[Gpe-list] Mailing list reply-to field

[hendrik at topoi.pooq.com]

On Tue, Nov 17, 2009 at 04:17:13PM +0000, daniel.faulkner at boltblue.com wrote:
> Quoting Peter Bart <peter at petertheplumber.net>:
> 
> > On Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:37:25 +0100
> > Nils Faerber <nils.faerber at kernelconcepts.de> wrote:
> > 
> > > Neal H. Walfield schrieb:
> > > > At Tue, 17 Nov 2009 12:01:57 +0000,
> > > > daniel.faulkner at boltblue.com wrote:
> > > >> Is it possible for someone on the mailing list to set a reply-to
> > > >> field (if it's possible) in mailman? By default (unlike some of
> > > >> the other lists I'm on) my emails get addressed to the sender when
> > > >> I click reply rather than to the list (which I have forgotten
> > > >> about once or twice).
> > > >>
> > > >> Just a minor annoyance but one that I expect a few people would
> > > >> like to see sorted.
> > > > 
> > > > I'm against this.  This error is far easier to correct than
> > > > accidently replying to the list thinking that you are replying to
> > > > the sender privately, and then trying to rescind that email.
> > > > Moreover, most of the mailing lists I'm on don't turn on this
> > > > behavior.
> > > 
> > > Hmm... I should double check that but I had the impression that most
> > > have it on, i.e. reply-to list.
> 
> A quick look though my recent emails show that ubuntu-devel-announce reply-to 
> ubuntu-devel-discuss. The 2 local Linux User Groups have it turned on. The 2 
> handhelds.org lists I've had emails from recently have it turned off. So a fairly even mix 
> from the lists I'm on.

The REPLY-TO header is there so that the sender can indicate where he 
expects to receive a reply.  This is for the case where, say, he's using 
someone elses email facility when sending, and wants replies still to 
get to him.  Having a mailing list provide a different reply-to header 
may make it impossible to srite to the original sender, and is an abuse 
of protocol.

The official message format has specific list headers to identify a 
mailing list, and mailers are supposed to haver reply-to-list commands.
If yours doesn't, it is broken.

I routinely reply-to-list, and only reply to the sender when that fails.

-- hendrik

> 
> > > > Some mail clients have list reply functionality (that is, they'll do
> > > > what you want if you are replying to mailing list mail).  Maybe you
> > > > should investigate that.
> > > 
> > > Uh - Thunderbird e.g.? I havent seen such functionality in it...
> 
> I've not seen it in thunderbird either (but then again I've not really looked for it, I was 
> using thunderbird because it was better at spam filtering for me).
> 
> > 	Claws for Maemo does. <menu> <message> <reply to> <mailing
> > 	list> I believe Evolution does as well?
> 
> I keep meaning to look at evolution (to see if its suitable to replace thunderbird for my 
> needs) when I next do a clean install on my pc
> 
> > > What do other list members say?
> > > I am open to both settings since I tend to look at the recipients
> > > line ;)
> 
> > 	It really makes no difference to me.
> 
> I'm not to passionate over it provided people are forgiving of those who occasionally 
> forget that reply-to isn't set.
> 
> It's good to see it discussed however.
> 
> Daniel
> 
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