One of the really nice features about e-mails is that they allow us to send files as attachments to other users. This is a very good thing. If I’m working with a colleague and want to send him an image file or a word file, I can do so very quickly and easily, without having to fax it to him. This saves on long distance bills and printing costs. It also, however, presents a problem, because attachments can take a long time to download. For those of us who pay by the hour for Internet service, unwanted attachments can be quite costly and time-consuming. I once had someone send me fifteen large image files, and it tied up my computer for 20 minutes just to download one of them. So, in short, if you’re going to send an attachment, get permission first.