Google Profiles now an e-mail-free point of contact
Google Profiles lets people use the page as a contact conduit without sharing their e-mail address.
(Credit: Google)Google Profiles have become a bit more socially useful, with the search giant adding an option that lets people offer it as a way to get in touch without actually sharing their e-mail addresses.
To enable the option, click the "Edit profile" link, then check the "Allow people to contact me through my profile (without showing my email address)" option.
Enabling the option adds a "Send a message" link to your profile page, but not just anyone can send a message, though--only those with a Google account.
I sent myself a message; it had this note appended to the end: "This message was sent to you from your Google profile. The sender does not have your email address. If you no longer wish to receive messages from your Google profile, you may edit your settings at http://www.google.com/s2/profiles/me/editprofile."
Also, there are limits. "We've set some limits on how often messages can be sent and received, and you can disable the feature at any time by editing your profile and deselecting the checkbox," according to Google's explanation of the feature.
(Via Google Operating System.)
Stephen Shankland writes about a wide range of technology and products, but has a particular focus on browsers and digital photography. He joined CNET News in 1998 and since then also has covered Google, Yahoo, servers, supercomputing, Linux and open-source software, and science. E-mail Stephen, or follow him on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/stshank. 
Tested it out on myself.
I love how you get a message that you sent a message to someone, good way to keep track of things.
Maybe they should add that captcha thing in as well, considering that this could probably be abused.
I loved this feature on MSN profiles way back a good few years.
But when the whole "Live" nonsense came along, the contact thing was killed off, probably to get more people to use those (now horrible) "Live Spaces".
Why did they ruin it? It was actually one of the things i really liked about Microsoft...
- by idfubar November 15, 2008 8:17 PM PST
- Hunnter2k3 - nice suggestion! Every time something useful, creative or elegant is created lets suggest that some put a useless padlock on it.
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