I've been wondering how much my life would be simpler if I no longer received messages that are CC'ed to me. By "CC" I refer to the practice of sending a mail directly to person X and then also sending a copy to persons A, B, and C that are meant to be indirect recipients.
The practice of "carbon copy" was once common on the typewriter to literally make "carbon copies." But now you are more likely to see it used when electronic cash registers fail to handle credit cards properly. Out of an unused drawer will come thin sheets of paper sandwiching blue or black carbon paper to transmit an image through the layers.
I wrote the above text on October 5 but it went unpublished. I couldn't figure out how to complete the thought. Now three months later, I know what it is that I was trying to resolve. For my New Year's resolution of 07, I will make a conscious effort (note the disclaimer) to cc less. How does this benefit mankind and myself?
First of all, it means I'm wasting less bytes out there. It makes me a "green digital" person, if there is such a cult out there.
Secondly, it saves me from the endless game of cc add-ons. Like a cheapo sock in the dryer that picks up lint every cycle, an e-mail that is riddled with cc quickly becomes fraught with ugly loose threads.
Thirdly, it extends my 04 resolution to never use bcc which I'm proud to say I really rid myself of the habit. The danger of bcc is getting people caught into the poisonous reply-to-all on the receiving end of a bcc. I quickly delete any bcc'ed email I receive, and also write to the sender that I am not in the practice of bcc-ing anyone.
Finally, by sending an email without a cc, it expresses to the recipient(s) in clearest terms that I care about a specific issue that affects specific people. And I don't need an audience to ratify that clearest expression of attention.
And with that, I cc the entire world on this message as we countdown to the New Year!
Posted by maeda at December 30, 2006 01:36 PM