Gmail is in Beta. Really?
If you use Gmail for your email, you probably noticed some problems with it a few days ago. You know, like you couldn’t access it at all. I know I did on both of my accounts. Google fixed the problem in a couple of hours and while, in the scheme of things, not getting my email for a bit isn’t the worst problem in the world (or my life), it is nonetheless frustrating. That said, I appreciate Google’s apology about Gmail’s outage.
But there’s something else that’s been bugging me since Monday when Gmail went down… It’s that on the Gmail logo “Beta” is still there as a qualifier. For the less computer savvy out there, Beta in this sense means it’s still in testing and not completely stable. But Gmail has been available to the public for something like four years now. New accounts can be set up by anyone without an invitiation from an existing user and Google markets gmail via its Apps program as a vital communications tool for getting work done. Gmail is no more in Beta than Windows, Ipods or any of the other gizmos and gadgets we all use everyday.
I beg you Google, stop using the Beta qualifier for Gmail and own up to the fact that you have a massive email system that millions depend on and is your responsibility to keep operating smoothly.
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August 13th, 2008 13:02
I thought that they had to charge a fee if it’s not Beta, due to Sarbanes-Oxley regulations.
So maybe we should be happy with “Beta” and continue using the free service.
August 13th, 2008 13:08
I also find it odd that they use the beta label. However, i’ve switched to gmail from msn, and theres a significant difference in the quality of service. I remember back in the day when MSN had an actual outage, and it definitely took more than a couple hours to access msn e-mail again. That being said, you are very wrong in saying that the google staff hasn’t made sure gmail has been running smoothly. Please choose your words carefully.
August 13th, 2008 13:24
Chraig,
I didn’t mean to imply that Google staff hasn’t done a good job. Considering how long I’ve been using Gmail and the fact that I can count on one hand the number of times it’s been down, it’s a dam good service. I was trying to imply that Google the company needs to take responsibility for the product they market. If something major goes wrong, they need to step up.
The staff though, they do an excellent job.
August 13th, 2008 16:30
You can demand this type of responsibility if you PAY for it. If not, you’ve been given a priviledge to use their service. They owe you nor I anything.
“.. and is your responsibility to keep operating smoothly.” again, just sounds rude to someone who’s given you something for free.
August 13th, 2008 16:43
Chirag sounds like he is a Goog employee. Chill homie ..no one doubts the brand. Cmonster had a valid comment that beta tag should be reserved for true beta products. You cant be in beta after 4 years of being serving prodution traffic can you?
August 13th, 2008 17:04
Kai,
I do pay for the product with information. I know google goes through my email, pulls out keywords, usage habits etc and uses it all to market more effectively to me. I make the choice to let them do that instead of using Outlook or thunderbird or some other client. I am trading my information (which does have value) for services.
Since, by my using their service, the company is making money off of ads, then I am giving them something of value. If the service were to be unstable consistently and I and others start to leave it, Google would soon not be able to sell ads on it and thus lose a revenue stream. I give the site value and thus am owed what I am promised in return.
But, let’s say you don’t think information is valuable (a belief I highly doubt you hold). If the company markets a product for free or not, it needs to take responsibility for that product when millions of people start to depend on it. I don’t think it is rude to ask for this. If Gmail were still ad free, they didn’t collect information from me, and I could only sign up with an invite from the company or another user, then depending on it, and asking for responsibility, would be dumb. But in this case, I’m sorry, but I think Google owes it’s users a certain level of responsibility for its products.
Again, I want say that I think the staff does do a great job. Day to day, things work, but it feels as if Google keeps that Beta label up there as a way to dodge any potential liabilities should they arise. This is something we see all too often in America and something I would like to see change.
August 13th, 2008 17:24
“I do pay for the product with information. I know google goes through my email, pulls out keywords, usage habits etc and uses it all to market more effectively to me.”
Amen brother! And yes, I have been thinking lately that it’s time to drop the Beta tag. It’s like the Waverly Inn, which has been open for 2 years and is still in “previews.” (See the story in the times Dining Out section today.) After a while it’s just obnoxious.
August 13th, 2008 18:17
And Yahoo email is free, and it’s not beta. Gmail can go non-beta without fear of running afoul of Sarbanes-Oxley.
August 13th, 2008 21:50
They keep it there to show that they are constantly working on it and they have not yet brought it to their goals of the finished product. Its their way of saying “its good, but it could be better”. I read that somewhere in one of their blogs.
August 14th, 2008 00:42
I completly agree that Google needs to remove the “Beta” label, afterall Beta only means that they can remove some of the appllications anytime, at least that’s how they’ve come to define the possibility of that happening.
As a google supporter all round, I want to say to Google that what’s stopping you from upping your game?….Why hide behind Beta, when you can have the integrity to sustain and develop upon from where you are now.
Not one to participate in threads, some of the comments left here has but urged me to want to share my views.
We have faith in google and so maybe it’s about time that google has faith in itself. I want to see google grow, …..LIKE REALLY GROW, in being the forerunner in the market!!!….So on that note, taking that sense of responsibility through removing Beta may just be the beginning journey to something bigger.
August 15th, 2008 03:18
FYI, people who complain about the beta label, Beta here just means that its still in development and no guarantees are made on it’s behalf.
It does not mean they can’t charge you, they can and do, for example to get a larger inbox (although the number of people who NEED over 6.5 GB of mail is surely quite small).
It also, most certainly does not mean that Google has no imperative to fix Gmail’s problems, it just means that it can, and most likely will, go down from time to time.
So calm down.
August 15th, 2008 08:23
@ unpure – that’s just the thing. Gmail is NOT in development mode. They’re on the second release for it already after all. The fact that they are keeping the beta tag to keep from making any guarantees is EXACTLY what bothers me.
Millions of us depend on gmail for business and for life. But they allow themselves to hide behind the beta label so that if a major problem occurs (which obviously they are going to work to fix) they can take the “well it’s just in Beta, you should count on it” defense. Which IS total BS. They want us to count on it. They want us to need it. They should be backing it up by saying it’s no longer in Beta.
August 18th, 2008 03:12
Look, who really cares if it is called beta or not.
We know google are always working to improve all their products, as should any company in the technology space.
We care not what it’s called, but what it does.
It is a great product, so be happy with that!
July 7th, 2009 10:04
[...] finally. Why do I care? After Gmail’s last big outage about a year ago, I posted a bit of rant about the ridiculous beta status and got the most comments I’ve ever gotten on a post for [...]