In addition to a body of text, every e-mail message has a subject line, which ideally gives the recipient of the message an idea of the content without the need to read the entire message. However, the subject line of an e-mail message can serve other purposes as well.

It is common for any of our lists to have discussions on more than one topic going on simultaneously. As a consequence, messages on one topic may be intermixed with messages on other topics. The sequence of messages on a single topic, possibly woven (in temporal sequence) through messages on other topics, is referred to as a “thread.” The subject line of a list message can identify the thread to which that individual message belongs. The system works best when list subscribers voluntarily choose to use the subject line of the original message in their replies to the original or to subsequent messages.

When you are starting a discussion on a new topic, give some thought to the subject line of your initial message because that subject will name the new “thread.” In the case of a topic that is likely to spark some disagreement, it's a good idea to select a neutral term for the subject. Otherwise those who disagree with you may be tempted to change the subject line on their replies into a phrase with which they are more comfortable. For instance, rather than “Always Vote Republican,” it would probably be better to choose a subject like “Suggested Voting Choice.”

“TechNotes” runs in each issue of TAP, with the aim of educating us about aspects of technology and communications relevant to our work.