Gmail is one of the most used pieces of software ever, with 1.8 billion users today. In many ways, Gmail defined modern email, transitioning us from the "You've Got Mail" era into the present. Pretty much everyone has used Gmail or another email client that's been inspired by Gmail.
James talks with Gmail's creator, Paul Buchheit, to learn more about how what he built came to be the juggernaut of the email world.
Paul Buchheit is an American computer engineer, entrepreneur, angel investor, and philanthropist who is best recognized as Google’s 23rd employee and the creator of Gmail. He “hacked” and refined his earlier prototype web-based email system keeping in mind larger storage and better search capabilities as key features. He also wanted the product to be accessible to as many people as possible and, as such, had suggested an ad-supported model, which prompted the creation of Google AdSense. He had suggested the company’s motto, “Don't be evil,” which some maintain was first coined by engineer Amit Patel in 1999, and came up with the “did you mean?” feature to eliminate spelling mistakes in Google searches. After leaving Google, he co-created the real-time social media feed aggregator FriendFeed, which was later sold to Facebook. He is currently a partner at the investment firm Y Combinator and has invested in over 83 startups through angel investments.
Paul Buchheit
James Evans
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