I love email (2023)

2026-03-0517:3710452blog.xoria.org

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I constantly hear about how much everybody hates email. Look, I receive just as many spam messages and useless email-based notifications and stuffy vapid “regarding my previous email” work messages as the next gal. I get it. But I’ve found there’s something magical about email as a medium of communication, and as a technology.

As of late I’ve taken to emailing random people about things they’ve made when I find it on the internet. Maybe it’s just a short message of appreciation, perhaps a clarifying question, or even a mundane query asking why they did something a certain way. And, every now and then, someone does the same for me. It’s the best feeling in the world to know that another person out there shares your curiosity for a subject. That at least one person found something you made useful, and was engaged enough to have questions.

Once I started sending and receiving more emails I felt I’d gained a superpower. I can talk to anyone in the world, whenever I want to! The feeling of contacting a stranger on the other side of the world with whom I share nothing but a single interest is magical.

Another aspect of email I love is how simple it can be. I can use a native mail client I enjoy with fonts set just so and plain text enabled by default, all without my choices affecting anyone else. I love how email is universal.

The next time you’re looking through some random open source project and a question bubbles into your head, consider sending a quick email! You might have an interesting conversation or brighten someone’s day.

Luna Razzaghipour23 January 2023

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Comments

By kleiba 2026-03-0911:131 reply

I once was let go from a job because of something related to email. It's almost comical, although I didn't feel that way when it actually happened.

I was basically working independently on a teaching task. But there was one coworker who had been there for a long time and was working more in outreach. She told me to install four(!) different instant messaging apps -- which I didn't do because while her job involved a lot of communicating with third parties, mine didn't. Besides, she was not my boss (formally - although I think she thought she kinda was. In any event, she did have a lot of influence on my actual supervisor.)

She insisted that that's mandatory for me to which I countered that the whole professional world works on email just fine, as far as non-internal communication is concerned. She started screaming at me in my own office how I had betrayed her by agreeing to install the apps but then didn't do it. I didn't think I agreed because I found the idea ridiculous from the get go. Anyway - I stayed calm and said we should talk again when she was calmer, too.

I later found out that she then schemed behind my back to have me laid off. Which obviously worked.

I must have really rubbed her the wrong way. But in retrospect, I'm really happy to have moved on to better places since.

By andai 2026-03-0911:32

I want to say you dodged a bullet but subjectively it sounds more like a missile detonated in your face. Jeez!

By ectospheno 2026-03-0913:551 reply

I like that email respects the time of both parties. Either can reply when convenient. When a reply requires careful consideration or phrasing you have the time to do so. When you are otherwise engaged you don’t have to stop and handle each one now. When you need to reference it later it is often much easier than finding a chat. It’s almost the only relaxing comms method left apart from mailing a letter.

By euroderf 2026-03-107:491 reply

This is where it's nice to have a client that edits raw messages. Such as mutt. Then you can edit Subject lines to have better search terms.

By Anthony-G 2026-03-1011:271 reply

One of the reasons I like mutt is that I can easily edit the “From:” header (I have Postfix configured with multiple email aliases for my primary email account).

In my experience, most mail user agents allow editing the Subject header. Even Outlook Web Application that I have to use in work allows me to change the Subject line when a conversation thread has veered off-topic, e.g., “Server replacement [was: Windows 11 upgrades of client PCs in Accounts]“

By euroderf 2026-03-1012:221 reply

Oh but I don't mean edit the Subject in new replies. I mean edit it in an email already/currently in the Inbox.

By Anthony-G 2026-03-1019:09

Ah, OK. That’s very cool. I hadn’t realise that was possible. I might have to borrow that technique. Thanks!

By rambambram 2026-03-0911:20

I've done that the past couple of years two handfuls of times. Mostly to people I discovered on HN, with a nice hardware or software project. Only once did I get a nasty reply (probably because I was too much in my enthusiasm), so I'll remember you, you Italian prick. ;)

Most replies are very nice. People really feel seen and appreciated when I compliment them on their cool project and nice write up.

Even if no one replies, I would still send the occasional email, because I want independent websites/blogs to thrive and stay.

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