[sdiy] Re: Replying

[Glen]

At 09:27 PM 1/25/01 , pH_______ wrote:

>> > ...I can't simply "hit the reply button" to respond to
>> > messages on this list.
>
>do you have a "Reply All" button? that'll do the trick.

Not really. I then have to edit the "To:" and sometimes the "Bcc:" headers
in my email, before sending it. I do this to remove the addresses of
individuals that are also included in those headers by the "Reply to all"
button.

I do this because I think it would be annoying for me to send someone the
same exact message both directly and also via the email list. Doesn't
anyone else get a little tired of receiving double messages when someone
decides to respond to one of your list messages?

Basically, the system is currently set up to cater to those that can't
properly control their posting habits, at the expense of those who actually
know what they are doing. Such a system actually encourages sloppy posting
habits. 

If it were done the other way, and the "Reply To" button sent messages
directly to the list, some of the more careless posters would soon learn
the consequences of their actions. After "getting burned" a time or two,
they would actually *learn* from their embarrassment of sending private
email to the whole list, and they would be better for it in the long run.

It would be terrific if somehow the list software could be programmed to
allow whichever style of posting a list member preferred. Along with
keeping track of whether a list member wanted a digest or individual
messages, whether their presence on a membership-list was public or hidden,
and any of a number of other individual user settings - it would be
terrific if somehow the list software "remembered" how to arrange the
headers sent to a particular list member, in order to allow the particular
style of reply-posting that list member preferred. (Not that I expect that
to happen, but it would be great. It would also end this issue permanently.)



Later,
Glen