# Check-box at TOP of column in Inbox

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/check-box-at-top-of-column-in-inbox/139752>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 1, 2002, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/check-box-at-top-of-column-in-inbox/139752 "2002-12-01T07:35:18Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\
**Post date:** [December 1, 2002, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/check-box-at-top-of-column-in-inbox/139752/1 "2002-12-01T07:35:18Z")

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Of course, the check-box _next to_ an e-mail messaage in the Inbox (in Hotmail and AOL Anywhere, and perhaps other e-mail services) is checked to delete or manipulate a specific e-mail message in some way. But what about the check box at the _top_ of the column? What is this for? 😕

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**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\
**Post date:** [December 1, 2002, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/check-box-at-top-of-column-in-inbox/139752/2 "2002-12-01T07:45:28Z")

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On my mail programs, whenever you click that box, it selects (or deselects) the entire column.

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**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\
**Post date:** [December 2, 2002, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/check-box-at-top-of-column-in-inbox/139752/3 "2002-12-02T21:13:29Z")

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Oh.