I hate email signups as much as the next guy, but the truth is...if you find their value proposition so weak that you won't even enter an email address or click through a Google login button?
Then maybe you're not who they want as a first customer anyway.
Perhaps this is just successful self-selection, rather than merely a user-hostile behavior?
no this is just user hostile and a bad sales funnel. Even Googles Tutorials are not login gated, however it expects you to get a 14 day free account to test Google Apps if you want to do the practice material.
Show what you have, then gently nudge people in to the sales funnel. Dont body slam them in to i.
Then maybe you're not who they want as a first customer anyway.
Perhaps this is just successful self-selection, rather than merely a user-hostile behavior?