A timely question
Several years ago, I wrote a scientific paper on the work I was doing at the time, which was to do with high resolution lithography for electronics. It was published, and shortly afterwards I received an e-mail from a bloke in a large American laboratory asking me for further details on the research.

I have never replied to it. I put it off at the time, as I was busy and it would have meant looking out experimental details from my lab book. So by the time I'd got round to it, months later, I decided it would be too late and that the moment would have passed.

I still have the e-mail though. I looked it out this morning, and it's dated 24th November 1998. Six days from now, it'll be ten years since it was sent.

I'm tempted to reply to it next Monday, as if I'd just received it, just for fun. Chances are the bloke will have moved on and his e-mail address will be dead, but still.

I'm just a big kid. A big lazy kid.
( K2k6 has a proper job these days, Tue 18 Nov 2008, 9:05, 14 replies)

Do it
It would be great!
(Jugular, Tue 18 Nov 2008, 9:18, closed)

This
Let us know how it turns out! :)
( Noeli overtheshoulderboulderholderthingstraplatchboobs, Tue 18 Nov 2008, 9:23, closed)

Ask him
if he's worried about the Y2K bug.
(salvadorevincent, Tue 18 Nov 2008, 9:32, closed)

Now
that's a good idea! :)
( K2k6 has a proper job these days, Tue 18 Nov 2008, 9:57, closed)

Do it!

( Enzyme is powered by sunlight, Tue 18 Nov 2008, 10:14, closed)

I just Googled the bloke
He's still there! With the same e-mail address and everything.

*chuckles childishly*
( K2k6 has a proper job these days, Tue 18 Nov 2008, 10:17, closed)

Genius.
You have to reply!
(The Empress it seems you CAN polish a turd!, Tue 18 Nov 2008, 10:21, closed)

Reply, reply, reply, reply
Go on....
reply
(Jugular, Tue 18 Nov 2008, 10:53, closed)

Reply as if it's still 1998, and post the results.
If he replys back, reply as if it was still 1998. That would confuse him.
(engekomkommer, Tue 18 Nov 2008, 11:23, closed)

In that case
you could also discuss investing in a profitable dotcom.
( mistaspakkaman and the inedible shifting caterpillars, Wed 19 Nov 2008, 1:00, closed)

What happens...
If he waits ten years to answer back? :)

Will you still be at the same workplace and be google-able?
(annexed, Tue 18 Nov 2008, 13:25, closed)

Pretty-please
Do it! He probably won't know what the hell you're talking about, but it'll be fun!

Make sure you get some obscure Back to the Future references in there. Perhaps you could invite him to come and see your Flux Capacitor?
(The Apeface Cherub is not a cunty-uber-cunt, Tue 18 Nov 2008, 15:40, closed)

Just
wind the clock on your PC back a decade and send a reply, poor chap will be cursing how crappy e-mail is for weeks.
(Benzyl, Tue 18 Nov 2008, 16:37, closed)

That probably won't work
as the date will be added by a mailserver somewhere. That is unless you install the correct bits & bobs on your machine to add your own headers and send it directly...
(madsporkmurderer, Tue 18 Nov 2008, 19:30, closed)