UPDATE: I have now decided on this approach...
I have added the following lines to my email signature:
Please read...
My Email Policy: http://is.gd/fOa04
If you click on "My Email Policy", you'll see what I am telling the world about the type of email I wish to receive... and the type of email I wish to Not receive.
If you agree with this "email policy"... Feel free to Copy & Paste the above lines, and use them in your own email signature too.
_____________
I propose a new email syntax.... a new etiquette, really.
Here are two really important ideas that I think could improve email for everyone... even without any major new advances in technology:
IDEA NUMBER ONE When you forward an article or video to me, append the word " // reading " to the very end of the Subject line.
Like:
Subject:
NEW YORK TIMES New Web Service Solves the What to Watch Conundrum // reading Then... I created a FILTER within my email application -- (gmail, in my case) -- to automatically take EVERY MESSAGE CONTAINING THE WORD "reading" in the Subject line.... and...
- Mark it as "Not Important" (in gmail's Priority Inbox system) ...and...
- Add the tag "reading" to it (optionally) ...or...
- Automatically Archive it (optionally) ...or... automatically Delete it (optionally)
This way, personal messages written specifically to you... will still get the Important priority. Your forwarded articles and videos get tagged and marked as Not Important (or low priority).... or even Archived or Deleted... automatically.
So, here's what you have to do:
(A) Tell everyone you know to add the word " // reading " to the end of everything they forward to you.
As one example, my email signature includes this line:
"Please don't FORWARD anything to me unless you add the word 'reading' to the very end of the Subject line. Thank you for your consideration."
(B) Create an appropriate Filter within your email application to filter those "reading" messages appropriately... for you... according to your own personal preferences.
It could be enforced by requesting all of your friends and family to do so... in one line in your email signature.
IDEA NUMBER TWO This is a very low-tech idea.... and is intended to be used in addition to the first idea... or separately.
Communicate.
The idea is simple...
Sometimes we really WANT to get those cool tech articles from our good friend George.... But we really DON'T want those crappy political emails he also sends.
Email filtering is pretty much an all-or-nothing proposition. You have to decide between: Automatically Archive EVERY message from George... or NO messages from George.
So why not put some of the burden on HIS human brain...? He IS your friend, after all.
Simply TELL him.
When he sends you political emails, say: "I love you but... Please don't forward items like this to me."
When he sends you tech news about the new phone you just bought, say: "That was awesome! Thanks!"
When he sends you the religious inspirational video by email, say: "I love you but... Please don't forward items like this to me."
You get the idea.
(1) When someone forwards an item to you that you really LOVED.... Reply with a, "That was awesome! Thanks!"
(2) When someone forwards an item to you that you really were totally not interested in.... Reply with a, "I love you but... Please don't forward items like this to me."
Hot Tip: Use Gmail's Labs feature called "Canned Responses" to save both of the above responses. That way you can reply with the "THANKS" response, or the "NO THANKS" response, super fast and easy... with only one click of your mouse!
Better ideas? Please post them in the comments below....
