Just a Thought...

[Marsha Cassada]

Like many of you, no doubt, we get lots of "Forwards" in our email inbox. I rarely, if ever, open them. Usually they are silly time wasters. Some take a couple of minutes to download, which ties up receiving regular email. Sometimes I am waiting for all the messages to come in and have to leave the computer and come back later (we have highspeed). I'm looking forward to a nice photo of my grandchildren! But no, it is 6 or 7 forwards from someone who obviously has nothing better to do.

But, the worst thing about them, is if you open them, you never know if they will have something shocking or vulgar in them. It springs out on your screen without warning, especially photos. Everyone's idea of humor is different, but I think one should be sensitive to one's recipient before sending questionable forwards. Automatically sending forwards to everyone in an address book should be a no-no!

At the risk of hurting feelings, I have actually asked some people to please stop sending me forwards. And speaking of hurt feelings, my husband thinks I am wrong to take the whole thing so seriously; "men don't". Sometimes there is an interesting one. But one interesting one isn't worth the bother of wading through a dozen.

Emily Post needs to come up with some rules for the new digital age.

 

[eagles ring farm]

We never open forwards

you just never know where they have been

even if you know the source they come from

I am afraid you could get a virus by opening or especially downloading anything from them

as good as the intentions of the sender are they just make me worry about my computer

Maybe i'm overprotective but it's seems to stear us clear of computer problems

KNOCK ON WOOD

 

[RockRiverTiff]

I'm not a fan of forwards either. I have no idea why they're so popular. If a friend or family member sees something they think I would like, then it might be nice if they shared it with a pesonal word or two, but virtually all of the mass mailings I've gotten have been waaaay off the mark in regards to what I find interesting or worth sharing. I've read enough bad poetry and outdated political rants, seen enough kitten pictures and scrolled over enough text-created angels to tide me over for the rest of my life. In general it's clear that my name was just tagged onto the list for appearance's sake or to fulfill the "you must send this to 40 people in the next 5 minutes or something terrible will happen to you" clause that oddly seems to be attached to most of the religious forwards. I don't take it seriously though--I just automatically delete anything that says "FW: So Cute/Amazing/MUST READ" in the title. I think what makes them most irritating to me is that I tend to get them from people that haven't taken the time to drop me a line in a while, so the fact that they will take the time to send me junk mail always puts our relationship in perspective.

 

[kaykay]

I absolutley hate them and wish everyone would stop forwarding that junk. Drives me crazy and the very few times I did open one (thinking it was a real email) Im usually very offended. Stop the madness!

Kay

 

[KanoasDestiny]

I very much agree with you guys. While I do find some of the jokes and pictures entertaining, I never download websites or videos that have been forwarded to me, unless I know that someone intended for me to see it and didn't just hit the "forward" button. But even then, I rarely go to unknown sites. I have also had to ask some people to not send me inappropiate things.

I used to forward messages alot, but now, I only forward what I think will touch someone, and I know exactly who I am sending it to.

On the 6th of this month, I apprently wasn't careful enough in what I opened, and I received a lure virus on my laptop. After 12 days of not having online service and worrying about whether some stupid jerk got into my passwords/personal info, I will be EXTREMELY careful of what I open and look at for now on.

 

[Katiean]

I always know the person that forwarded the forward to me or it does not get opened. Sometimes I open them and sometimes I don't. When I send them on to another person I decide weather the person I am sending it to will like it or not. I do not send everything to everyone. My brother from time to time sends things that are off color. I remind him that there are kids that have access to my computer and don't send that kind of stuff. He usually says "What was wrong with that?" And I tell him "if you have to ask what is wrong with it don't send it." I think there are people that have entirely too much time on their hands to go search for this junk mail. A few are fine but lets be reasonable.

 

[Reble]

Yes, I agree, but they still keep coming and I am bad also that if it is really cute or funny do send them on, but I copy and paste, not sure if that helps? Do you know if it does?

 

[Sue_C.]

I have used this program for over 10 years now, and like it a lot. Strip Mail

Also, if I am going to "forward" something, I always remove all the address of those before me, and use the Bcc for the new addresses.

 

[Charlene]

when i get these, i mark them as "junk" and future forwards go straight to my junk folder instead of my inbox. at one time, my own mother was the worst offender. LOL! nothing she sent me was "racy" but still, it was SO irritating!

 

[sfmini]

I enjoy what I get, and do forward the funny ones to people who might think they are interesting or entertaining.

BUT if someone was to tell me they don't want them, I would happily not send them.

There is no malicious intent on forwarding, so do those people a favor and just ask them nicely to not send them to you.

Kay, I am guilty of sending some to you, I will not do that any more in the future. I am sorry if I ever offended you, and wish you had just let me know.

 

[Annabellarose]

Ugh, I couldn't agree with you more! I really loved this comment by RockRiverTiff:

I think what makes them most irritating to me is that I tend to get them from people that haven't taken the time to drop me a line in a while, so the fact that they will take the time to send me junk mail always puts our relationship in perspective.

Great statement! So true!

Another thing - this is similar in my mind - that bothers me is the copied status updates on Facebook ("copy and post this as your status"; "90% of people are too chicken to copy and post this at their status"; blah, blah, blah). If you don't have the time or the brains to create something to post about yourself or about your life or what you're doing, why even post at all? I want to hear from my friends, about my friends; not the mindless copied junk that is 9 times out of 10 also offensive (political, religious, etc.).

Didn't their mommies ever teach them that chain letters are in poor taste/a social snafu. If you have to forward something "to get it to work" or to "fit in" or whatever that is a CHAIN LETTER!

 

[kaykay]

Kay, I am guilty of sending some to you, I will not do that any more in the future. I am sorry if I ever offended you, and wish you had just let me know.

--------------------

Jodi I have never got an offensive one from you

My biggest issue (and I have posted this previously) political forwards that I have received and still get. But it was really bad during the election. A lot of us dont like to post our political beliefs on forums so people have no idea when they forward that stuff who they maybe offending. You cant assume what party someone belongs just from reading their thoughts on a horse forum. You know I luv ya

 

[Reijel's Mom]

Agreed! 99.9% of forwards one gets are so annoying!! On occasion I will like one and forward it on myself, to others that I'm almost certain will also enjoy it, but that is very, very rare. However, I feel like I must open them because I have some friends that will attach a personal message before the forward.

I wish people would just think about "ok if I wrote this who would I send it to" and not just forward things indiscriminately.

And yes, deleting all the e-mail addy's contained within the forward is a must!

 

[wantminimore]

I have this one family member that everything he sends is as an attachment but when you go to read the email you don't have to open (attachment) it because the message/picture is right there already. I have no idea what he clicks on when he is forwarding an email for it to come to me like that. I delete almost everything he sends without reading them. Something else he does is send me and email that another family member has already sent to me, all he has to do is glance at who it was sent to when he got it and he'd see that.

I hardly ever check my email on my computer, I have it coming to my BB and it's not very often that I send email of any kind.

 

[ruffian]

I like some of them, but HATE HATE HATE the "sympathy" ones that say this poor person needs money, or if you click on this Steve Jobs is going to donate . . . Usually I look it up on SNOPES and send BACK TO ALL that it's a scam!

 

[Minimor]

They don't bother me much. some are cute, some are lame, some are sick, some I've seen before, most don't offend me--if it's one I dislike I just hit delete and it's gone. I've never felt a need to tell anyone to not send them to me any more. I forward some, to certain people only--many never go any further. Those that say send to 50 people or you'll have 10 years of bad luck...no problem deleting those because I'm not that superstitious. If I forward one on to someone that doesn't appreciate it I hope they would let me know.