Read Receipt Etiquette

Mr_Toad

Chomeur wrote: »

Some people consider it rude to request a read receipt for an email and I suppose it often is - it could be as if you're going to use it against the recipient if he or she doesn't respond in a timely fashion. But if you're sending an email that is simply a confirmation of something - like a meeting - that doesn't need a reply, but you do need to know it's been seen, then it seems to me to be doing the recipient a favour to request a read receipt, because then they have no need to reply to confirm receipt, so I would do it. Anyone have any other thoughts on this?

Also I've heard that some spam filters will block emails that contain read receipt requests. Is this true?

Thanks.

Does the postman come to your place and tell you that not only did he bung any letters you sent through the door but he made sure they read them and has come to tell you so?

Chomeur

jackieblack wrote: »

Maybe I've mis-understood.
Are we talking about read receipts being sent automatically or just those where you click to send a read receipt?

I'm talking about where the recipient has to click to send a read receipt.

The ones which are sent automatically are just used to notify senders that the recipient is away and so won't be able to reply for some time, I believe. At least I can't think why else you would use them.

bod1467

That latter situation is an Out Of Office notification, not a read receipt.

At work the PCs are set to automatically request (and send) read receipts. At home (like I said before) I never request nor ever send read receipts. (If someone requests one I decline).

krisskross

I order repeat prescriptions via e-mail. Always request a read receipt, never get one. I really dislike having to assume that all is OK because it could mean that we run out of medication if something goes wrong and I don't find out until I try to collect the medication at the chemist and have to start the process over again.

Jeff_Bridges_hair

With work mine is always set to ask for one and to send one when Ive read an email. Important emails that need a reply get one right away ones that dont get marked unread again until I can get round to them.

RobTang

krisskross wrote: »

I order repeat prescriptions via e-mail. Always request a read receipt, never get one. I really dislike having to assume that all is OK because it could mean that we run out of medication if something goes wrong and I don't find out until I try to collect the medication at the chemist and have to start the process over again.

Read receipts are not part of the underlying technology, they are an add-on provided by whatever email client you're using.

Your not guaranteed that recipients email client will understand the read receipt request. Your chemist probably doesn't even know you're sending them.

DevCoder

I've even written a script in Lotus Notes (Lotus Script) as the version we run doesnt allow the recipient not to send a read receipt (ie it sends as soon as you view, whether thats preview or open etc).

Read receipts on internal company mail is a form of "I dont trust you, you're ignoring me paranoia" in my books (and yes, for certain emails, they should be ignored), for external mail it's a different matter.

RobTang

krisdorey wrote: »

Read receipts on internal company mail is a form of "I dont trust you, you're ignoring me paranoia" in my books (and yes, for certain emails, they should be ignored), for external mail it's a different matter.

I just don't see how you can expect a read receipt when its not supported but a lot of email clients.

Take Gmail, I sent an email to my Gmail account from Outlook requesting a delivery and read receipts, the gmail server ignored the delivery request and never prompted me about a read receipt or list anywhere that you want one.

I'm not ignoring the read receipt I just have no idea you want one.