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Don't Just Say Hello

77 points · 55 comments · ninju

  1. apparent · · focus · HN ↗
    > If the other party is away, and you leave before they come back, they can still answer your question, instead of just staring at a "Hello" and wondering what they missed.

    Well, you can also just send a second message if your first one doesn't get a quick response:

    Hey quick question

    Just wondering when project X is due

    Would this be slightly better as one message? Maybe in some situations. But some people would find it to be self-centered to jump right into "what can you do for me?".

    1. thih9 · · focus · HN ↗
      About multiple messages: this can cause multiple notifications, which can be annoying or cause a sense of urgency.

      About self centered: would you find it self-centered, or would you instead appreciate seeing the complete message?

      1. apparent · · focus · HN ↗
        Appreciate the point about multiple notifications. I fine-tune mine so that when I'm away I don't get notifications by default. Regarding self-centeredness, reasonable minds can differ on this. Some people prefer a bit of chit-chat before getting down to brass tacks. Others want to get in and get out as quickly as possible. My point was that this is not one-size-fits-all advice.
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