When you join a forum, such as this one and they require you to activate
your account via a link, that link is sent to you via an autoresponder.
Any time you join a program and request information first, the first response
you get is from some type of autoresponder.
Autoresponders are used for a variety of purposes, many of which are NOT
to send you a series of messages, but simply to put you on a mailing list.
Most successful Internet marketers that I know are 'relationship marketers',
so that within a couple of days of someone requesting information or joining
a mailing list, they either call or send a personal e-mail to the prospect.
Also, many people would rather choose when they read informational or
promotional e-mails, so they prefer getting a series of messages or even
a single message that they can read and go over when they want to.
There are also many other uses for an autoresponder system besides
just sequential mailings which make it an almost 'must have' tool for
the serious marketer.
Can they be abused and/or misused? Sure, but can they help you build
a huge list which you otherwise could not build or even a huge downline?
Again, absolutely!
Hope this helps clarify autoresponders a bit for you.
DW