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Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!cwruecmp!decot
From: decot@cwruecmp.UUCP (Dave Decot)
Newsgroups: net.women
Subject: Salutations in a letter
Message-ID: <690@cwruecmp.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 7-Oct-83 00:55:25 EDT
Article-I.D.: cwruecmp.690
Posted: Fri Oct  7 00:55:25 1983
Date-Received: Sat, 8-Oct-83 07:27:49 EDT
Organization: CWRU Computer Engr. Cleveland, Ohio
Lines: 31

Dear Net.Women Readers:

It seems to me that a salutation is unnecessary in any letter.  The recipient
of the letter presumably knows who the recipient is.  When I send electronic
mail, I almost never use a salutation.  Although I would be severely chastised
by the Manuscript Form people, I honestly see no purpose in incorporating into
a business letter a line like

Dear Sir:			/* nobility is for elitists */
Dear Madam:			/* either butlerishly stuffy or defamatory */
Gentlemen:			/* assumes unknown executives must be male */
Dear Mr. Zircon:		/* if sex is unknown, you may be wrong */
				/* and if it's not, "he knows he's a man" */
Dear Ms./Miss/Mrs. Zircon:	/* you are probably wrong, else ditto  */
Dear Zircon:			/* not very warm -- detached */
Dear:				/* hardly businessly */
To Whom it May Concern:		/* give me a break */
Dear Chris Zircon:		/* computery */
Hey you:			/* abrupt */

Besides, you are already "required" to include the name of the person(s) or
divisions with which you are trying to communicate in the inside address.
This is a good idea, since businesses have a tendency to mix up paper.
In personal letters, the right person is not likely to misroute your letter to
the wrong person after opening it!

Defend them or abolish all salutations in textual communication!

				Not complaining about signing my name,

				Dave Decot  ..!decvax!cwruecmp!decot