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[Phys-l] Blank replies.



I am aware of this happening to the Phys-l list perhaps twice in the last month or so.

These occurred when I was reading my email on my Droid phone. Since this is a touch-screen device, and you move your finger along the screen to scroll the message, it is possible to accidentally get your finger into the "reply tab" portion of the screen while you are actually trying to scroll. If I accidentally do that, I should be popped into the "reply window." Assuming I didn't really intend to reply, I should be able to back out of the reply window. However, once in the reply window, the "send tab" is in the same location on the screen as where the the reply tab was. That means that if I am trying to scroll twice, and the application registers two successive hits in that portion of the screen, the first hit pops me into the reply screen, and the second hit registers as "send," hence sending a blank reply.

Of course, once I see the phone is sending a blank reply, I know it is doing so, but I can't stop it. Since I can see this happening, I should be aware of it, and I only remember doing this twice in the past several weeks. If you are getting more blank replies than that, I don't know why, because I don't remember any more than two. I don't usually read my mail on my Droid phone or my iPod except when I am travelling. From July 7 through now, I have been on the road more than I have been home. and have indeed been accessing mail on those devices quit a bit. I probably have sent 5 or 6 blank replies, but I think only two went to Phys-l.

Sorry to be a nuisance. I'll try to be more careful when scrolling on my touch screen devices. Generally speaking, a blank reply from me or anyone probably means an accidental send was initiated. My experience is that this can be pretty easy to do on mobile touch-screen devices.

Michael D. Edmiston, Ph.D.
Professor of Chemistry and Physics
Chair, Division of Natural and Applied Sciences
Bluffton University
1 University Drive
Bluffton, OH 45817

419.358.3270 (office)
edmiston@bluffton.edu


-----Original Message-----
From: LaMontagne, Bob
Sent: Saturday, August 20, 2011 11:35 AM
To: Forum for Physics Educators
Subject: Re: [Phys-l] resigning and why ******** New Thread

Doe everyone else receive replies by Mike E that are simply resending of others poster's messages with no comments from Mike himself?

Is this just a problem with my email software?

This is why I prefer top posting.

Bob at PC