Every time you open one of his emails, he, or better said: his system, knows. Every link you click, the system knows. And based on that, the system decides what email(s) to send you next.

It's not a bad thing. You signed up for it so you gave permission. And it's the reason why you receive the right emails at the time that you´re most interested.

Very cool actually.

The "do no evil" mantra is wearing a bit thin and it really is freaky the amount of information Google keeps about us.

Compared to microsoft or for that matter any other company, Its anyday better to pay employees to innovate and create products that matches or exceeds anything that your competition can throw up.
Its a win Win situation for google and its employees.

Its called the smart way to make money !

I keep it short and cynical: "Only the stupid ones need regulations." And being in the "regulation business" is a comfy home for another special breed of folks.

I don't want to offend anyone, but getting more common sense into peoples' heads by — like pimping the education system — would prove to be more useful short term and especially long term than trying to regulate each and every fun out of life.

Same story in Europe. E.g. discussions in Germany about requiring an opt-in process before any attempt to store a cookie on a surfer's computer. … etc. etc.

And you brought the other major point home very nicely, "Everything has to be free of course."

Speaking of …, "I think your AdWords course, Perry, is too good, you should have to give it away for free."

Yours
John