Harvey Newstrom wrote:
> Based on the non sequitur responses I got, I don't think my posting was
> very clear. Let me try again. I know how to use my individual software so
> as to not disrupt the List. As a Network and Security Engineer, my
> question is why we have configured this List so that every Netscape and
> Eudora e-mail client has a button on their tool-bar that will disrupt this
> List? Do we really think the solution is warn all the List participants to
> "never push this button"?
>
> Netscape and Eudora mailers have toolbars that contain two reply buttons.
> One button is a "Reply-to-All" button which replies to the list and to all
> particpants (sender, receiver, cc'd persons) to make sure they get copies.
> This keeps participants who are not on the mailing List from getting
> dropped from future discussion. The Other button is a "Reply-to-Single"
> button that will only reply to the List only. This button drops
> participants who are not on the mailing list from future discussion. Both
> of these buttons are available at all times, and the user can always hit
> either one. We cannot control which button a user hits to reply. Some
> people have suggested setting the "defaults" in the e-mail client, but
> these defaults only set which function key calls which button. Both
> buttons are always available on the toolbar and the users who use the
> buttons still have to remember which one to hit for this List. There is no
> way to restrict the software to only type of reply.
>
> The Extropians List is set up so that only one of these Reply buttons will
> work as expected with no side effects. The user cannot choose what kind of
> reply to use. Only one button will produce a single posting, whereas the
> other button will trigger a cascade of duplicate postings for any followups
> to the message. Control for who should be included in the reply is
> restricted by the centralized List software and is not left to the user.
> The centralized List software requires specific choices from the end user
> if it is to function correctly. If the end user makes the wrong choices,
> the entire List will suffer the disruptions in future posts. The reason
> for this is that this List advertises itself in the headers as being two
> "extropians" lists, one at "extropy.com" and one at "extropy.org". When a
> user tries to Reply-to-All, they send copies to both of these Lists, which
> both go to the same destination.
>
> Other Lists are setup in a way that either Reply button will work as
> expected with no side effects. The user can choose what kind of reply to
> use. Both buttons work, and the List always gets one and only one posting.
> Control for who should be included in the reply is left to the user. The
> centralized List software does not require any specific choices for the end
> user. The reason for this is that most lists have a single name only.
> They are only listed under one name in the headers, so there is one and
> only one reply to the List in any case.
>
> Do we desire to be set up so only one Reply button will work? Is there a
> reason why we don't want this List set up like other Lists so that either
> button will work? Do we want to make the user's choice not disruptive in
> either case? Or do we want to allow every List participant to have a
> button on their desktop that can disrupt the List on every single message?
>
> Do the benefits of calling this List both "extropians@extropy.com" and
> "extropians@extropy.org" outweigh the annoyance of the duplicate messages?
>
> --
> Harvey Newstrom <mailto: harv@gate.net>
> PGP 5.5 Fingerprint F746 7A20 EB7D 27BA 80A5 4473 D8E1 6A54 1EB0 56F7
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-- TANSTAAFL!!! Michael Lorrey ------------------------------------------------------------ mailto:retroman@together.net Inventor of the Lorrey Drive MikeySoft: Graphic Design/Animation/Publishing/Engineering ------------------------------------------------------------ How many fnords did you see before breakfast today?