Michael Simcich wrote:
This may be well hashed for most here but I'm curious about this. I've noticed that most true mailing lists operate like this zope list, whereas the lists I subscribe to via services like eGroups perform more like Curtis would like it. I'm with Curtis on this, it seems much simpler to just send the reply to the list... if I hit "reply to all" the person I'm responding to and the others that have particpated in the thread get at least two copies... one direct and one via the list. I'd have thought that the multi-copy thing would quite bothersome for most overloaded list-partakers. Plus the fact that at least some of the time messages must unintentionally never make it to the list. I can sure live with it the way it is... but can you give me an idea why "the standard makers" thought the way they did/do?
Well, one aspect of it is summed up in two words: Mail Loops. Mail loops involving mailing lists get real nastym real fast. While it is true that most MTAs have capabilities to detect them, it is also true few are very effective, and even fewer admins even try to enable them. As far as the two copies aspect, I hit reply-to-all, and delete the individual from the recipient list. Some mailers do it properly and have group, and individual response options. A third aspect is end-user filtering adn reporting. On lists where the headers are munged, often the client reader doesn't display attributions correct, or sort correctly. -- Bill Anderson "Always, there are two." -Yoda "Always, there are three." Zathrus