Sometimes a simple thank you is enough, other times not. With the advent of Blackberries, instant messaging, Twitter, and other communication services, short is often better.

I remember the vice president of human resources who always sent me two- or three-word e-mails. He seemed curt, and I felt insulted until I realized he was handling several hundred e-mails per day. At that rate, it's no longer fun.

In this case, I had helped an attorney with his career, and he sent me a one-word e-mail: "Thanks." Having a full-size keyboard and a few minutes at hand, I typed this reply.