You could cut the text on the homepage way down - the complexity of the instructions is incongruous with the simplicity of the system. You could dump all the text I've put in square brackets:
[Hi! Thanks for contacting 3mindMe.com, here are some instructions to get you started:]
Quick reference: help@3mindme.com - Emails you back this information <when>@3mindme.com - Emails you at <when> echo@3mindme.com - Emails you at the <when> specified in the Subject:
Quick examples: tomorrow@3mindme.com - Emails you in 24 hours 5pm@3mindme.com - Emails you at today 5pm (in your timezone) 5pmPSTtomorrow@3mindme.com - Emails you tomorrow at 5pm PST 2days@3mindme.com - Emails you in 48 hours
What does 3mindMe.com do? Basically, we're a gateway to your future self: email us anything, and we'll mail it back to you at a future time and date of your choosing.
[How much does it cost? Nothing! This is just a fun project for me.]
[put this on a separate page] What's new? (updated 2008/5/3) Hooray, the first update not for timezones! Unfortunately, it's for spam. Luckily, I did something really tricky, so I'm hoping it won't be a problem... If you do get any spam via 3mindme, let me know. [/put this on a separate page]
How do I use 3mindMe.com? There are two primary ways: - Email <when>@3mindme.com and your email will be reflected back to you at whatever time or date you specify. - Email echo@3mindme.com and it'll be sent back to whatever time is set in the Subject line
[What do you mean by "<when>"?] You can construct your <when> in three steps:
[1) Ask yourself "When you want your email sent back to you?"]
2) Write that down just as you'd say it out loud, for example: friday tomorrow noon next tuesday at 5pm PST 2 weeks 5 minutes before January 1st 2008
3) If you're emailing echo@3mindme.com, you're done! Just put that on the Subject: line of the email and send it, and it'll be sent back to you at the time and day you picked. For example, you could make the subject: 5 minutes before January 1st 2008: Get champagne, quick!!
4) Alternatively, just take all the spaces out and stick @3mindme.com on the back, and mail to that. For example, the above ones would be converted to: friday@3mindme.com tomorrownoon@3mindme.com nexttuesdayat5pmPST@3mindme.com 2weeks@3mindme.com 5minutesbeforeJanuary1st2008@3mindme.com
[put this on a separate page] Do you store my mail? Only as long as it takes to deliver it. After it's sent back to you, the mail is deleted. [/put this on a separate page]
[What's with the crappy name? Ya, 3mindMe.com doesn't exactly roll off the tongue, but all the good names were taken. Please don't hesitate to email me suggestions at dbarrett@quinthar.com.]
[put this on a separate page] Who are you? I'm David Barrett, and you can read more about me at http://quinthar.com, or just email me at dbarrett@quinthar.com. [/put this on a separate page]
[Thanks for using 3mindMe.com, and enjoy!]
[-david]