Dragaera

Holy War of Reply-To Munging

Fri Nov 29 19:16:41 PST 2002

> Davis, Iain E. said:
> >>      In my experience, the more technically adept the members
> >
> > So your desire is to restrict the discussion about Brust's 
> fiction to 
> > the technically adept?
> To suggest
>      that I would is namecalling, not debate.

Darnit, I thought I had been rude somewhere else, but couldn't find it.
Thank you for pointing it out. :).  Should I re-iterate my apology? :)
 
>      My point is exactly what I said.  *In my experience* those that
>      understand, don't munge.  I wouldn't restrict a thing.  

>      I never said majority, I said many.  If you disagree 
> that thousands
>      qualify as "many", that's something else entirely.  I didn't even
>      claim a plurality, though I'd *hope* that's the case.

You're right, I disagree that "thousands" is "many".  But that is a
purely subjective thing...that's an entirely different discussion...one
my wife and I have fought over before: "But But a few is a "small"
number!, no more than 3-4!" "No, it's more like 6 or 7!" etc.

I'm reminded of Heroes of might and Magic, which had very specific
ranges for "few" "small" "many", a "pack",  etc.  I no longer remember
the ranges, but I think "thousands" constituted a "throng". :).  Of
course, this was for measuring quantities of creatures.
 
> >>      Sourceforge.net hosts THOUSANDS of mailing lists- 
> their policy 
> >> is not to munge.
> >
> > That's not necessarily an indicator...Yahoo! Groups 
> probably has lists 
> > in the "thousands", and the Reply-To is configurable, I'm sure the 
> > other providers of similar services are similarly configuraable.
> 
>      Ahh... I get upbraided for "many", but you're "sure" about all
>      other providers that are not equal to Yahoo! Groups?

Sorry, I didn't think that through. Or didn't think through what concept
that I wanted to get across. ...And you correctly identify my faulty
thinking in using the phrase "I'm sure"...when I was expressing an
opinion rather than something I'm certain is fact.

Personally, I find it more likely that sites abiding by a "standard" are
going to be to be in the minority.  I could certainly be wrong about
that. :)

>      Presumptuous, aren't we?

I think everyone would agree with that statement, for many reasons. Both
with the meaning you intended (That *I* am presumptuous, for many
different reasons), and other potentially humorous meanings. :)




 
>      I am well aware of the difference between the two, and again
>      speak of their mailing lists, of which I am an admin of many
>      well familiar.

Hmm. If it sounded like I thought you weren't, or was assuming you were
otherwise unknowledgable, that was not my intention. :)

Oddly, while I'm "subscribed" to 3 of their forums, I'm not subscribed
to any of the lists.  I wonder if I should change that. :)


> > effort/time level. *chuckle*.  Then again, you may regard that as a 
> > "feature", that'd be less noise from me! ;)
> 
>      It's only noise when you're incorrectly attributing ideas and
>      claims to me that I do not hold or make.  The rest is just
>      discussion.  :)

*grin*.  I'll try to do better. (or worse? ;).

To be honest, I debate badly...either due to lack of detachment or
through impatience. :).  So feel free to blame any faux pas (sp?) on my
overall incompetence. :)
 
>      I didn't say correct, I said compliant.  :)

Hmm.  Okay. :).  It is hard for me to argue with you there, ideally,
everything should be "standard compliant"...of course, on the other
hand, the "standard" should provide all the functionality we desire. :)

...perhaps I missed a key item here.  Is there a way (as defined in the
relevant RFCs) for a message header to indicate that a) the message in
question is a list message and b) discriminate between the real sender
of the message, and the list-sender?  So that a "standard compliant"
mail client could provide a mechanism (button, key, menu option, voice
command, whatever interface you prefer) that you could acurrately select
your target (individual, the list, both, etc.) with a single
click/keypress/command?

That would certainly change my viewpoint. :)