Relationship Rules

Want to date me? You better follow some rules...here are some starters:

1. Bring gifts (preferably from CompUsa)
2. Never, ever say "I hate animals" OR "I hate technology" (I don't know which would be worse)
3. Do something sexy - like send me a text message telling me how interesting and captivating I am while I'm in the ladies room. Don't know how to send a text message? Better order some Dom's.

Want to make up some rules of your own? Why don't you make some in Outlook - it might be easier to handle than I am. OK, in all seriousness, learning to create rules in Outlook can be a very powerful way to manage an unruly inbox. With rules you can automatically move emails from a certain person to a special folder or automatically accept all meeting requests from your Managing Partner. Now, I'm not going to sit here and recreate a "how to" on creating rules, the Internet is peppered with help. Instead, as your technologist, I am going to encourage you to learn and use them and point you to these sites that tell you how:

• Managing Messages by Using Rules from Microsoft
  

• Creating Outlook Rules by Dian Chapman, MVP, MOS

• Using Rules to Organize Your Email from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire

And by the way, these links are all for Outlook 2003. Still using Outlook Express or Outlook 2002? You don't have a chance. Rule #32: Use Current Technologies.

Comments

[Steve]

Rules, rules, rules. Why should I play by your rules? Or anyone's rules? (Anyone with their own dating rules has already been single for too long I think.) As for managing your data in: rules in outlook are great... for power-less users. Outlook, like all microsoft products, is messy and clumsy and doesn't upgrade without making a total hash of your fastidiously-entered previous generation of rules. Because of their business model, their products will always operate that way. That's how they keep the junkies hooked.

My own rules are pretty much in my head -- intuitive and dynamic and I'm fast when it comes to applying them. I have two places to collect incoming data, my inbox and my circular file which I shred rather than "delete". After years of fending off spammers and hackers the mainstream way, I am finally in a roomy nook of cyberspace all of my own. Completely shielded and private. Don't buy into other people's rules. Free yourself from the madding crowd. Throw away the rules. Take control.