Re: [HACKERS] Adding Reply-To: <listname> to Lists configuration ...

Peter Eisentraut <peter_e(at)gmx(dot)net> writes:
> We've done quite well with the current setup, so I don't see a need to
> tinker with it. I've always found the Reply-to-enabled lists I'm on to
> be a more lossy medium.

The basic issue is that the current setup encourages
reply-to-author-and-list, while adding Reply-To encourages
reply-to-list-only (at least when the replier is using one of the mail
clients I'm used to). Peter correctly notes that reply-to-list-only
creates problems for authors who aren't subscribed. The other point
that looms large for me is that reply-to-list-only forces every
conversation to occur just at the speed and reliability of the list
'bot. Without wishing to tread on anyone's toes, it's undeniable that
we have a long history of slow and unreliable forwarding through the PG
list server. I'd rather have contributors to a thread converse among
themselves, and let the list server catch up when it can.

Personally: if Reply-To is added to the list headers, I can and will
reprogram my mail software to ignore it. But I doubt that most
contributors to the lists have that option.

regards, tom lane