Comment by nivertech | Hacker News Reader

Comment by nivertech | Hacker News Reader

I like military style [1] / low context [2].

I'm usually omitting the recipient's name, even though I understand that for some people it may sound rude.

Exception: replies to email threads with multiple recipients, CC'ed people.

Same with the footer, unless I'm expecting this person to call me, so I'll be adding my phone number there.

For long emails, I'm adding TL;DR in the first lines of the email body.

--

[1] https://hbr.org/2016/11/how-to-write-email-with-military-pre...

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-context_and_low-context_c...

Please remember that TL;DR[0] is still slang. Some people will understand it, others won't. Also, if the first part of your reply to a message from someone is TL;DR, it is possible that they won't read your message.

[0] https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/tl;dr#English

I highlight it. Then 2 new lines, then the actual body of the message, i.e.:

  @recipient
  
  TL;DR: ......................
  
  
  .............................
  ..........................[1]
  
  .............................
  ..............[2]............
  .............................
  
  .............................

  --

  [1] footnote A
  [2] footnote B

> For long emails, I'm adding TL;DR in the first lines of the email body.

Yes. Bottom line at the top.

I think it's called BLUF - Bottom Line Up Front [1].

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BLUF_(communication)

TIL.

I've always called it bottom line at the top because of the symmetry, and because what we're taking about is literally being placed ... at the top.

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