Are you a piler, filer, or purger?

When we looked into how people used email, we found some interesting patterns. It turns out that there are generally three types of people when it comes to email: pilers, filers, and purgers.

Which are you?


  • Piler: “I generally don’t put email into a folder or archive. I don’t delete it. I just let it pile up in my inbox."
  • Filer: “I generally categorize messages by moving them into folders I’ve created or assigning labels to each message.”
  • Purger:  “I generally delete email after I’ve read it.”
Different strokes for different folks. It’s a fun engineering challenge to build an email service that works well for all three types of folks.

Here’s a bit of data on how pilers, filers, and purgers tend to manage the email in their accounts.



Source: Microsoft internal

And a chart that will give you a sense as to what percentage of people are like you.



Coming up next – did you know that Hotmail has keyboard shortcuts? Did you know that you can choose between Outlook shortcuts and Gmail-compatible shortcuts? Pretty geeky, huh? I’ll talk next about how we think about those features that we geeks love and that most people never use.

Dick Craddock
Group Program Manager, Windows Live Hotmail


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Oh ! I didn't know earlier that I am a piler . Learning about myself never ends ;)
 

My Computer

That's a hard one I'm a Piler/Purger.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7 Ultimate x64 Service Pack 1 (Build 6.1.7601)
    CPU
    Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 (G0 Kentsfield) LGA775 (FC-LGA6)
    Motherboard
    GIGABYTE GA-EP35C-DS3R (Rev. 2.1)
    Memory
    Corsair TW3X4G1333C9A 4GB PC-10600 (2x XMS3 2GB)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS nVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT (G92GT/D8P)
    Sound Card
    RealTek ALC885/889A/890
    Monitor(s) Displays
    ChiMei CMV CT-730D 17inch (LCD Monitor)
    Screen Resolution
    1280-1024 60Hertz (Ture Colour 32bit)
    Hard Drives
    2x Barracuda 7200.10 SATA 3.0Gb/s 160-GB Hard Drive ST3160815AS (AHCI)
    PSU
    SUPER FLOWER 500watt Plug in Leads 24pin ATX BLACK MODEL
    Case
    Thermaltake Shark (VA7000SWA ATX) Full Tower
    Cooling
    Front 120mm fan (1400 RPM) /Rear 120mm (1400 RPM) blue LED
    Keyboard
    Labtec Media Desktop Y-SAD65
    Mouse
    Razer DeathAdder 3G Infrared Sensor (1800DPI)
    Internet Speed
    Telstra BigPond Elite Liberty ADSL2+ 24Mbps/256kbps
    Other Info
    ASUS PCE-N13 802.11n Wireless LAN card
I do all 3, I pile some delete a load and file the rest, I have a number of folders each named where the mail goes to via message rules depending on the email in question.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 32 bit/ Windows 8.1 64 bit
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Zoostorm/ Asus K55A Notebook
    CPU
    Intel Core 2 Duo E4600 @ 2400 MHz
    Motherboard
    Foxconn 45CMX/45GMX/45CMX-K
    Memory
    2048 MB (2 x 1024 DDR2-SDRAM)/8GB DDR3
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel Corp 82945G Integrated Graphics Controller
    Sound Card
    Onboard Realtek
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Hanns.G HH221 22" Widescreen
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    ExcelStor (250GB)
    Keyboard
    Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 (UK)
    Mouse
    Microsoft Optical Wheel Mouse
    Internet Speed
    Just under 4MB download it's ADSL.
    Other Info
    Epson Stylus SX415 All-in-one Printer,
    Seagate Expansion 500GB External Desktop Drive
Purge some file most of the rest, guilty on 3 counts.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro x64/ Windows 7 Ult x64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    76~2.0
    CPU
    Intel Core i5-3570K 4.6GHz
    Motherboard
    GIGABYTE GA-Z77X UD3H f18
    Memory
    8GB (2X4GB) DDR3 1600 CORSAIR Vengeance CL8 1.5v
    Graphics Card(s)
    Sapphire HD 7770 Vapor-X 1GB DDR5
    Sound Card
    Onboard VIA VT2021
    Monitor(s) Displays
    22" LCD Dell SP2208WFP
    Screen Resolution
    1680x1050
    Hard Drives
    Samaung 840Pro 128GB, Seagate 500GB SATA2 7200rpm 32mb, Seagate 1TB SATA2 7200rpm 32mb,
    PSU
    Corsair HX650W
    Case
    Cooler Master Storm Scout
    Cooling
    Corsair H80 w/Noctua NF P12 12cm fan, case fans 2X14cm
    Keyboard
    Logitech Wave
    Mouse
    CM Sentinel
    Internet Speed
    Abysmal
    Browser
    Opera Next
    Other Info
    Dell Venue 8Pro: Baytrail Z3740D, 2GB Ram, 64GB HDD, 8" IPS Display 1280 x 800, Active Stylus.
    Haswell laptop: HP Envy 17t-j, i7-4700MQ, GeForce 740M 2GB DDR3, 17.3" Full HD 1920x1080, 16GB RAM, Samsung 840 Pro 128GB, 1TB Hitachi 7200 HDD,
    Desktop: eSATA ports,
    External eSATA Seagate 500GB SATA2 7200rpm,
Filer/purger....who would have guessed. Can't stand to have my Inbox full of email. Married to a piler and it caused me to
build her a laptop with her own email address.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7 x64 / Windows 8 Consumer Preview
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Systemax / N2000
    CPU
    Q6600 (G0 stepping) @2.4 Ghz
    Motherboard
    XFX nForce 680i LT
    Memory
    4 X 2gb OCZ SLI-Ready PC-6400
    Graphics Card(s)
    Dual XFX GeForce 9800GT 512MB in SLI mode (Stock)
    Sound Card
    Integrated High Def audio 192 kHz/32-bit eight channel
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dual 24" Sceptre X246W-1080P
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x1080 each monitor
    Hard Drives
    500GB 7200 RPM SATA II
    PSU
    Cooler Master Real Power Pro 1250W
    Case
    N2000 tower server
    Cooling
    Thermaltake bigwater 760is - Liquid cooling
    Keyboard
    MicroSoft wireless 6000 v2.0 keyboard
    Mouse
    Microsoft wireless laser Mouse 6000
    Internet Speed
    TransWorld Network - 512k minimum with 1.5 mb burst (ok, not great)
    Other Info
    Windows 7 x64 ultimate, Windows 7 x64 Pro, Windows home server x86 V1 (1.5 Tb on 5 drives), Ubuntu 11.10 x86, Vista x86 sp2 Home Premium, Vista x64 sp2 Home Premium, XP pro sp3 x86. SQLserver 2005, MySQL DB 5.0, Android 3.0 Viewsonic G Tablet, Android 3.2 Acer Iconia tablet A100.
Yup, i'm a purger.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7 32bit
    CPU
    Amd Athlon XP 3000+
    Motherboard
    ASUS A7V8X
    Memory
    2x 1 Gig sticks DDR
    Graphics Card(s)
    Radeon 9800 pro 256mb
    Sound Card
    RealTek AC'97 Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    17" Dell CRT monitor
    Screen Resolution
    1024 x 768
    Hard Drives
    1x 250 gig seagate
    PSU
    400 watts
    Cooling
    Fans
    Keyboard
    Micro innovatons
    Mouse
    Microsoft optical mouse
    Internet Speed
    17-23 mbps download 1 mbps upload
I purge all non-essential mail and file the rest. I never pile (can't stand it!)
I'm quite anal at times
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win 8 x64 Pro
    System Manufacturer/Model
    tw33k
    CPU
    Intel 3770K @ 4.7GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS Maximus V Formula
    Memory
    8gb (2x4GB) Crucial Ballistix
    Graphics Card(s)
    Sapphire 7950
    Sound Card
    On Board
    Monitor(s) Displays
    27" Acer B273HU
    Screen Resolution
    2048 x 1152
    Hard Drives
    Crucial M4 128GB
    WD Black 2TB
    Samsung F3 1TB
    WD 1TB USB 2.0
    WD 3TB USB 3.0
    PSU
    Corsair AX-750
    Case
    Corsair 800DW
    Cooling
    H100
    Keyboard
    Microsoft Wireless 5000
    Mouse
    Microsoft Wireless 5000
    Internet Speed
    5mb/s
Oh I don't delete anything, it's all stored online so what's the point, I'm not paying for the disk space :)

Granted, I move anything I don't need at a later date to "Old Mail" but it doesn't actually get deleted. It's actually saved me on a few occasions!

Oh btw, if you're a gmail piler and want to purge your e-mail w/out sorting through it do this:

Select All > Select All #### Conversations In... (Mid-Top of messages) > Delete or Move
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    W7 x64 & X 10.6.2
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Apple Macbook Pro Unibody (April 2009)
    CPU
    Core 2 Duo T9800 2.93 "Penryn"
    Motherboard
    NVIDIA 730i (MBP5,2)
    Memory
    4GB DDR3 PC 8500
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA 9600M GT (512MB)
    Sound Card
    Creative Sound Blaster X-FI 5.1 USB
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Apple 17" Anti-Glare & Acer X223Wbd
    Screen Resolution
    1440x900 (1680x1050/1920x1200 MAX)
    Hard Drives
    320GB SATA II Internal HDD

    1TB SATA II External HDD
    750GB SATA II External HDD
    360GB SATA II External HDD
    PSU
    Magsafe
    Case
    MBP Unibody (April 2009)
    Cooling
    2 x 6000 RPM MBP Fans
    Keyboard
    Logitech G-15 (v2)
    Mouse
    Logitech G-9 (v1)
    Internet Speed
    16Mbps / 2Mbps
    Other Info
    Logitech X-540 Surround Sound Speakers
    Sennheiser PC-151 Headset
I delete everything to a point. If it's somewhat important, i'll move it somewhere, but I absolutely hate having anything left in my inbox or deleted items folder.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    8.1 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom
    CPU
    AND 64 X2 6000+ 3.01GHz
    Memory
    3GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Geforce 8800GTS x 2
    Sound Card
    Realtek
    Monitor(s) Displays
    23" AOC
    Screen Resolution
    1980x1050
    Hard Drives
    320GB
    Case
    Custom
    Cooling
    Water (not for long)
    Keyboard
    Logitech k360
    Mouse
    Logitech
    Internet Speed
    30/5
    Browser
    Opera
All three, depending on the email it can get filed, purged or deleted (sometimes without reading).
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro x64
    Computer type
    Tablet
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Surface Pro 3
    CPU
    i5
    Memory
    4GB DDR3
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel Graphics HD
    Screen Resolution
    2160 x 1440
    Hard Drives
    128GB SSD, 128GB MicroSD
    Internet Speed
    8GB
    Antivirus
    Bitdefender
a Bit of each.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    ME, XP,Vista,Win7,Win8,Win8.1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Other Info
    Notebooks x 3

    Desktops x 5

    Towers x 4
I delete everything to a point. If it's somewhat important, i'll move it somewhere, but I absolutely hate having anything left in my inbox or deleted items folder.

I'm like you. I hate having mail just sitting in the inbox. If it's worth keeping I file it, if not I purge it. And I always empty the deleted folder. I do keep most sent mail tho. And I use Xobni which finds anything and everything.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win 8 x64 Pro
    System Manufacturer/Model
    tw33k
    CPU
    Intel 3770K @ 4.7GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS Maximus V Formula
    Memory
    8gb (2x4GB) Crucial Ballistix
    Graphics Card(s)
    Sapphire 7950
    Sound Card
    On Board
    Monitor(s) Displays
    27" Acer B273HU
    Screen Resolution
    2048 x 1152
    Hard Drives
    Crucial M4 128GB
    WD Black 2TB
    Samsung F3 1TB
    WD 1TB USB 2.0
    WD 3TB USB 3.0
    PSU
    Corsair AX-750
    Case
    Corsair 800DW
    Cooling
    H100
    Keyboard
    Microsoft Wireless 5000
    Mouse
    Microsoft Wireless 5000
    Internet Speed
    5mb/s
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