Lynda wrote:
This is using a hammer to swat a fly. Not only is it not the right tool,
but it's far less accurate. Please note that the makers of mailman,
while providing this functionality, recommend against it. Me, too.
http://mail.python.org/pipermail/mailman-developers/2000-November/007794.html
Michael was not talking about using the reply-to header, which is what
your link, and the rest of your email is directed against. I support
using the reply-to header, regardless of all the people that whine
against it, and do so unconditionally on all the lists I run. None of
my list members whine about it.
I'm on a couple of lists where the reply-to header is munged in just
this way. I hate it. I much prefer the extra effort that says to send to
the list, rather than constantly checking to make sure that a private
message is not being sent to the list by accident.
If you are responding to an email where the reply-to is set to the list,
with content that doesn't belong to the list, I guess you have to make
sure that it's not actually sent to the list. The "reply-to" header is
there for a reason, and the mailing list software supports setting it
for a reason. Many list owners and list members actually don't want
responses going off-list, as the answer gets lost from the list, and you
end up with a lit of "me too" requests for the same information.
Majordomo can be set to do this. I hope that nanog (and its attendant
lists) are never set up this way. I have reasonable expertise in
managing either style of list, and find pluses and minuses in each, but
consider header munging to be a negative anywhere it's done.
I doubt that nanog lists will use the reply-to header, as too many
whiners are on the list and complain endlessly about it.
Sean, not picking on you, but this touched a nerve. Out of control
vacation (and other autoresponder) programs should be dealt with one at
a time, as needed. There's already enough rules.
It's a nerve on my side as well, as quite frankly I do not desire any
email from the list members directly unless I know them, or ask
specifically for it to be private. This is a public mailing list in a
public organization. All conversations should be public.
That said, I respect your opinion, and will defend your right to have an
opinion.
And setting the "reply-to" does not fix the problem of broken
autoresponders. They do not change the "from" header, so the message
posters are likely to still get SOME vacation responses. It's better
them than the list.
-Sean
(Please respond only through the mailing list)
