Re: Off-Forum Replies Happen!

On Mon, 15 Oct 2007, Mats Dufberg wrote:
> On Oct 15, 2007, 00:15 (-0400) Ross <[email protected]> wrote:
> 
> > I find the Pine-info forum a bit strange in handling email addresses for 
> > replies. It is very easy to accept the wrong reply option,

While I do not think it is "very easy" (but yes is possible for users not 
careful or just in a hurry; but is also possible to edit the header - 
in pine - as I did ... reply to all, Kill from, Kill cc:, move to from and 
Undelete ) ...

> > Most all forums I access always provide the correct forum reply-to 
> > address, 

... I do agree with the latter statement. Most technical mailing lists I'm 
subscribed to accept by default the reply to the entire list. The few who 
don't do it with good reasons.

> Your are sticking your head into an old debate how a mailing list should 
> be configured. (Yes, this is a list. I do not have any opinion if it also 
> is a "forum".)

De facto it behaves as sort of a forum (isn't it in the title too ?), 
allowing (or at least not disallowing) replies to the entire list, and a 
short turnaround for simple solutions.

I've seen rare cases of lists managed in a different way with severe 
rules. One of them was the tru64-managers list, which I regard as one of 
the most effective technical lists. There one posted a query to the list, 
and the replies went to the sender. A message with Re: sent to the list 
had a fair probability of being automatically rejected, and would usually 
be rebuked by the moderator. The purpose was to encourage (or enforce) a 
policy in which the sender collected different solutions and tried them, 
and finally posted a summary.

However this pine list does not have such strict policy (and there is no 
motivation for it in this case)

> One opinion is that a mailing list should transfer the mail to the list 
> member unchanged from what the originator of the mail has written. 

> According to the other school, a list should insert a "reply-to" to ensure 
> that all replies are going back to the list.

I would stand with the second school.

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