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Re: Understanding response protocols

2004-09-17 09:12:29

In <F9755936-07DB-11D9-9556-000393DB5366(_at_)cs(_dot_)utk(_dot_)edu> Keith 
Moore <moore(_at_)cs(_dot_)utk(_dot_)edu> writes:

IMO, when sending to a mailing list, the address of the list should
normally go in "To:". "Cc:" should be reserved for cases where the 
message
is intended for some individual but it is thought the mailing list 
might
be interested to hear about it.

more often than not it's appropriate to Cc a list, since To is often 
used for recipients who are expected to act on a message and Cc used 
for recipients who just need to be aware of the content of the message. 
 it's rare that you can expect an entire list to "act on" anything.

Sure. I thought that is what I said.

But the common case is when the list is a discussion list (as this one)
and the expectation is that authors will write to the list with
suggestions and list members are expected to reply to the list with
comments, such as "Brilliant!", or "This is nuts!". In such cases, all
communications should be To: the list, and maybe Cc: the author if he has
requested it.

Yes, there are other lists (e.g. announcement lists) where that behaviour
is inappropriate, and Cc: the list is the right thing, but I harldy think
your "more often than not" applies to those cases.

-- 
Charles H. Lindsey ---------At Home, doing my own thing------------------------
Tel: +44 161 436 6131 Fax: +44 161 436 6133   Web: http://www.cs.man.ac.uk/~chl
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CHEADLE, SK8 3JU, U.K.
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