deal-with-gmail-invites/264496/1 "2004-09-15T02:00:40Z")
I don’t want a gmail account. I don’t **need** a gmail account. I already have 4 email address for various work and personal needs. But what the hell is up with the whole ‘I have an invite’ thing? I’m seeing this damn thing everywhere? Someone clue me in, will you? ---
**Author:** ![Netbrian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71e660/32.png) [@Netbrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Netbrian)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2004, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-i-give-whats-the-deal-with-gmail-invites/264496/2 "2004-09-15T02:35:13Z")
Recently, I think Google started really upping the number of Invites that they’re giving out to people, so everyone already signed on with the service is starting to actively look for people to give accounts to. At this point, the service can barely be described as exclusive. ---
**Author:** ![Garfield226](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Garfield226](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garfield226)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2004, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-i-give-whats-the-deal-with-gmail-invites/264496/3 "2004-09-15T06:53:40Z")
Basically, Gmail decided they didn’t want a swarm of people signing up on the same day. Therefore, they decided to only make gmail accounts available through invitations. Gmail bestows invitations upon users, and they decide who they send their invitations to. I imagine they gave accounts to a few hundred people, to start, and then they eventually gave some of those people invitations. These people sent invitations to those they knew, and those people started accounts. And so on. It’s like a pyramid scheme. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2004, 10:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-i-give-whats-the-deal-with-gmail-invites/264496/4 "2004-09-15T10:02:07Z")
And FWIW, I took someone up on the offer of an invite for the simple reason that my Yahoo! account gets several hundred spams and “newsletters” every week, many of which bypass the Bulk folder and clog my inbox. I now have a spam-free account (for now…) ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2004, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-i-give-whats-the-deal-with-gmail-invites/264496/5 "2004-09-15T14:29:54Z")
I’m still not seeing the value here? Why does anyone CARE that they have invitations? Is Google giving away some sort of premium with sign ups or what? ---
**Author:** ![Garfield226](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Garfield226](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garfield226)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2004, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-i-give-whats-the-deal-with-gmail-invites/264496/6 "2004-09-15T17:53:11Z")
> [@Jonathan Chance](#): > > I’m still not seeing the value here? Why does anyone CARE that they have invitations? Is Google giving away some sort of premium with sign ups or what? Well no… The ONLY way you can get an account (at the moment) is if someone sends you an invite. When Google sends you invites, it makes no sense to stash them away. There’s no benefit in that. In short, it seems people are just trying to be helpful. ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2004, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-i-give-whats-the-deal-with-gmail-invites/264496/7 "2004-09-15T19:27:34Z")
There is the 1000 mb of storage, the archiving and searching of messages, etc. I guess that’s a premium. That said, I’ve got 6 invites, if anyone’s biting. ---
**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2004, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-i-give-whats-the-deal-with-gmail-invites/264496/8 "2004-09-15T19:52:30Z")
Hi. **FilmGeek** - So despite what we all know about geeks bearing gifts 🙂 I’d be grateful for one of you Gmail invitations. My email is in my profile. Actually, another kind SDMB member did try to send me one but the e-mail never did arrive, and I figured it woudl have been pretty rude of me to ask again. As for the OP, I reckon it is simply a case of people being helpful - there do seem to be differing opinions as to whther gmail is a Good Thing or not, in terms of privacy concerns, but that amount of storage sounds appealing to me. (And this time I intened to be VERY careful to avoid the ghastly spam that fills up my hotmail acount! Am awfully bored with invitations to augement bodily parts that I don’t even have! ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2004, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-i-give-whats-the-deal-with-gmail-invites/264496/9 "2004-09-16T00:22:13Z")
Celyn: sent. Let me know if you didn’t get it.