Thursday, April 14, 2011

So I'm trying an email experiment

For the next 2 weeks, here’s my vacation message:




Subject: I’m on vacation, and I’ve deleted your message—really


I know this sounds brutal, but here’s the deal.


I can’t remember the last time I took a vacation where I didn’t actually end up working a few hours each day handling e-mail. I felt I had to, because if I didn’t, the Inbox would just grow and grow, waiting for me when I got back—the idea that I’d be flying home to 5,000 messages would always be nagging at me, detracting from my holiday. So I worked (which also detracted from the holiday).


 This time, I’m taking a different approach. I’m asking for your help to make my break more enjoyable.


 I’m going to be discarding email I receive. That’s right—your email will be recycled into warm, fluffy bit-jackets for underprivileged children. I won’t see it.


If it’s something you think I really, really need to know, you can bypass this brutality by putting “urgent” in the subject line. But before you do:


  • if it is something that can be handled by the wonderful Pragprog support folk, could you send your message to support@pragprog.com

  • if it can wait until I get back on April 25, please resend your message then.


It’s an experiment. Bon voyage à moi!




Dave