Seeing when e-mail has been read by recipient

How do I set up Macmail so that I know when e-mails I have sent have been read?

I can't find an option in Preferences.

You can't really do that. There is no universal read-receipt out there, it's buggy at best and only works between closed-systems like one you may use at work where everyone uses the same email client on the same network.

Am I the only one that finds this extremely annoying? I have never actually clicked "OK" to let the person know I have read an email (at work). It is crazy enough being expected to be available at all hours of the day. I don't need people knowing the second I read their message! Nothing against the OP. Just venting!

Again nothing against the OP but I find this kind of thing annoying too, it's bad enough having a setting on your phone to tell you when someone has received your text message, breach into personal space I think (also just venting ;P)

- Simon

I also found it annoying, however, I can understand why employers or supervisors use it. I worked for the US Govt. many years and saw how employees ignored directives and directions. Supervisors want to hold their underlings accountable and receipts are one way of doing that.

chscag said:

I also found it annoying, however, I can understand why employers or supervisors use it. I worked for the US Govt. many years and saw how employees ignored directives and directions. Supervisors want to hold their underlings accountable and receipts are one way of doing that.

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Understood, but if employees are ignoring their superiors and not getting the job done they should be canned. Period.

Receipted e-mail

schweb said:

You can't really do that. There is no universal read-receipt out there, it's buggy at best and only works between closed-systems like one you may use at work where everyone uses the same email client on the same network.

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All I can say is that, when I used Thunderbird on a PC, I checked the box "Use my global receipt preferences for this account."

My wife still uses a PC with Thunderbird and it seems to work.

mdfuller said:

Understood, but if employees are ignoring their superiors and not getting the job done they should be canned. Period.

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I agree, but if you knew how much trouble and how much paper work is involved to fire someone who is fully vetted in the US Civil Service, you can understand why supervisors try to use other measures.

chscag said:

I agree, but if you knew how much trouble and how much paper work is involved to fire someone who is fully vetted in the US Civil Service, you can understand why supervisors try to use other measures.

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Good point!