[sdiy] Re: Replying

[WeAreAs1 at aol.com]

In a message dated 1/25/01 1:57:33 PM, pfperry at melbpc.org.au writes:

<< At least half the posts on this list (like this one) are off-topic.
So any move that results in people having to think abt whether or not to
reply to the whole list is good.

I think it's probably time to take a vote on this.
I think numbers will be against me, but I still thnk for once a vote is
a good idea.  >>

I am in total agreement with Paul about this.  The way the reply-to is set up 
on this list ensures that none of us are exposed to unintentional private 
mail.  I am on several other lists, all of which use the other method (the 
reply-to sends the reply to the entire list), and I am amazed and appalled at 
the sheer number of unintentional posts that show up on these lists.  They 
are usually followed by an embarassed apology, "Sorry, that last message was 
meant to be private".   It's not just newbees and numbskulls who make the 
mistake, either.  It seems to happen to almost everyone at one time or 
another.

Quite often, this results in unintentional public exposure of a private 
message that not only wastes list bandwidth, but also contains some very 
embarassing personal stuff.  For instance, some kind of private comment that, 
for whatever reason, ends up making everyone on the list very angry, raising 
the flame level, and embarassing or ostracizing the person who sent the 
errant message.  Those of you who also subscribe to the Hammond Organ 
Technical list (HAMTECH) know exactly what I'm talking about - that list is 
notorious for flames, attitude, and off-topic garbage.   I would really hate 
to see that sort of thing happen here, and it would, repeatedly, if we 
changed the reply-to recipient.

This, by the way, is in sharp contrast to my request for a digest option for 
this list.  I do not wish to impose a digest on everyone, I just want to 
offer it as an option to those of us who want and need it.  On the other 
hand, the reply-to thing would probably not be an option.  It would likely be 
imposed on everyone, therefore making it be a problem for everyone, all the 
time, regardless of their preference or their level of email savvy.

Michael Bacich