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Re: Understanding response protocols

2004-09-20 03:02:45

In <20040917125724(_dot_)50a30d09(_dot_)moore(_at_)cs(_dot_)utk(_dot_)edu> 
Keith Moore <moore(_at_)cs(_dot_)utk(_dot_)edu> writes:

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.

Okay, I get that.  What I don't buy is the assertion that "the only reason 
people 
use Reply-to-All" is that they want replies to go to the list at least.  I find
Reply-to-All useful in a much wider variety of situations than that, and I also
find that I get a lot of replies-to-all in mail that isn't sent to any list.

Sure, but I was speaking of the use of Reply-to-All when responding to
mailing lists, not to messages in general.

-- 
Charles H. Lindsey ---------At Home, doing my own thing------------------------
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