Last year I contributed a number of patches to pdf.js. Most of my patches were reviewed and merged to the codebase by Yury Delendik. Every single time he merged one of my patches, Yury wrote “Thank you for the patch”. It was never “thanks” or “thank you!” or “thank you :)”. Nor was it “awesome” or “great work” or “+1'' or “\o/” or “\m/”. Just “Thank you for the patch”.

Oddly enough, this unadorned use of one of the most simple and important phrases in the English language struck me as quaint, slightly formal, and perhaps a little old-fashioned. Not a bad thing by any means, but… notable. And then, as Yury merged more of my patches, I started getting used to it. Tthen I started enjoying it. Each time he wrote it — I’m pretty sure he wrote it every time — it made me smile. I felt a small warm glow inside. All because of a single, simple, specific phrase.

So I started using it myself. (“Thank you for the patch.”) I tried to use it more often, in situations I previously wouldn’t have. (“Thank you for the fast review”.) I mostly kept to this simple form and eschewed variations. (“Thank you for the additional information.”) I even started using it each time somebody answered one of my questions on IRC. (“glandium: thank you”)

I’m still doing this. I don’t always use this exact form, and I don’t always remember to thank people who have helped me. But I do think it has made my gratitude to those around me more obvious, more consistent, and more sincere. It feels good.

https://blog.mozilla.org/nnethercote/2015/07/23/thank-you-is-a-wonderful-phrase/