Email niceties

In the old days when we weren't phoning one another we sent a fax or in the real olden days we sent a telex. 

Anyone who as ever sent either a telex or fax will know that you know that the telex message got through because either the telex machine confirmed the number you had dialled (who could forget the punched paper tape tearing as you hit transmit!) or the fax machine gave a happy little warble if the phone was answered by another fax machine - if you had a good machine it even printed off a little message to say the page had been transmitted with the number transmitted to.  Now it's true telex machines (especially the very old ones) could run out of ink and the fax machines used thermographic paper that, once heated, caused the type to dissolve and there was always the occasion when the blank side of the paper was transmitted by mistake...  But on the whole you knew that your message had been delivered into the office/home office you intended, not so with email.

You can set your email system to auto respond if the email you send is opened, but you can equally set your computer to ignore any such requests.  So can I put in a plea for all of us who have sat and wondered if the recipient received the message (doesn't matter if they act on it)?  Spam catchers and faulty computers in the middle or at the end may mean your message is never delivered.  So spare a thought for the sender of even the most vexing message and acknowledge receipt, if you don't want to acknowedge the content just bounce back "Received, unable to read at present".

I might make this my new year's resolution.