On May 17, 2006, at 12:36 PM, Jim Maul wrote:
Daniel T. Staal wrote:
On Wed, May 17, 2006 12:12 pm, Jim Maul said:
If you are on a mail list such as this, think longer
and harder than usual. Then don't do it.
Right. That seems like an acceptable solution. Hell, why even have
autoresponders at all then?
I figure autoresponders are relics of the way email worked in the
80's. Back before spam, and email viri, and big mailing lists, and
web-accessible email.
These days, being out of the office, or town, or country, is no
reason for
you to not be able to get your email, if you felt you needed to. So,
the
only reason you aren't responding is that you don't want to.
Yes, i certainly dont want to check my work email when i am on
vacation. Apparently you feel otherwise.
Some do, some don't. If communications are so important to you, you
glance at your email when away. Otherwise, you put it off.
Personally, if you didn't get back to me in time for something that is
time-pressed, I'd try to find out why you hadn't replied by following
up on a phone call. Why do you need to spam everyone sending some
two-second mind fart inquiring about lunch meeting with a note telling
the world that you're out until blah blah?
If you must use such a feature, I think it should be limited to
addresses within your business and/or people you frequently exchange
mails with, like particular business contacts. Mailing lists don't
need to know that you're out. You don't want to read your email while
on vacation? You think the people who *aren't* on vacation want to
read that you're out having fun while they're stuck emailing you about
something?
Does it autoreply to spam also?
The fact that some email packages still have autoresponders is a
misfeature, in my eyes.
Perhaps we should eliminate answering machines then too? I mean hell,
if they dont answer the phone, they must not be home.
The purpose is still useful. It's a way of ensuring that your message
will eventually be delivered to the person in question. Emailing you,
assuming it arrived, means you'll eventually get the message. When you
get back in, explain why it took so long, if it's any of my business in
the first place.
Eventually we will probably get rid of answering machines. Many phone
companies offer the same feature on their side of the offices, and
other places are using VOIP setups that will transfer your voicemail as
a sound file to your email.
I have a hard time believing it's so important to know that the
out-of-office recipient GOT the email in the first place when we don't
have the majority of email using "read receipt" outside of the private
corporation. Even when I do get them, I have my mail program not
reply. For some reason you find your vacation or business meeting that
important that you splarch a reply just for that occasion..."Yes, I got
your email, but you know what? I'm on a sunny beach! Away from email!
For another ten days! Sorry! If you want, you can call this poor
sucker to handle your problem at 555-5555x555!" I mean really, do you
set your Out-Of-Office responder to go off when you leave for the day?
Or just when you want to trumpet that your life is momentarily better
while the rest of the working stiff's lives still suck?
Luckily, my spam filter catches them. That's all they are, anyway.
More
spam.
Spam is unsolicited. If you send a message to a mailing list and dont
expect a reply, why even bother sending your message?
Um...because an out-of-office reply isn't a *useful* reply? "Hey, I'd
help ya, but I'm on VACATION!!" Do you send an email to a business and
expect (and deserve) fifty promotional emails to come back at you
because you asked a question?
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