[GLLUG] At school

Richard Houser rick at divinesymphony.net
Fri Sep 21 17:18:38 EDT 2007


Karl Schuttler wrote:
> I don't know if it is just me, but just about all your emails come to
> me as little fragments with little or no context applied to them, so
> what you are saying is extremely difficult to interpret.

I completely agree, Karl.  I actually understood what Steven was talking 
about, but only because I had recently read the list and talked to him 
the night before.  Even then, it took me a few seconds to connect 
everything.


Steven,

Maintaining context and to a lesser degree threading will help you a 
lot, not just here, but also when you get a job.  Most of us will end up 
in some form of white-collar job where communicating clearly and 
effectively in email carries more weight than raw technical ability or 
skill set.  You've probably heard your English teachers going on about 
the how clear communication is one of the most important skills.  Even 
coming from the technical side of the work-force, that couldn't be more 
true.

The next time you are about to send a message, ask yourself what 
background the reader will need in addition to what you typed and then 
make sure those references are available earlier in the thread (if 
general), specifically commented on (if specific points need to be 
addressed), or otherwise incorporated into your text (add background info).


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