Do you add a subject when writing an email?

Yes, I do add a subject.
Unless a no-subject email is sent from my husband, I refuse to open them, as I am suspect of spam.

Do you mean fill in the subject line of the message? Yes, definitely, not only to help the recipient know what it’s about before opening it but also to avoid being treated as spam. It also helps me track the person’s reply.

Incoming messages without subjects automatically go to my junk folder.

I try to remember too and usually manage. I find it very helpful as a recipient.

Hell yes! Please, for the love of god add a subject. I consider it a decidedly anti-social behavior. I have 2 people in my life who do this, and it drives me insane. It’s similar to blocking your caller ID. You want me to answer the phone or open an email that doesn’t have an identifier? What’s to happen to my inbox?

Really, what it says is that the author knows better than the receiver about how the receiver should manager his/her time. We open emails based on internal rules of priority that include the sender, subject, etc. To break the system is a big f*ck you.

Note: Yes, I do feel this strong about it. It’s an aggressive act.

Yes. I will usually create a subject when I reply to an email that had no subject. I like to have the subject to help me classify and sort and search through email documents.

Always. My e-mail server sends all <no subject> messages to the spam folder.

Almost as bad as a blank subject line is a coy teaser or a demand for attention. I’m very wary of those. Sometimes they appear when a friend’s real account has been hijacked by a spammer bot (not hacked, hijacked), and often when they’re from real friends or relatives they’re nothing but recycled Internet humor (“You must read this!!!” turns out to be the 1001st variant on “You know you’re  —— when…”). Spare me.

I do, even if it’s just “hello.”

Yes, every time. I have even adjusted my settings so that I cannot send a message without filling out the subject line.

Like @SavoirFaire my e-mail program won’t even send a message with something in the subject box.

Any incoming without a subject goes straight to spam.

Always.

Always. It is a courtesy to the reader -and it might help keep it out of their spam file.

Yes I usually write: “Hello you, from me” (using names)

Because so many spam messages start with “hello” or “hi,” those are two of my filter words. I send them directly to the trash along with any subject line that has my name in it. Only every once in a while do I have to pull one of those out of the trash because it’s real.

Always.

To not do so is the digital equivalent of showing up at my house unannounced.

Always. mainly to let the recipient know what the mail is about, and that it’s not just junk.

Yes, always. I like to write as it is and I’m all about catchy titles. lol
It bugs the crap out of me to get an email from someone with the “No subject” header.
Of course, this is coming from a very verbose type, I am incapable of writing an email without a subject tile/intro. and I am also incapable of leaving a 20 second voice mail. By god…express yourself! :-)

Yes, always. It’s a courtesy to the reader and it helps them to prioritize their e-mails. It also helps them to know that it is not spam. Lots of spammer will not use the subject line.

It also helps the recipient of the e-mail when he/she is saving and organizing their e-mail into folders to refer to later. No subject makes that almost impossible if there are a bunch of them listed that way.

Yes. I always do for all of the reasons already expressed.

And now, @cadetjoecool…I hope you’re thinking of adopting a new habit. I notice that your topics include “courtesy,” and that’s the right word for it.

I just wanted to add that with good friends it’s an opportunity to inject humor or bring a smile and possibly get one in return. If the content of the email isn’t business or formal, have fun with it.