This afternoon while logging into one of my Gmail accounts, a window popped up asking me if I wanted to make Gmail my default program for when I clicked on e-mail address links on websites.  I'm not sure how long this has gone on, but this afternoon was the first time I noticed it.

Gmail offering itself as a default option for e-mail links makes it seem like it is asserting its e-mail service more aggressively.  Up until now, most people have Outlook try to open up – even if they don't have the program set up for their use – when clicking on these links.  I'm sure that AOL and other e-mail programs are also have similar features, but I use my Yahoo! and Gmail accounts most of the time. 

From a business prospective, I cannot blame Microsoft, Google, or other e-mail companies for trying to capitalize on the e-mail market, but Google's move is interesting.  As the company has acquired, developed, and promoted products other than its flagship search engine, it seems that it wants to diversify somewhat (perhaps not as much as other search engines like Yahoo!).  Is this just a blip in this movement or a harbinger of more diversification efforts to come?

Another question is: how much longer until other e-mail providers like MSN, Yahoo!, and AOL follow suit and ask people to use them as their default service for clicking on e-mail links?