How would you handle this?

[Sophist]

Yeah, if the header says "FW:FW:FW:FW:FW:FW:FW:FW:FW", I'm not touching it, lol. Just delete. As forwards, they don't warrant a personal reply, and if she ever happens to ask if you got something or why you didn't reply, you can politely but firmly explain that the forwards were a huge pain on your computer for something impersonal and nothing new, etc... But basically, I'd just delete them and let it go unless she mentions it again.

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

As for the full file emails, I would try to explain that your poor old computer just can't handle them - she doesn't need to know that maybe your computer isn't so poor and old, all she needs to understand is that you don't want her to send them in the first place. As for all the email jokes and such, you can either try to politely explain that you REALLY don't want them, or just hit delete like everyone else has suggested. The joke emails are more of a nuisance than anything, but big file downloads that tie up your computer for 30 minutes at a time is just downright rude in my opinion.

[Pam]

You could tell her that a better way to send you pictures is to open up an online photo site, like Webshots, Photobucket, etc. and view them there. That's what I do when I have a whole group of pictures I want to share. One or two is OK to send, but beyond that it isn't really polite to send a batch to someone, especially if it ties up their ability to even get online while something is loading.

I hate forwards and I usually delete them, especially if they are from one of my co-workers. She rarely sends anything else and almost never sends one that I haven't seen before. So I just delete them and she never even asks about them.

[Barbara]

Having had no DSL until 3 weeks ago (and now I have only the slowest version as there is no other in my area ) I've explained to some people I had to delete their mails because I could not open it. I never felt I had to pay for 30 minutes download of a funny video.

[beeniesmom]

I would just delete it....don't even try to open it.
If she should ask about it like..... oh did you see the email I sent you about the bla bla bla, tell her no, the file wouldn't open. I do that to some people that send me ginormous files.

[Jessika]

My mom sends me tons of forwards... some are really cute I will admit, but most are things I have already seen before during my almost ten years on the internet (my mom however just recently got internet this past December AND a computer that is HERS she can play with, so its all new to her). I get some forwards I was getting around ten years ago!!! Its so crazy, LOL.

But honestly, I would delete them, especially if they contain attachments.

Can you make a filter on your inbox to her address, so ALL emails from her get sent to that folder, then you don't even have to look at them if you don't want to

[jackie]

I hate forwards with a passion. Anyone who sends me a forwards gets an immediate ¨Please do not send me forwards, they clutter up my inbox and waste my time.¨ The only people who can send me forwards are my parents, because i feel too bad to say they are sending me stuff which is about two years old.

[gini]

Your time is valuable. Hit the old delete key - fast!

I wouldn't even mention it to her. If she asks, just say that you get so
much of that stuff you just had to stop opening it. You don't have to say it was from her.