Ask HN: When did you lose control of your inbox?

4 pointsxs7y ago10 comments

Was it a certain year, a certain age, a certain job, a change in life situation?

10 comments

I didn't.

Or rather I took back control. I have now 2 email addresses - one for humans, one for the rest.

And I systematically unsubscribe from every email I don't want to receive (gosh I miss Europe for that), I delete everything that I have no reason to keep, and I archive anything that needs to be kept.

It demands a lot of effort at the beginning. But now my inbox is useful again.

todipa7y ago

Is there an automated way of unsubscribing?

muzani7y ago

https://unroll.me/

1 more reply

quickthrower27y ago

Set up an email for each subscription. E.g. yourname+nyt@gmail.com. Block anything coming without a + extension. When you want to unsubscribe, create a rule to delete any email from the specific address you set up for that subscription.

ctrlaltdev7y ago

Not really - some webmail clients act like they have one but they almost never works.

The other way is when you create an account somewhere, first thing you have to do is to go in their privacy and / or notifications settings. Stop it at the source.

eb0la7y ago

Year 2000. Ended in a support role (think SRE 20 years ago).

Whe had a shared email account for the whole support group.

We received about 100-150 emails daily from people and automates processes...

... And nobody was allowed to archive or move mails to folders.

Almost 20 years later I simply don't trust email for important stuff. If I have to email something important I want to talk with the person, too.

kazinator7y ago

When they wrestled that mail-server from under my desk in my apartment.

(No they didn't; it's an imaginary future doomsday scenario).

cimmanom7y ago

When I stopped using a combined inbox for life and work.

sweetbee7y ago

When subscribed on different mailing lists...

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

10 comments

ctrlaltdev7y ago

I didn't.

Or rather I took back control. I have now 2 email addresses - one for humans, one for the rest.

It demands a lot of effort at the beginning. But now my inbox is useful again.

todipa7y ago

Is there an automated way of unsubscribing?

muzani7y ago

https://unroll.me/

1 more reply

quickthrower27y ago

ctrlaltdev7y ago

Not really - some webmail clients act like they have one but they almost never works.

The other way is when you create an account somewhere, first thing you have to do is to go in their privacy and / or notifications settings. Stop it at the source.

eb0la7y ago

Year 2000. Ended in a support role (think SRE 20 years ago).

Whe had a shared email account for the whole support group.

We received about 100-150 emails daily from people and automates processes...

... And nobody was allowed to archive or move mails to folders.

Almost 20 years later I simply don't trust email for important stuff. If I have to email something important I want to talk with the person, too.

kazinator7y ago

When they wrestled that mail-server from under my desk in my apartment.

(No they didn't; it's an imaginary future doomsday scenario).

cimmanom7y ago

When I stopped using a combined inbox for life and work.

sweetbee7y ago

When subscribed on different mailing lists...

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse