Computational Complexity

Monday, July 30, 2007

 
Away Message

Posted by Lance

When I won't be in email contact for a while I set up a vacation program so that if someone emails me they get a message. I used to use the following:

I am not in email contact. If you absolutely, positively, have to contact me then get a life.

My wife told me this was offensive, so I changed it to

I am not in email contact. If you absolutely, positively, have to contact me then you have the wrong priorities.

She didn't like that one much either, but it was better. And I think its cleverer. But this raises the question, what is the proper etiquette for vacation programs?

1. 15 years ago someone who is not computer savy was offended by the `get a life' vacation program, thinking that I had send it personally.
2. 2 years ago a shy grad student from a different school was terrified by my `wrong priorities' vacation program.
3. Aside from that, most people tell me they like both of them.
4. I often email someone, get a vacation program reply, and then within 5 minutes get a real reply. I find that someone rude.
5. Whatever the vacation program etiquette it will likely be irrelevant as we are logged on more and more, even on vacation.

6:47 AM #

1.  Anonymous says:  
   
   Some time ago I got this long version of Bill's 'wrong priorities' reply:
   
   ---
   I will be in sporadic email contact until I feel like getting email again
   (one is so much more productive without email!).
   
   If you ABSOLUTELY MUST CONTACT ME then your priorities are wrong.
   
   bill gasarch
   ---
   
   I did not feel offended because the part
   about productivity simply is true.
   
   Running a blog probably does not increase productivity either and reading your blog regularly wastes some of my productive minutes, but please continue your blog anyway, I nevertheless enjoy reading it.
   

   10:20 AM, July 30, 2007

2.  Anonymous says:  
   
   I often email someone, get a vacation program reply, and then within 5 minutes get a real reply. I find that someone rude.
   
   Many know how to turn on a vacation program, few know how to turn it off ;)
   

   10:38 AM, July 30, 2007

3.  Anonymous says:  
   
   Nobody reads these things (in their entirety), anyway...
   
   Sorta like voicemail messages (esp on home phones)... "Hi, you have reached blah-blah-blah blah-blah-blah blah-blah-blah-blah; we are unable to come to the phone at this time - if you could please leave your name, number, and a brief message after the beep, we'll try and get back to you as soon as possible..."
   
   (lots of semi-humorous versions have been tried -- these are more annoying than entertaining..)
   
   it can all be summarized into "please leave a message, thank you" - or the less polite version "leave the message!"
   

   11:58 AM, July 30, 2007

4.  Anonymous says:  
   
   I am not sure if anybody noticed or even if it is correct, but this post was actually from Lance -- at least that is what my feedreader tells me.
   
   Are we seeing the end of retirement?
   

   12:13 PM, July 30, 2007

5.  Anonymous says:  
   
   Anon 12:13:
   
   It's definitely Gasarchian; witness such evidence as "And I think its cleverer."
   

   2:00 PM, July 30, 2007

6.  Bender says:  
   
   The "your priorities are wrong" message is one of my two favorite professor quotes*, and is in my AIM profile. Keep it.
   
   * the other being "Education is the only commodity where people do not want their money's worth." -Elman
   

   9:10 PM, July 31, 2007

7.  Anonymous says:  
   
   Hi,
   
   I've stopped reading this blog. If your post or reply was really important, please email or call me.
   
   -A
   
   This message was automatically generated by the gotalife program.
   

   10:03 PM, July 31, 2007