Don’t Ask Me Again. Or Ever.

(Click picture to see full-sized)

This is what you see in Outlook if someone has (rudely, in my opinion) sent an email with a read receipt requested. (It’s none of your damn business if/when I read your email, thank you.)

The problem is in the confusion engendered by the check box text, and the potential irrevocability of the action associated with checking it.

If I check the box, does that mean:

• Don’t ask me about receipts again and ALWAYS send one when requested,
• Don’t ask me about receipts again and NEVER send one, or
• Something else entirely.

I have no idea. But I’m frankly scared that checking the box will mean that I will always and forevermore be sending read receipts to all who request one.

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 1st, 2008 at 2:45 pm and is filed under Rants. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

4 Responses to “Don’t Ask Me Again. Or Ever.”

1. Chuck LeDuc Says:
   April 1st, 2008 at 6:02 pm

   I’ve always wondered the same thing. I’ve switched to Ubuntu & Evolution Mail, so that’s no longer an issue for me, but yes, it is a scary one. The good news is that they added the confirmation — for a year or so there, you were at the mercy of the sender.

   The one that bugs me more is the “feature” that lets the sender know whether you deleted their email without reading it. I got an irate message from a person who had sent me some corporate spam (complete with SUBJECT IN ALL CAPS, WITH EXCLAMATION POINTS!!!) which I thought was *regular* spam because it looked like it.

2. Gordon Says:
   April 3rd, 2008 at 4:55 pm

   Ahhh another one of those things I ignore on a weekly basis, presuming my .. er.. presumption is correct.

   I THINK checking the box means “remember which option I choose below” but you are right, that’s not what it says…

   Which would explain why I still get these now and then.. oops.

3. Web 2.0 & Usability Blog Says:
   April 6th, 2008 at 6:32 am

   I always hate seeing the ‘don’t ask me again’ box. If the option not to be asked again is available, why am I asked in the first place? There should be a setting that removes the need for this message ever appearing.

4. TW Says:
   April 7th, 2008 at 7:54 am

   Hey, this is a simple one to sort out. Just add a field to your Outlook that shows you if someone has requested a receipt. Doesn’t work for external emails though, but does if you’re in a big company.
   Then, view the email in a reading pane, and then delete so they get a ‘your email was deleted before being read’. Winds them up no end!

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