ietf-822
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Re: Understanding response protocols

2004-09-17 09:12:31

In <20040916154537(_dot_)41cf82e7(_dot_)moore(_at_)cs(_dot_)utk(_dot_)edu> 
Keith Moore <moore(_at_)cs(_dot_)utk(_dot_)edu> writes:

ISTM that the only reason that people use Reply-to-All when responding to
mailing lists is that it is the only way of ensuring (without inspecting
the headers carefully and cutting/pasting as necessary) that the reply
goes to the list at least. 

I don't know why you believe that. 

Because, except in the case where the list-maintainer automatically
inserts Reply-To (a usage often deprecated, though I find it appropriate
in many lists that I use), Reply-to-All is the only thing that guarantees
that the reply gets sent to the list. Simple Reply will usually just
respond to the author.

Therefore, users who want a quiet life and cannot be botherd to
cut-and-paste (which is most of us) just hit Reply-to-All, a practice
which means duplicate copies to the author and accusations of
obnoxiousness. That is the whole problem we are discussing, with a view to
find some better method.

-- 
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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