# This concise out-of-office autoreply is an improvement

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-concise-out-of-office-autoreply-is-an-improvement/409946>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [June 29, 2007, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-concise-out-of-office-autoreply-is-an-improvement/409946 "2007-06-29T17:46:39Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![E.Thorp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@E.Thorp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E.Thorp)\
**Post date:** [June 29, 2007, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-concise-out-of-office-autoreply-is-an-improvement/409946/1 "2007-06-29T17:46:39Z")

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Today my wife sent a cow-orker an email and got the following automated reply (names & address changed):

> [@](#):
>
> On vacation. Returning to work 7/5.
> 
> 911 = Steve ([mailto:steve@fakestreet.com](mailto:steve@fakestreet.com))
> 
> Joe

I just think that’s great. Cuts out all that “if you should need further assistance during the time of my absence…” business. Saves everyone time. I think I’ll use it during my next vacation.

Disclaimer: yes, being so impressed by an email means I \*need \*a vacation.

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**Author:** ![KlondikeGeoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@KlondikeGeoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KlondikeGeoff)\
**Post date:** [June 29, 2007, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-concise-out-of-office-autoreply-is-an-improvement/409946/2 "2007-06-29T18:40:43Z")

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[QUOTE=E. Thorp]  
I just think that’s great. Cuts out all that “if you should need further assistance during the time of my absence…” business. Saves everyone time. I think I’ll use it during my next vacation.

[/QUOTE]

I agree. Reminds me of a recorded answering machine message that went, “You’ve got the machine. When it beeps, talk.”