[Haskell-cafe] [off-topic / administrative] List Reply-to

[Robert Dockins]

On Oct 11, 2006, at 11:53 AM, Udo Stenzel wrote:

> Mikael Johansson wrote:
>> On Tue, 10 Oct 2006, Misha Aizatulin wrote:
>>> Here is an argument against Reply-To munging. I'd say I agree  
>>> with it:
>>>
>>> http://www.unicom.com/pw/reply-to-harmful.html
>
>> * It provides no benefit to the user of a reasonable mailer.
>> [...]
>> 1) get multiple copies of mails concerning discussions I  
>> participate in or
>> 2) have to manually re-edit the header each and every time I want  
>> to keep
>> a discussion on a mailing list, possibly with added trouble  
>> finding the
>> right adress to send to
>
> A reasonable mailer has functions "reply", "reply-to-all" and
> "reply-to-list".  I'm composing this mail using "reply-to-list",  
> have to
> edit no headers, the reply goes to the list and nobody gets duplicate
> copies.


FWIW, I'm using Apple's Mail.app, and it doesn't have a "reply-to- 
list".  In fact, I don't know of a mail client off the top of my head  
that does (certainly neither of the two that I use on a regular  
basis).  I just use 'reply-to-all' which is what many people on the  
haskell lists do (judging by the headers on email I receive).   
However, I don't recall problems with multiple copies of emails.  I  
think (pure speculation) the haskell.org mail server is set up to  
omit people from mail it sends if they appear in the To: or Cc: of  
the original mail.

Finally, I agree that reply-to munging is a bad idea, but I don't  
think appealing to a definition of 'reasonable mailer' that doesn't  
match a large portion of mail clients currently in the wild is a good  
way to argue the point.


>
>> * It removes important information, which can make it impossible to
>> get back to the message sender.
>
> This is the most important bit, actually.  Anyone who wants to post a
> single question to haskell or haskell-cafe has to be subscribed, or  
> the
> reply may go to the list, no matter what he put into the reply-to
> header.  Is it a good thing to shut out casual users?
>
>
>> I view pine as something that should be classified as
>> reasonable
>
> Pein (sic!) is not reasonable.  If you love it so much, please whip  
> out
> the source code, implement a "reply-to-list" function and get at least
> one mailer removed from a silly debate.
>
>
>> I disagree.
>> I don't agree.
>> I don't agree.
>> I don't agree.
>> I don't agree.
>
> Very convincing.  Keep up the good work.
>
>
> Udo.
> -- 
> Hast du zum Leben kein Motiv --
> steig mal vor, vielleicht geht's schief.
> 	-- aus einem Gipfelbuch


Rob Dockins

Speak softly and drive a Sherman tank.
Laugh hard; it's a long way to the bank.
           -- TMBG