Re: Mailing list setup issue

On Thu, Apr 27, 2006 at 17:34:11 +1000,
Chris Velevitch <chris(dot)velevitch(at)gmail(dot)com> wrote:
> On 4/27/06, Guy Rouillier <guyr(at)masergy(dot)com> wrote:
> > Done on purpose. Use "reply to all".
>
> Isn't that a bad habit to get into? There's been a lot of press about
> people who habitually reply all.

Reply all is the normal thing to do. If people don't want the extra copies
they can use mail-followup-to headers to indicate that (or on majordomo
lists such as used here, you can have the list server not send you copies
when you address is copied on replies). By replying to all, it leaves the
recipient the option to handle the mail differently when they are cc'd.

> Besides, isn't the point of a mailing list is that it's a global
> public discussion on a topic in which all subscribers can 'listen in'
> on the discussion. You never know what useful information can be
> obtained from seeing the full discussion.

That's why you are supposed to do a reply all unless you have some specific
reason not to. (e.g. a thank you response that doesn't add to the discussion).
Also note that nonmembers can post to the lists (though a moderator needs to
approve their messages), so you aren't even guarenteed that a poster is on
the list.

>
> In addition, it's not the norm. I subscribe to lots of mailing lists
> and postgresql.org lists are the only ones that I've seem do that.

They are probably nontechnical lists. Most lists that I subscribe to don't
have broken reply-to headers. (And when they do, I have my mail filter remove
them, but that still prevents their normal use.)

>
> So what's the reasoning behind this choice?

It breaks the normal use of reply-to.