Scheduled sending of e-mail messages
 

A feature that has suddenly become dear and near to my heart is to have the ability to prepare an e-mail message and then place it in a queue from which the e-mail service sends it at the time I specify when I queue it.

Being an infrequent user of this forum, I'm not sure how to look for any prior discussions of this feature. It's conceivable the topic has been boarded possibly many times before, but I have no effective way to find out.

Is this kind of feature under consideration? Does it have any kind of a chance?

This idea has been raised a few times on these forums. But I don't believe it is planned for implementation any time soon.

I would like this feature. I would use it, although not very frequently.

Happy Birthday wishes and such come to mind. :)

This topic usually comes up when integrated calendar support is discussed. My guess is that this is on the list of things to do, but will be delayed until after the new user interface is developed.

Bill

Before I get such a generally worded, obviously canned happy birthday "wish", I'd rather get nothing.

Hehe - yeah its funny, I can just see it now, maybe you could tie it in to your address book and set up a standard email:

Dear [name], Happy Birthday! Congratulations on reaching [YearCurrent]-[YearBirth] etc...

:eek:

Yeah, perhaps not.

It can be constructed so that you never know about it. :) The world and what you see is what you personally make of it. If it seems genuine, what more do you want? Even when it's really genuine, and you don't think it is, what happens then?

See this post by Rob and the discussion there.

Yes! please add a service like the one found at:

LetterMeLater.com
allows you to send emails to anyone you wish, with the ability to have them sent at any future date and time you choose.

A feature missing from every email service is the ability to schedule when an email gets sent - you must click the "send" button at the exact moment of delivery.

With this service, you can write emails with your existing email address, and they will get sent at the exact date, or dates that you specify - down to the minute.

yes.
 

i came on to request something else, but noticing this i wanted to add my vote for it, too.

with this thing, it would be great be able to show (in the sent email message) the original scheduled time, as well as the send/arrive time.

i'd use this to send reminders to myself, as well as later emails for other people.

i'm currently able to send reminders to myself with google calendar, and messages to me or anyone with www.forlater.net, but it would be great to have control over the formatting of those emails, and to be able to stop or reschedule such messages, if need be.

we'll bring back the outgoing messages folder!

yes , the future is ours
 

Sending emails with sending date in the future is great for your career: you can send emails to your boss appearing to be sent at night, on Sunday or during your holiday. Also your clients will be impressed that you work on Sunday and at night to satisfy their requests. ;)
Ivan

If such a feature was added and it set the Date header to the time the message was sent to the destination, this would not change the other email headers. It is easy for anyone to look at the headers and see when the message was actually sent. So only those who don't understand email very well would be tricked. It's like spoofing your From email address -- anyone can see what server sent the message and when.

Bill

Other than trying to be decietful about when you are working, is there any other useful use for this feature??

Sending a reminder to someone else a short time before a future event.

And sending reminders to yourself (such as before a birthday or other event).

Bill

You could end up shooting yourself in the foot.

11:30 - "Boss I need my expense report approved before 5 pm, please"

4:00 You leave, sending a delayed send email to make it look like you are in the office.

4:11 Boss: "Here is your approved expense report"

4:20 You - Auto send email "Boss, Please don't forget to approve my expense report, since I am going on vacation"

4:21 Boss: "I am glad you are still here, please come to my office, I want to talk to you about your inability to carefully read the emails I send..."

So you are describing another advantage: it can provide information needed by the boss in assessment of employees.

I am obsessed with the company I started. If I see that an employee is online sending me a message - even on weekends or in the evenings, I will frequently call them, or send an email back.

I can see it now. "Oh Great, Robert sent me an email" I call him - He answers the phone drunk or groggy. I call him into a meeting in my office on monday morning. No way do I want him doing work related emails in that condition.

Huge potential for embarrassment for using this feature. Bosses know who is the hard worker and who is just doing things for show.

just kidding
 

For those who think serious about this, my suggestion was just for kidding :)