Uncertain Principles: The Delete Key Is Your Friend

Look, people: the delete key is your friend. There is no need to send every bit of the exchange on to new people. If you’re only responding to the most recent email, do us all a favor and delete the rest of the quoted text. If you’re forwarding something on to a new audience, delete everything but the most essential part of the message. We don’t need to see all the deliberation that went into the decision to forward: just send the key message.

This is especially important when you use a free email system that tacks on twenty or more lines of crap at the end of the email, and all you’ve added is “LOL.”