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3 Email Chiefs Come to Dinner

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the life-and-times dept.

Carl Bialik writes "The heads of email from Google, Yahoo and Microsoft all recently went over to Wall Street Journal columnist Lee Gomes's house for dinner and conversation. Gomes has an interesting writeup of the conversation that transpired. The meal started as a lovefest for Gmail and Google's Paul Buchheit, with Microsoft's Kevin Doerr (no relation to the venture capitalist) and Yahoo's Ethan Diamond 'agreeing that much of the current excitement in the email world can be traced back to last year's debut of Mr. Buchheit's Gmail.' But Gomes adds, 'Whatever early lead Gmail may have had in creating a next-generation email program, both Microsoft and Yahoo have more than caught up. I wondered out loud to Mr. Buchheit if Gmail, the pioneer, might now be falling behind. "There is a lot more we want to build," he responded.'"

17 of 207 comments (clear)

  1. That was the worst joke ever... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    It started off ok but the punchline could use some work.

    1. Re:That was the worst joke ever... by markdesign · · Score: 3, Funny

      I usually hit up yahoo maps for the dopest email,
      but I prefer hotmail. Thats good too.

      Gmail is the best. Tru Dat. DOUBLE TRUE!

      I also heard for dinner they all had mr pibbs and red vines which was CRAZY DELICIOUS.

      ~mark

      the original snl skit

    2. Re:That was the worst joke ever... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      How about this...

      The heads of e-mail from Google, Yahoo and Microsoft all recently went over to Wall Street Journal columnist Lee Gomes's house for dinner and conversation.

      After the dinner and a bit of chit chat, Microsoft's Kevin Doerr opens his laptop and uses Gomes' wifi to check his e-mails. Gomes asks, "What e-mail portal do you use?" "Hotmail, of course!" was the reply.

      Following suit, Yahoo's Ethan Diamond also opens his laptop to check his e-mails. Gomes asks the same question. "Yahoo mail, of course!" was the reply.

      After a while, Google's Paul Buchheit opens his laptop as well. Gomes says, "Aha, you must be openning Gmail to check your e-mails, right?" To his surprise, Paul checked his Lycos account. "But why?" Gomes says. Paul answers, "Well, since the others don't really check e-mails, neither do I."

  2. And then... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    The meal started as a lovefest for Gmail and Google's Paul Buchheit, with Microsoft's Kevin Doerr (no relation to the venture capitalist) and Yahoo's Ethan Diamond 'agreeing that much of the current excitement in the email world can be traced back to last year's debut of Mr. Buchheit's Gmail.'

    Reportedly, soon after, Steve Ballmer threw a chair at Mr. Doerr, who was told that he was going to be "fucking killed."

  3. one of many obvious jokes by LodCrappo · · Score: 4, Funny

    Google's Paul Buchheit, with Microsoft's Kevin Doerr (no relation to the venture capitalist) and Yahoo's Ethan Diamond walk into a bar. The bartender looks up and says, "what is this, a joke?"

    --
    -Lod
    1. Re:one of many obvious jokes by TeleoMan · · Score: 0, Funny
      "what is this, a joke?"

      Nope, I'm a frayed knot. *rimshot*

      --
      $6.21 is the number of the beast before sales tax. Meh.
  4. Fix spam! by yamla · · Score: 3, Funny

    Microsoft has promised to fix the spam problem by 2006. That's only ten days away! That's great, my little email server is getting about a thousand spams a day so I'm really looking forward to what they roll out. I'm a little concerned, though, that Microsoft hasn't actually announced anything specific that would fix the problem yet, this close to 2006.

    --

    Oceania has always been at war with Eastasia.
  5. And Yahoo's Ethan Diamond... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    (no relation to the lattice of carbon atoms)

    1. Re:And Yahoo's Ethan Diamond... by rob_squared · · Score: 2, Funny

      He's not carbon-based?

      That explains everything!

      --
      I don't get it.
  6. Caught up? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    The article implies that Microsoft has more than caught up, assuming caught up to google with hotmail.

    Maybe I missed it, but Hotmail is still a festering hole of a email service compared to GMail. Its slower, a total spam magnet, and its spam filtering is as useless as a condom with the tip cut off. Oh and the interface hasnt actually changed much. Not to mention GMail keeps piling on the capacity and features.

    Caught up? Riiiiiiiiight

  7. Unfortunately, Buchheit kept interrupting to... by loggia · · Score: 5, Funny

    Unfortunately, Buchheit kept interrupting to mention advertisers based on what Doerr and Diamond were talking about.

  8. And for dinner they had... by bk4u · · Score: 5, Funny

    spam egg spam spam bacon and spam

    --
    Remember kids, with great power comes great opportunity to abuse that power
  9. B-O-R-I-N-G by winkydink · · Score: 2, Funny

    I was almost expecting him to say that after dinner, he broke out his Martin 12-sting and they all sang Kumbaya.

    --

    "I'd rather be a lightning rod than a seismometer." -Ken Kesey

    1. Re:B-O-R-I-N-G by game+kid · · Score: 2, Funny

      I was almost expecting him to say that after dinner, he broke out his Winchester 12-gauge and they all ran for cover.

      There, now it seems plausible. ;)

      --
      You can hold down the "B" button for continuous firing.
  10. Re:Bah! by devilsammo · · Score: 2, Funny

    Oh, is that right Mr. jesselambert@NOSPAM.gmail.com

  11. Chefs? by yeremein · · Score: 4, Funny

    Who else read the title as "3 Email Chefs Come to Dinner"?

    I had a picture in my mind of Iron Chef.

    Today's ingredient is... (drum roll)

    SPAM!!

    (A can of Spam is unveiled amid lights, smoke, and dramatic music.)

  12. Re:Gmail skins by e2ka · · Score: 3, Funny

    Do you work for UPS or something?