I'm interested to know your opinion if Gmail, instead of being an online service, was a PC-based email client that you downloaded onto your PC that worked either standalone or in conjunction with Outlook, Outlook Express, Eudora, etc.
The application would be a personally-downloaded, personally-installed, and personally-run application that would provide you with Search, Labels, Conversations, and a fast interface. The application would scan your email for viruses, scan your messages to manage Spam, and scan your messages and displays related, targeted Ads and related Links alongside your email. It would add these message because it considers itself "Adware".
How would this client app be any different from the current Gmail service?
How would businesses concerened with competitors' ads appearing with their content react to such an application?
(Note: I originally posted this question to Slashdot.org but they rejected it, so I figured I'd also ask this Gmail "marketing-focused" group because of its business interest.)
