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Prevent Gmail From Emailing Under the Influence

mikesd81 writes "Google has developed 'Mail Goggles,' a Gmail add-on that makes sending email from Gmail more difficult during certain times (which you can set). If you have Mail Goggles installed, it will force you to answer a series of math questions before sending out any new messages. You can adjust the math difficulty and times this option is in effect. If you get any of the questions wrong, Mail Goggles will say, 'Water and bed for you. Or try again.' Of course, if you set the math settings too high, you may have a tough time solving some of those problems in under 60 seconds, even when sober. Then again, if you're sober, you could just turn Mail Goggles off and hit send on that impassioned letter to your ex-boyfriend/girlfriend or that flame to your boss."

73 of 258 comments (clear)

  1. Insensitive! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I can't do math unless I'd drunk, you insensitive clod!

    1. Re:Insensitive! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      Can't type unless you'd drunk either, eh?

    2. Re:Insensitive! by ceoyoyo · · Score: 4, Funny

      All that drinking in high school. You should have known. Didn't you ever hear that you can teach goldfish tricks when they're drunk, but they can only remember them when drunk?

    3. Re:Insensitive! by sznupi · · Score: 5, Funny

      Reminds me about one exam in Uni, which, interestingly, ended up sort of like that...some heavy math exam next day, heavy drinking party developed in front of my room (it was in a good place for such things, end of the corridor with sofa/etc.). Though they realised I'm learning when trying to get me out of the room, so kept quiet. Nonetheless, somebody managed to get me out "just one shot" (of vodka, might I add). And we all know how such things end...

      Interestingly, even though I was basically late few minutes, no math exam before and after was passed by me so flawlessly...

      --
      One that hath name thou can not otter
    4. Re:Insensitive! by Klucki · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Actually I'm pretty sure that works better when you're drunk...

      --
      Stop Aussie internet censorship! Sign the petition.
    5. Re:Insensitive! by ObsessiveMathsFreak · · Score: 4, Funny

      Reminds me of a Maple mid term I had way back when as an undergraduate.

      10 minutes after the start, one of the class arrives late and proceeds to sit down in front of his PC. The examiner hands him the question sheet. He settles in. He was obviously a bit tipsy, and there was a not so faint smell of alcohol, particularly as he spoke. After a few minutes, we had something similar to the following exchange:

      Him: (whisper) Hey man. How'd you turn on Maple again?
      Me: Start. Programs. Math Software. Maple.
      Him: Cheers man.

      A few minutes later....

      Him: Hey man. Sorry, but, are we supposed to answer ALL the questions on this sheet?
      Me: Just four out of five.(or whatever the requirements were)
      Him: Aww right! Cheers man.

      A few minutes after that....

      Him: Hey man. Sorry, again, but... Is this a test?

      If I remember correctly, he got an A. Great guy.

      --
      May the Maths Be with you!
    6. Re:Insensitive! by Hatta · · Score: 3, Insightful

      That's not funny, don't drink and derive.

      --
      Give me Classic Slashdot or give me death!
  2. slashdot needs this by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    im so wasted right now

  3. If Only Slashdot had it... by Spy+der+Mann · · Score: 5, Funny

    mods would have more free time. Oh, wait...

    1. Re:If Only Slashdot had it... by Idiomatick · · Score: 4, Funny

      Informative?? I think the mods need it too....

    2. Re:If Only Slashdot had it... by aslvrstn · · Score: 3, Funny

      Being one of the mods who accidentally modded 'informative' instead of 'funny', I wholeheartedly agree. "You're about to make an ass of yourself, what's $\int_1^9x$". Thanks, Slashdot!

  4. No substitute for self control by syousef · · Score: 3, Insightful

    All this means is that people will phone or sms or worse, show up drunk on their ex's door more often (perhaps even drive there). Sure it's a lot easier to send a drunken email than go see someone in person so that'll stop some of it but the reality is if you're a serial drunk, you need to get some help. Nothing else is going to fix it.

    I've never understood why Western society (and others) glorify the pissup.

    --
    These posts express my own personal views, not those of my employer
    1. Re:No substitute for self control by mevets · · Score: 5, Funny

      Mod -1, Buzzkill.

    2. Re:No substitute for self control by aussie_a · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I've never understood why Western society (and others) glorify the pissup.

      Agreed. Then again many here glorify taking drugs.

    3. Re:No substitute for self control by Whiney+Mac+Fanboy · · Score: 5, Funny

      Agreed. Then again many here glorify taking drugs.

      That's because taking drugs is glorious!

      --
      There are shills on slashdot. Apparently, I'm one of them.
    4. Re:No substitute for self control by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      I'm tripping balls! And its GLORIOUS!

    5. Re:No substitute for self control by syousef · · Score: 2, Funny

      That's 'cos you're a square. Like a cube, man!

      I'll take square over sloshed any day. I don't enjoy the taste of alcohol. In fact I don't enjoy a thing about it. There are plenty of things I do enjoy. Like the irony of a bloke who calls a slashdotter a square.

      --
      These posts express my own personal views, not those of my employer
    6. Re:No substitute for self control by srjh · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Some may, but don't misinterpret the substantial opposition here to the "War on Drugs" as glorification.

      I don't glorify holocaust denial, but people have a right to say, and believe, stupid things.

    7. Re:No substitute for self control by Paleolibertarian · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I agree. But because people have a right doesn't mean they should. I'm ambivalent about this thing because if somebody needs restraining perhaps they need another hobby.

      Fortunately I have learned the hard way that self restraint is very necessary. It's a sign of the times that people need stuff like this or the other stuff that censors the free exchange of information.

      As for free speech, it is unfortunate that the people who actually have something valuable to say restrain themselves to much; while those who are simply full of $#!+ have no restraint at all.

    8. Re:No substitute for self control by geekgirlandrea · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Wow, most mangled Yeats quote ever. For the record, the original (from The Second Coming) is:

      The best lack all conviction, while the worst
      Are full of passionate intensity.

  5. Just tried it. by Pinckney · · Score: 4, Informative

    The difficulty is sort of disappointing. Even on the hardest setting, it asked, for example, 9x10 and 9x4.

    1. Re:Just tried it. by RuBLed · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Have you tried it while drunk?

    2. Re:Just tried it. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      Check your font server. I believe its busted.

    3. Re:Just tried it. by chord.wav · · Score: 4, Funny

      90 and 46, and I'm currently drunk. Didn't take the time though

    4. Re:Just tried it. by no+reason+to+be+here · · Score: 4, Funny

      Uhh...9x4=36, not 46.

      Apparently, it does work, assuming you're telling the truth about being drunk, and aren't just bad at math.

    5. Re:Just tried it. by Jedi+Alec · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Sorry, but what does being able to answer 9x10 and 9x4 have to do with intelligence? Just a matter of practicing enough to know a number of basic multiplications and divisions by heart at some point.

      --

      People replying to my sig annoy me. That's why I change it all the time.
  6. If only by jaxtherat · · Score: 4, Interesting

    They had this for mobile phones :/

    *me waits for google android*

    --
    http://www.zombieapocalypse.tv/
    1. Re:If only by palndrumm · · Score: 2, Informative

      Virgin Mobile in Australia offers a similar service - call them up and they'll blacklist all calls to a given number from your phone until 6am the following morning.

    2. Re:If only by h4rm0ny · · Score: 2, Insightful


      This is insane. I get the humour of all this, but if such a service actually exists, that suggests there are people who really do need this. How can such people exist?

      --

      Aide-toi, le Ciel t'aidera - Jeanne D'Arc.
  7. Very useful .... by gstoddart · · Score: 4, Funny

    I'd probably be in contact with more people from college and a few exes if I'd had that 10 years ago. ;-)

    Cheers

    --
    Lost at C:>. Found at C.
    1. Re:Very useful .... by ColdWetDog · · Score: 5, Funny

      I'd probably be in contact with more people from college and a few exes if I'd had that 10 years ago. ;-)

      Why did you have to drag Windows into this discussion? Is this some corollary of Godwin's law that I am unaware of?

      --
      Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
  8. and google helps you solve them by NiteMair · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If you're not sober enough to do the math, perhaps you're sober enough to copy/paste them into google so it can give you the answers ;)

    1. Re:and google helps you solve them by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      Because your calculator can't do this.

    2. Re:and google helps you solve them by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      Aside from the inherent unreliability with internet connections

      Good point! With this method, if your internet goes down you wouldn't be able to finish the math problem required to send an email message via your web-based email service.

      Wait for it...

  9. Re:hurp by Laser_iCE · · Score: 5, Funny

    This sounds familiar... "You are trying to send an email, Allow/Deny" But when you "geekify" it (add some maths), it makes it acceptable. Maybe if this is popular enough, we'll see it in the next version of Windows? Can't wait!

  10. Mod parent drunk! by Spy+der+Mann · · Score: 3, Funny

    Do Obama and the Democrats deserve a lift in the polls...

    Perhaps the best use for such a measure here on Slashdot would be preventing posting from another story! ;-)

  11. If you make owning a gun a crime... by nick_davison · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'm reminded of the old saying, "If you make owning a gun a crime, only criminals will own guns."

    If you hide drunk mailing behind math problems, only Engineers will drunk mail.

    *shudders*

    1. Re:If you make owning a gun a crime... by SL+Baur · · Score: 2, Funny

      24+3? That's approximately 24, I guess.

      Actually, it's 10 as an order of magnitude calculation. Of course I'm drunk right now, so I could be off a bit.

  12. stop the discrimination! by martin-boundary · · Score: 5, Funny

    If you have Mail Goggles installed, it will force you to answer a series of math questions before sending out any new messages.

    But what if you're a mathematician? There really should be some option to replace it with sports questions.

    1. Re:stop the discrimination! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

      But what if you're a mathematician? There really should be some option to replace it with sports questions.

      There's a difficulty level. Presumably, mathematicians can crank it to 10 and get questions like "For a^n + b^n = c^n and n > 2, show that there are no solutions for a, b and c. (Show your working in this margin.)"

    2. Re:stop the discrimination! by physicsphairy · · Score: 3, Informative

      Mathematicians are somewhere between drunk lemurs and 7th grade drop outs when it comes to basic arithmetic. They can do complex partial differential equations and algebraic topology without any problems, sure. But the problem with a column of numbers is that they tend to add up to a reasonable sum even if you forget a few, and being a computational monster doesn't necessarily dispel absent-mindedness. If you ever attend higher level math/physics courses you will learn that the last step of solving any problem is to go back and fix all the coefficients. :p

    3. Re:stop the discrimination! by pimpimpim · · Score: 4, Funny

      They tried it with questions about cricket at first, but for some reason all outgoing e-mail traffic stopped after that.

      --
      molmod.com - computing tips from a molecular modeling
    4. Re:stop the discrimination! by TheEmptySet · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I am a mathematician and you sir are insulting the abilities of drunk lemurs. I personally worry that I would never send any e-mail if I had to answer arithmetic or sports questions.

      What they should do for us is to add the option of deep philosophical questions. I would happily give a brief answer while sober, but if I were drunk I would be so distracted that I would be sober by the time I finished formulating my answer.

    5. Re:stop the discrimination! by Chrisje · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Please, people! Could you quit calling it mathematics? I've looked at the site, and it offers you some basic arithmetic questions. I can do those after ~15 shots of whiskey and a doobie or two. And I suck at Maths.

      When I read "mathematics", I think it would be more interesting if Google put some problems where you have to integrate functions with more than three variables, or differentiate functions or some such.

  13. Imagine... by hyades1 · · Score: 4, Funny

    All that effort solving the math problems on time, just to type "You're a dick" and stagger off to bed.

    --
    I've calculated my velocity with such exquisite precision that I have no idea where I am.
  14. frist! by 8ball629 · · Score: 5, Funny

    i ws gingo to ber the first psot but i cna't fnd het buottosn :(

  15. Re:hurp by aussie_a · · Score: 2

    1) This would only be comparable if Allow/Deny happened at times when you're likely to be drunk.
    2) Even a drunk person can hit Allow if given enough time.

  16. THE LAWS OF THE NAVY by F34nor · · Score: 4, Funny

    Dost think in a moment of anger
    'Tis well with thy seniors to fight?
    They prosper, who burn in the morning,
    The letters they wrote overnight.

  17. Not going to work for me. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I used to do the most difficult math proofs while drunk, just to mess with the other math majors heads. Its actually easier in a way. If I know it sober, I know it drunk. They should just scan the email for references to your mom jokes. If it doesn't have one, I'm probably drunk and forgot to include it.

  18. SMTP - CMTP ? by fortapocalypse · · Score: 5, Funny

    Complex Mail Transfer Protocol - coming soon!

  19. Turn it off by francisstp · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I'm sure they thought this through and also require answering a math question for turning the app off?

  20. Typo? by chris_sawtell · · Score: 4, Funny

    Isn't that supposed to read as: Google Giggles?

  21. Better suggestions by uvajed_ekil · · Score: 4, Informative
    1. /. goggles.

    2. e-Bay goggles.

    2. Keep your computer in a cabinet or room with a combination lock. (Ever try to open one o' those babies after too many cups of liquid courage?)

    3. AOL. (Your email will probably get lost anyway.)

    4. Use an email address like v1agera694Ucheap@gmail.com or r0llexxBargains@gmail.com. (Your message will be flagged as spam and never read anyway.)

    5. Don't email after more than two drinks. Ever, no matter how innocuous your message may seem.

    6. Don't drink more than you can handle, especially on a regular enough basis to need something like this, you moron.

    --
    This is a hacked account, for which the owner can not be held responsible.
  22. I've planned on making my house do this by harlows_monkeys · · Score: 5, Funny

    For a long time, my plan has been to build something like this into my house. When I want to adjust my thermostat, for example, I want the house to give me a quick little test to see if I'm mentally alert. Regardless of the outcome, the house would then let me adjust the thermostat.

    However, it would remember the results. And if it determines over a long period (say, a couple months), that I'm suffering significant mental degradation, to the point where I'm likely to not be able to take care of myself, the house will wait until I'm sound asleep one night (which it can determine by monitoring my temperature with infrared sensors, and listening to my respiration, for example), and then do something to kill me in my sleep (gas, probably).

    When the house is sure that I'm dead (no breathing for a long time, and body temperature down to ambient room temperature), it will then call the coroner's office to report my death.

  23. Probably not a good idea by Chuck+Chunder · · Score: 3, Funny

    With the end of year approaching it's reasonably likely that the frequency and severity of alcohol consumption will steadily increase for the next few months.

    Your house might interpret your state as a physical and mental decline rather than a mere seasonal variation and bump you off early on the first of January.

    Of course when you wake up with that hang over you might wish it had, however it's only a short term feeling and you'll forget about it in time, certainly by the following New Years Day.

    --
    Boffoonery - downloadable Comedy Benefit for Bletchley Park
  24. I wish they had this on.. by Chrisq · · Score: 2, Funny

    I wish they had this on Sloshhhhhdot. (my boss is an idiot)

  25. Please ignore the last post by Chrisq · · Score: 5, Funny

    Please ignore the last post. I really, really didn't mean it. I'm so sorry that I wrote that about my boss. So sorry. He is a wonderful, wonderful person. I am crying into my beer thinking about how I could have written that. I really really love him............. zzzZZZZZZZ

  26. Chaos math by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    Assume that 9 and 4 aren't just numbers but place holders for chickens and the "X" means crossing as in there are 9 Hens and 4 Roosters that you cross. In order to determine the number you have to factor in time as in at present the total it 13 but in six months the total number of chickens might be 46. The problem is based on time and other factors like disease and early death the total number could easily range from 0 to 100 over the next six months and range into the thousands over a period of years. Without knowing more details 46 may be an accurate answer but other factors like time, egg rate and fertility rates and survival rates need to be added to generate an accurate number. Then again it might be easier to just drink another beer and stop stressing about math so you can send a picture of your ass to the girl that just dumped you.

  27. Obligatory XKCD ref by localhost00 · · Score: 2

    Perhaps Google should do something like this: http://xkcd.com/481/

    --

    Calling atheism and agnosticism a religion is like calling bald a hair color.

  28. Re:Perhaps they could just delay sending by Arimus · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Would end Web 2.0????

    Excellent. Please implement at once. While you're at it persuade the media and public at large to accept that 'the web' != 'the internet' ('the web' 'the internet')

    --
    --- Users are like bacteria -> Each one causing a thousand tiny crises until the host finally gives up and dies.
  29. Re:hurp by digitig · · Score: 5, Funny

    Maybe if this is popular enough, we'll see it in the next version of Windows? Can't wait!

    I don't like the idea of where that might go. "It looks as if you are trying to uninstall Vista. Please prove the Riemann Zeta Hypothesis"...

    --
    Quidnam Latine loqui modo coepi?
  30. This is just google's elaborate ploy... by Martian_Kyo · · Score: 5, Insightful

    ...to gather drunkard statistics. I bet you'll see a lot more alcohol related google ads after failing a few of those tests.

    A better thing would be, NOT to tell you you were wrong but to pretend to send the mail and then notify you few hours after (when you are PROBABLY sober) about your failure.

  31. Best Art. for years! by chris_sawtell · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Although this has been one of the most fruitful sources of real hilarity on /. for many years, thanks commentators. I feel compelled to just note that the most laudable side effect of Google's Giggles will be a huge boost to the mental numeracy of the world's technocrats. I can't help but wonder if that was the intention all along?

    Perhaps a better test for alcohol intoxication might be to turn off the browser's spell checker, yet not allow the mail to go until the spelling is word perfect.

    Aw, so sorry, can't do that! It'll put the primary school teachers to shame, and Little Johnney /. Snooks might actually lean to spell, albeit somewhat belatedly.

  32. But I am a Mathemetician!!!!! by Kryptikmo · · Score: 5, Funny

    The goggles! They do nothing!!!

  33. Re:Not just a funny by PeKbM0 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Perhaps getting drunk helped shut down the C side of my brain or something....

    .. or perhaps your hands just happened to fall on the parentheses.

  34. Re:hurp by 19thNervousBreakdown · · Score: 5, Funny

    HEY!

    I derive better when I'm drunk!

    --
    <xml><I><am><so><damn>Web 2.0</damn></so></am></I></xml>
  35. An "Are You Sure" send delay would be nice by dwarfking · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Based on many of the emails I see flying around the office regularly that probably should have been rethought, it would seem to me a nice feature to add to any email client is the ability to set a delay on the outbox, then ask the user the annoying Are You Sure? before actually delivering the email. Make this an option, and maybe there would be fewer Oh Crap moments or hot-blooded emails sent.

  36. I'll be surprised if nobody else has said this... by Norwell+Bob · · Score: 4, Funny

    But I'd rather see this feature on eBay.

    [Looks at stack of Atari 800 program cassettes that he has nothing on which to run them...]

  37. Re:hurp by Warbothong · · Score: 3, Funny

    Maybe if this is popular enough, we'll see it in the next version of Windows? Can't wait!

    I don't like the idea of where that might go. "It looks as if you are trying to uninstall Vista. Please prove the Riemann Zeta Hypothesis"...

    Hey, it's working for the ReCAPTCHA initiative, so why not get a few unsolved mathematical problems solved in the process?

    /sarcasm

  38. Re:hurp by Stellian · · Score: 4, Insightful

    How about this: don't get drunk, don't use drugs. Side effects include, but are not limited to:
      - sending stupid emails you will later regret
      - driving right into the next tree
      - chopping up your neighbor with an axe because it seems like a fun thing to do
      - nausea, headaches and a general crappy existence

    Don't underestimate no. 4, it's a real killer.

  39. Re:hurp by iago-vL · · Score: 2, Funny

    Then I assume you HAVE chopped up your neighbour with an axe because it seemed like a fun thing to do?

  40. Re:hurp by lrbays · · Score: 2, Funny

    Reminds me of this.

  41. Obligatory xkcd by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny