MetaChat - gmail now has a 5 second undo after you send an email

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20 March 2009

gmail now has a 5 second undo after you send an email →[More:] Reminds me of a feature that AOL (supposedly) had back in the day. My college roommate loved it because he could retract any email if the recipient had not opened it yet.
This doesn't go that far but the 5 second undo is nice, especially since half the people who send me attachments forget to do so on their first try.

post by: special-k at: 13:43 | 18 comments

Woohoo!!!

posted by ThePinkSuperhero 20 March | 13:46

I needed (to know about) this just last night, when one of the kittens stepped on the keyboard while I was typing an email. Fortunately, it didn't need too much editing. But most of my emails do.

posted by mudpuppie 20 March | 13:48

It's a good idea, but it doesn't work- I just tried it, it doesn't work. special-k will be receiving not one, but two test messages from me. Because it didn't work.

posted by ThePinkSuperhero 20 March | 13:51

It totally works. You did enable the feature, right?

posted by special-k 20 March | 13:59

I need this now my babby has fallen in love with the computer keyboard.

posted by gaspode 20 March | 14:02

oh snap. I got the "too late, the message already sent!" error.

tps is right. I hang my head in shame.

posted by special-k 20 March | 14:03

You have nothing to be ashamed of! It's not your fault the feature doesn't work.

posted by ThePinkSuperhero 20 March | 14:06

Speaking of forgetting attachments, I think at one point someone was working on a Thunderbird add-on, which would scan your outgoing email for things like "see attached" or "I've attached," or "please find enclosed," etc. and a few other variations, and pop up to warn you, if there was not in fact, an attachment.

posted by NucleophilicAttack 20 March | 14:11

I think my response time is slower than 5 seconds..... :(

posted by moonshine 20 March | 14:13

I wish it was an adjustable response time. 30 seconds or whatever if you want.

posted by kellydamnit 20 March | 14:18

Please tell me it's called the <Holy Shit!!!> button.

posted by lysdexic 20 March | 15:17

My college roommate loved it because he could retract any email if the recipient had not opened it yet.

Yeah, this isn't near as advanced as that type system. Gmail simply holds your email for 5 seconds before sending.

To be truly useful, the time should be adjustable as kellydamnit said.

posted by justgary 20 March | 15:26

NucleophilicAttack- it does exist, and I use it. Can't remember what it's called, though. It comes up with quite a lot of false positives, but it's also saved my arse on a few occasions.

posted by altolinguistic 20 March | 17:24

I'm sitting at my keyboard, of course. I've got on some tight jeans and a System of a Down concert t-shirt. I'm sipping a mojito. What are you wearing?

posted by dhartung 20 March | 18:39

Outlook lets you retract unread email and has done so for a long time. I want to learn more about dhartung's tight jeans, though.

posted by BoringPostcards 21 March | 00:39

I have seen some real doozies. One list serve I am on, for my international teacher training colleagues, is especially rich in such fuckups.

The admin / boss person will send out a short news or job posting message. Invariably some conehead will respond (to the list) with a lengthy answer about how trainer so-and-so is still working on his attitude problem, she is still hoping to get pregnant, on and on. D'oh! Imagining the feeling when you send, and 10 seconds later it pops up in your inbox as a broadcast to all your colleagues, including the one who has an attitude problem and the one schtupping you!

posted by Meatbomb 21 March | 05:03

It's working now! I've been unsending stuff all night, just because I can.

posted by ThePinkSuperhero 21 March | 22:32

Meh. Wake me when they have a 30-second real-life undo button. Now that I could use.

posted by dg 22 March | 06:16

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