# How Do I Tell Yahoo Mail That Their Math Is Wrong?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-tell-yahoo-mail-that-their-math-is-wrong/263115
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [September 4, 2004, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-tell-yahoo-mail-that-their-math-is-wrong/263115 "2004-09-04T15:36:49Z")
**Posts on this page:** 17
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@JimMacMillan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JimMacMillan)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2004, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-tell-yahoo-mail-that-their-math-is-wrong/263115/1 "2004-09-04T15:36:49Z")
As most are probably aware, Yahoo has increase their (free) mailbox size to 100mb. Since this has happened my percentage of use shows “15% of 100.0MB” Now that is impossible because it means that I have 15MB of messages stored. I actually have 15KB of stored messages.
I added up all my messages. I have total 153,650 bytes or 15kb of stored message. I checked every folder twice. I think it is a decimal error.
I looked everywhere I could think of and can’t seem to find a way to contact Yahoo and tell them that there is a problem.
Is There A Way To Let Yahoo Know This?
TIA
Jim
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### Author:  [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2004, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-tell-yahoo-mail-that-their-math-is-wrong/263115/2 "2004-09-04T16:32:25Z")
If you do find a contact for them, ask them why mine shows 10% usage when I have nothing in any of the folders.
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### Author:  [@umop\_ap\_sdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/umop_ap_sdn)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2004, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-tell-yahoo-mail-that-their-math-is-wrong/263115/3 "2004-09-04T16:59:20Z")
153,650 bytes is 150KB, not 15KB. It is very easy to make a decimal error. 😉
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### Author:  [@JimMacMillan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JimMacMillan)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2004, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-tell-yahoo-mail-that-their-math-is-wrong/263115/4 "2004-09-04T18:01:46Z")
> [@cityboy916](#):
>
> 153,650 bytes is 150KB, not 15KB. It is very easy to make a decimal error. 😉
Yea, that was sloppy :smack:. Still, Yahoo is off and I would like to see it fixed.
Jim
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### Author:  [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2004, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-tell-yahoo-mail-that-their-math-is-wrong/263115/5 "2004-09-04T18:13:16Z")
You can try [this link](http://search2.cc.scd.yahoo.com/cct_search.php?brand=yahoo&ui_mode=get_page&property=Mail&charset=UTF-8&language=&page=user_comments&prior_transaction_id=101259739&). I don’t know if will work for you, but if not, you can [do this](http://search2.cc.scd.yahoo.com/cct_search.php?brand=yahoo&ui_mode=answer&prior_transaction_id=101259739&action_code=5&answer_id=10101156#__highlight), which should get into contact with email support.
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### Author:  [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2004, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-tell-yahoo-mail-that-their-math-is-wrong/263115/6 "2004-09-04T18:15:38Z")
How did you determine the size of your messages? I just checked my mailbox and the size of the messages and attachments is reported in kilobytes, not bytes.
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### Author:  [@JimMacMillan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JimMacMillan)
#### Post date: [September 5, 2004, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-tell-yahoo-mail-that-their-math-is-wrong/263115/7 "2004-09-05T03:35:07Z")
> [@Dewey Finn](#):
>
> How did you determine the size of your messages? I just checked my mailbox and the size of the messages and attachments is reported in kilobytes, not bytes.
Actually most are in KB and a few are in bytes only. All the KB messages where multiplied by 1024 than added together. I did not add in the bulk messages to the total since Yahoo does not add that to the usage.
Besides that the day my mail box went from 6mb of free space to 100mb of free space it was reported as 15% used. That would have put me 9 Megs over my free limit the day before.
Jim
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### Author:  [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)
#### Post date: [September 5, 2004, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-tell-yahoo-mail-that-their-math-is-wrong/263115/8 "2004-09-05T03:53:59Z")
You counted your “Sent” items as well, right? Just checking, because for the longest time, I didn’t realize those counted against me.
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### Author:  [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)
#### Post date: [September 5, 2004, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-tell-yahoo-mail-that-their-math-is-wrong/263115/9 "2004-09-05T04:08:23Z")
Also, if you just deleted a bunch of stuff, be aware that it can take up to a few weeks for them to update your new percentage.
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### Author:  [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)
#### Post date: [September 5, 2004, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-tell-yahoo-mail-that-their-math-is-wrong/263115/10 "2004-09-05T07:54:33Z")
> [@Smeghead](#):
>
> Also, if you just deleted a bunch of stuff, be aware that it can take up to a few weeks for them to update your new percentage.
Ha! I’ve been a user since 1996, so they gave me 200mg! And my percentage is correct. They prolly just don’t like you as much as they like me.
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### Author:  [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)
#### Post date: [September 5, 2004, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-tell-yahoo-mail-that-their-math-is-wrong/263115/11 "2004-09-05T15:25:01Z")
> [@lissener](#):
>
> Ha! I’ve been a user since 1996, so they gave me 200mg
200 mg of what? 😉
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### Author:  [@JimMacMillan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JimMacMillan)
#### Post date: [September 5, 2004, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-tell-yahoo-mail-that-their-math-is-wrong/263115/12 "2004-09-05T19:04:10Z")
> [@Q.E.D.](#):
>
> You can try [this link](http://search2.cc.scd.yahoo.com/cct_search.php?brand=yahoo&ui_mode=get_page&property=Mail&charset=UTF-8&language=&page=user_comments&prior_transaction_id=101259739&). I don’t know if will work for you, but if not, you can [do this](http://search2.cc.scd.yahoo.com/cct_search.php?brand=yahoo&ui_mode=answer&prior_transaction_id=101259739&action_code=5&answer_id=10101156#__highlight), which should get into contact with email support.
Thanks Q.E.D.,
I sent a message using the first link.
\>TellMeI’mNotCrazy
Yep, got the sent items as well.
\>Smeghead
That make sense but like I said "The day after Yahoo went from 6 to 100 megs this appeared.
Oh well, I’ll wait and see if Q.E.D.'s link gets any response.
Thanks All
Jim
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### Author:  [@MaceMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaceMan)
#### Post date: [September 6, 2004, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-tell-yahoo-mail-that-their-math-is-wrong/263115/13 "2004-09-06T03:00:37Z")
> [@Q.E.D.](#):
>
> 200 mg of what? 😉
Well, lissener admits to being a “user.” As well as hanging out with “dopers,” so I could think of several things. 😃
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### Author:  [@Der\_Meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Meister)
#### Post date: [September 7, 2004, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-tell-yahoo-mail-that-their-math-is-wrong/263115/14 "2004-09-07T07:49:14Z")
> [@lissener](#):
>
> Ha! I’ve been a user since 1996, so they gave me 200mg!
I assume you mean 200 MB. For the longest time I thought I was cooler than everyone else because I had 6 MB of storage and all new people only had 4 MB. Then they bumped me to 100 MB just like all the commoners. ☹
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### Author:  [@Chairman\_Pow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chairman_Pow)
#### Post date: [September 7, 2004, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-tell-yahoo-mail-that-their-math-is-wrong/263115/15 "2004-09-07T18:59:34Z")
> [@Q.E.D.](#):
>
> You can try [this link](http://search2.cc.scd.yahoo.com/cct_search.php?brand=yahoo&ui_mode=get_page&property=Mail&charset=UTF-8&language=&page=user_comments&prior_transaction_id=101259739&). I don’t know if will work for you, but if not, you can [do this](http://search2.cc.scd.yahoo.com/cct_search.php?brand=yahoo&ui_mode=answer&prior_transaction_id=101259739&action_code=5&answer_id=10101156#__highlight), which should get into contact with email support.
Has anyone ever had them respond? I get yahoo mail with my dsl service and damned if they respond to my requests for help! Hell, I’m paying for this shit.
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### Author:  [@JimMacMillan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JimMacMillan)
#### Post date: [September 7, 2004, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-tell-yahoo-mail-that-their-math-is-wrong/263115/16 "2004-09-07T20:07:14Z")
> [@Q.E.D.](#):
>
> You can try [this link](http://search2.cc.scd.yahoo.com/cct_search.php?brand=yahoo&ui_mode=get_page&property=Mail&charset=UTF-8&language=&page=user_comments&prior_transaction_id=101259739&). I don’t know if will work for you, but if not, you can [do this](http://search2.cc.scd.yahoo.com/cct_search.php?brand=yahoo&ui_mode=answer&prior_transaction_id=101259739&action_code=5&answer_id=10101156#__highlight), which should get into contact with email support.
I don’t know if it was the link you gave me to reply to or coincidence but the percentages are now accurately reflected.
Thanks 🙂
Jim
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### Author:  [@umop\_ap\_sdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/umop_ap_sdn)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2004, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-tell-yahoo-mail-that-their-math-is-wrong/263115/17 "2004-09-08T06:20:09Z")
> [@Chairman Pow](#):
>
> Has anyone ever had them respond?
Will get back to this thread if they ever do. Had a problem just recently with mine (not paid) and contacted them to try to fix it. Not holding my breath on that one.