5 ms·

Am I the only one that absolutely hates these types of pages? "We really won't tell you any specifics of what we're doing, but give us your email address and w

by blhack 15y ago

Am I the only one that absolutely hates these types of pages? "We really won't tell you any specifics of what we're doing, but give us your email address and we'll be sure to send you advertisements when we decide to!" Do these things usually work? If it's a YC startup, or is being done by a friend or something, I'll usually give up my email address, but when it's just "we promise the moon! We'll respect your email, honest!", I usually skip it.

parfe 15y ago
Of course you aren't the only person. For me it's the "Stealth Mode" job listings that say "Send us all your information and we might tell you what the company does or what the job entails!" I saw one like this on reddit which claimed to be a seed funded startup in NYC (which is my area, finally!) but didn't describe the company at all. I wonder if those anonymous ads or recruiting posts get any responses.
mayneack 15y ago
Just use username+PlaneRed@gmail.com so you can filter it all out later if it was a waste of time.
- Retric 15y ago
  It's also vary easy to strip out username+<stuff>@gmail.com to username@gmail.com. Honestly, if I had a list of email address I was about to spam it's one of the first steps I would take.
  - IgorPartola 15y ago
    Then only use username+<stuff>@gmail.com and filter anything that goes directly to username@gmail.com :). I never found spam to be a problem when using GMail, and my e-mail address is publicly accessible in multiple places.
- a3camero 15y ago
  Alternative: planered@yourdomain.com.
iaskwhy 15y ago
I like the idea and I have subscribed sometimes already without having ever been abused. But it has that potential, yes.
bryanlarsen 15y ago
Remember that you have a powerful weapon at your disposal. If you and a few others mark their emails as spam in GMail, all of their emails could start disappearing into the black hole, putting a serious crimp on their business.

by blhack 15y ago

parfe 15y ago

Of course you aren't the only person. For me it's the "Stealth Mode" job listings that say "Send us all your information and we might tell you what the company does or what the job entails!" I saw one like this on reddit which claimed to be a seed funded startup in NYC (which is my area, finally!) but didn't describe the company at all. I wonder if those anonymous ads or recruiting posts get any responses.

mayneack 15y ago

Just use username+PlaneRed@gmail.com so you can filter it all out later if it was a waste of time.

Retric 15y ago
It's also vary easy to strip out username+<stuff>@gmail.com to username@gmail.com. Honestly, if I had a list of email address I was about to spam it's one of the first steps I would take.
- IgorPartola 15y ago
  Then only use username+<stuff>@gmail.com and filter anything that goes directly to username@gmail.com :). I never found spam to be a problem when using GMail, and my e-mail address is publicly accessible in multiple places.
a3camero 15y ago
Alternative: planered@yourdomain.com.

iaskwhy 15y ago

I like the idea and I have subscribed sometimes already without having ever been abused. But it has that potential, yes.

bryanlarsen 15y ago

Remember that you have a powerful weapon at your disposal. If you and a few others mark their emails as spam in GMail, all of their emails could start disappearing into the black hole, putting a serious crimp on their business.