4 ms·

> Are you really that damn busy that you can't spend a minute or less writing a more natural and conversational reply It's not that simple. If I'm in the midd

by mbell 14y ago

> Are you really that damn busy that you can't spend a minute or less writing a more natural and conversational reply It's not that simple. If I'm in the middle of a coding binge I can switch over and fire off a 'VSRE' without losing place. Converting that into a 'sociable' reply requires a mental context switch out of coding land and into human land. That doesn't cost me 2 minutes, It costs me half an hour [0]. So either the e-mail gets a terse response, or the sender waits a couple hours till I hit a mental break point in what I'm doing. [0] http://blog.ninlabs.com/2013/01/programmer-interrupted/ http://blog.ninlabs.com/2013/01/programmer-interrupted/

zukhan 14y ago
Why wouldn't you wait until you take a break to reply to emails? You're choosing to switch over during a "coding binge" when you don't need to.
- bmelton 14y ago
  I can't speak for the author, but sometimes the emails contain messages like "Major emergency - stop what you're doing right now" where, if I didn't get the email until 30 minutes later, could be problematic.
  - qznc 14y ago
    I have a filter, which pops up a notification only for certain emails. Those from my boss.
    - yebyen 14y ago
      so all of your emergencies must come through your boss... that would not work for me
Paul_D_Santana 14y ago
When I'm programming, I close all email and instant messaging applications, as well as put my phone on Airplane mode. I find limiting interruptions in this way to be incredible for mental focus. I highly recommend it, if you don't already do this (?). I also use the following website to set a timer for however long I have to program (whether it be a 15 minute sprint or a luxurious 90 minute block): http://www.online-stopwatch.com/full-screen-stopwatch http://www.online-stopwatch.com/full-screen-stopwatch As for the main topic, I have this as my signature: Hi [name] Thank you, Paul Santana I copy and paste the person's name from the To: field in Outlook (this ensures I never mistype someone's name), delete the last name, and write a few words in the middle. Done; professional and courteous email template without any additional effort.
- Isofarro 14y ago
  > I copy and paste the person's name from the To: field in Outlook (this ensures I never mistype someone's name), delete the last name, Oh, _that_ explains the number of "Dear [full-version-of-my-name]", overlooking the shorter version in my own sign off.
  - robryan 14y ago
    If you want people to address you by a shorter name why not put that in the from?
    - ygra 14y ago
      In some places you don't have control over the From (or the footer for that matter). E.g. I get a forced from in the form »LastName FirstName« which I'd rather have the other way around (also because last-first without the comma isn't common here [in fact, I've never seen it before]), yet I cannot.
- marquis 14y ago
  >When I'm programming, I close all email and instant messaging applications You can't do that when you code and also run a business. I'd love for this to catch on, I'm going to discuss it with my team at least for IM.

by mbell 14y ago

zukhan 14y ago

Why wouldn't you wait until you take a break to reply to emails? You're choosing to switch over during a "coding binge" when you don't need to.

bmelton 14y ago
I can't speak for the author, but sometimes the emails contain messages like "Major emergency - stop what you're doing right now" where, if I didn't get the email until 30 minutes later, could be problematic.
- qznc 14y ago
  I have a filter, which pops up a notification only for certain emails. Those from my boss.
  - yebyen 14y ago
    so all of your emergencies must come through your boss... that would not work for me

Paul_D_Santana 14y ago

When I'm programming, I close all email and instant messaging applications, as well as put my phone on Airplane mode. I find limiting interruptions in this way to be incredible for mental focus. I highly recommend it, if you don't already do this (?). I also use the following website to set a timer for however long I have to program (whether it be a 15 minute sprint or a luxurious 90 minute block): http://www.online-stopwatch.com/full-screen-stopwatch http://www.online-stopwatch.com/full-screen-stopwatch As for the main topic, I have this as my signature: Hi [name] Thank you, Paul Santana I copy and paste the person's name from the To: field in Outlook (this ensures I never mistype someone's name), delete the last name, and write a few words in the middle. Done; professional and courteous email template without any additional effort.

Isofarro 14y ago
> I copy and paste the person's name from the To: field in Outlook (this ensures I never mistype someone's name), delete the last name, Oh, _that_ explains the number of "Dear [full-version-of-my-name]", overlooking the shorter version in my own sign off.
- robryan 14y ago
  If you want people to address you by a shorter name why not put that in the from?
  - ygra 14y ago
    In some places you don't have control over the From (or the footer for that matter). E.g. I get a forced from in the form »LastName FirstName« which I'd rather have the other way around (also because last-first without the comma isn't common here [in fact, I've never seen it before]), yet I cannot.
marquis 14y ago
>When I'm programming, I close all email and instant messaging applications You can't do that when you code and also run a business. I'd love for this to catch on, I'm going to discuss it with my team at least for IM.