If you’ve ever used an e-mail client, then you’ve seen those two words before. In today’s Yay or Nay (which has been switched to Monday, for convienience’s sake) we look at the above two functions, and if it is ethical to use them or not. Enjoy!

So what do these mystic functions do? Reply opens a new e-mail message already addressed to the original sender, and with the original subject preceded by Re:. Forward does basically the same thing, but is normally used to send someone’s e-mail to another person with a small note attached by you. Forwarded messages use the prefix Fwd:.

I’d say people use Reply a lot, but not very many people use Forward. Reply is handy for a quick e-mail, but it’s mostly handy for a lazy person. You can make a new e-mail, find the address, and think up a subject line all with one button. The only site I’ve ever seen that really makes use of this function is Gmail. Gmail takes any message with the subject line “Re:”, and puts it into one conversation for easy viewing.

Forwards are mostly used for sending crap to all your friends. “Interesting” articles, chain letters, and surveys all fall in this category. You can easily Forward a message to everyone on your contact list, and that’s normally what it’s used for. The only real “legitimate” use for forwards is when someone asks you a question/sends you an e-mail that’s not really for you, so you “Forward” it to someone who will handle it easier.

All in all, Reply and Forward are just the lazy person’s way of sending and e-mail, and both get a Nay. However, when used the way they should (as replies in gmail, and forwarding an e-mail to the correct person), they get a Yay.