[TowerTalk] mailing list etiquette

John Kemker john at kemker.org
Mon Jan 11 10:58:16 PST 2010


Since the main purpose of a mailing list is to talk to everyone on the 
mailing list, the default for most mailing lists is for the "Reply-To" 
header to point to the mailing list itself.   It thereby takes care of 
the majority of the users' replies and keeps discussion on the list 
where everyone can benefit.  The minority usage is to only reply to the 
original sender.  Most people do not wish to reply only to one or two 
people in the message, but to reply  so all can see.  The default should 
be to convenience the majority of usage, not the minority.

While I've seen a few more lists start to behave as TT, after close to 
20 years involvement in email lists, I have to say it is not the norm 
and is disconcerting and annoying to most people, as it is not how they 
expect a list to behave.

--JohnK
73 de W5NNH
10X 75371/M&M 117/SMIRK 6185/Six Club 285/TRA 2499/Norcross 228 F&AM



W2RU - Bud Hippisley wrote:
> On Jan 11, 2010, at 12:30 PM, Marlon K. Schafer wrote:
>
>   
>> On a personal note, this is the ONLY mailing list that I'm on that does NOT 
>> reply to the list!  It drives me nuts.  I have to remember to hit reply-all 
>> then take out the individual's email address etc.
>>     
>
> Duh....I thought that was the purpose of "Reply All".  
>
> -1 here.  Please don't change the way the "Reply" function works; I much prefer to "have" to hit "Reply All" than to rue sending a private reply back to everyone.  Also, Marlon....please tell me what _single_ key I can hit to send a reply back to only the original poster if "Reply" sends it to the list.
>
> Bud, W2RU
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