4 ms·

This is a great suggestion. I'll add this in to the article. Politeness is so important that I've set my email "signature" to "Thanks!" More often than not,

This is a great suggestion. I'll add this in to the article. Politeness is so important that I've set my email "signature" to "Thanks!" More often than not, it's appropriate to leave it in.

jbk 15y ago
Could I also suggest a modification about the 'Reply to all or reply to sender?'. The advice should be modified in case of mailing-lists.
rkowalick 15y ago
Having thanks in the signature can be really irritating sometimes though. An example would go something like: Hey, Can you do this inconvenient thing that is a lot of work because I kind of slacked off a little this week. Thanks!
- jamesbritt 15y ago
  Only made worse by the use of "TIA", which says, "Not only am I presumptuous but I can't even be bothered to express gratitude with a complete sentence."
j_baker 15y ago
There's more to being polite than setting your signature to "Thanks!" In fact, it's more likely to come off as inauthentic fluff than actual politeness. Which is more polite? If you frobulate the widgets one more time, I'll kill you. Thanks! Or: I know I'm being a pain about this, but could you please not frobulate the widgets anymore?
- forkandwait 15y ago
  Dont underestimate the importance of "inauthentic fluff" -- such is the basis of courtesy and grace. I think dropping the fluff because is seems inauthentic (whatever that means) is THE basic social interaction mistake made by programmers and other math-y people.
  - j_baker 15y ago
    I'm not arguing against having manners, I'm just saying that they're not enough. You can't say something rude and then make it all better with a token "please" or "thank you".
to3m 15y ago
Interesting. I type all that out afresh each time. I deliberately don't correct any typos, so that regular listeners know it's been added by hand. The personal touch, or too much artifice? I could never decide. I never put an exclamation mark in, though! THanks, * to3m 8
misterbee 15y ago
That doesn't fool very many people, and makes an especially sour impression on the people who know you are faking.

This is a great suggestion. I'll add this in to the article. Politeness is so important that I've set my email "signature" to "Thanks!" More often than not, it's appropriate to leave it in.

jbk 15y ago

Could I also suggest a modification about the 'Reply to all or reply to sender?'. The advice should be modified in case of mailing-lists.

rkowalick 15y ago

Having thanks in the signature can be really irritating sometimes though. An example would go something like: Hey, Can you do this inconvenient thing that is a lot of work because I kind of slacked off a little this week. Thanks!

jamesbritt 15y ago
Only made worse by the use of "TIA", which says, "Not only am I presumptuous but I can't even be bothered to express gratitude with a complete sentence."

j_baker 15y ago

There's more to being polite than setting your signature to "Thanks!" In fact, it's more likely to come off as inauthentic fluff than actual politeness. Which is more polite? If you frobulate the widgets one more time, I'll kill you. Thanks! Or: I know I'm being a pain about this, but could you please not frobulate the widgets anymore?

forkandwait 15y ago
Dont underestimate the importance of "inauthentic fluff" -- such is the basis of courtesy and grace. I think dropping the fluff because is seems inauthentic (whatever that means) is THE basic social interaction mistake made by programmers and other math-y people.
- j_baker 15y ago
  I'm not arguing against having manners, I'm just saying that they're not enough. You can't say something rude and then make it all better with a token "please" or "thank you".

to3m 15y ago

Interesting. I type all that out afresh each time. I deliberately don't correct any typos, so that regular listeners know it's been added by hand. The personal touch, or too much artifice? I could never decide. I never put an exclamation mark in, though! THanks, * to3m 8

misterbee 15y ago

That doesn't fool very many people, and makes an especially sour impression on the people who know you are faking.