[OpenLayers-Dev] Could the list be changed so reply to will default to the list???

Tim Schaub noreply at geocartic.com
Tue Jul 17 12:34:41 EDT 2007


As suggested in the article, I don't think we should spend much time on 
this - as it seems the list managers have made a decision and it is not 
really a valid topic.

However, I have an issue that I'd like to air.

The sign-up page doesn't say much more than "this is a private list, 
which means that the list of members is not available to non-members." 
One can assume that it is publicly logged since you can search the 
archives without subscribing.  In signing up for such a list, I think 
most people would believe that while conversation topics are public, 
subscribers addresses are private.

I think this is a great setup.  Since we know how hard documentation is, 
it is critical that these lists be publicly archived.

Since we also know how much time it takes to manage email, I also like 
the idea that I get to chose what sort of mail I receive.

My problem is with the violation of that statement above "the list of 
members is not available to non-members."  Ok, so maybe the whole list 
isn't available at once.  But every time you post a message, you expose 
your address to clients who may include it in the plain text of a response.

For example, in Erik's response to the list, there is my address, in 
plan text, available to the world:

http://openlayers.org/pipermail/dev/2007-July/001040.html

Now you might say, "look at that tricky address munging, how could 
anybody parse an address from that?"

Anyway, it's not worth going on.  Were it up to a vote, I would vote to 
keep subscribers addresses private.

Erik Uzureau wrote:
> I would like to refer us all to the wise, wise words of Karl Fogel:
> http://producingoss.com/en/mailing-lists.html#reply-to
> 
> 
> 
> On 7/16/07, Tim Schaub <noreply at geocartic.com> wrote:
>> Christopher Schmidt wrote:
>> > On Sat, Jul 14, 2007 at 12:21:34PM -0500, Lance Dyas wrote:
>> >> Because the way the list is setup my mail client says the reply to is
>> >> just one user...
>> >
>> > Yes. This behavior is intentional. Using the "Reply-to-List" feature of
>> > your mail client will help here, if your client has one. If it does 
>> not,
>> > I'm sorry that it does not.
>> >
>> > In general, I feel more comfortable with responses accidentally not
>> > going to the list than I do with responses meant for a single person
>> > accidentally going to the list.
>> >
>> > Regards,
>>
>> I agree with Lance here.  Personally, I'd like it if subscribers
>> addresses were never exposed.  This is a list - not a tea party.
>>
>> I get tired of ditching addresses because folks include a personal
>> address in the text of the reply and spam bots pick it up.
>>
>> I think if people want personal communication, they should use different
>> means to get addresses and initiate a conversation.  If you have an
>> issue, you address it to the list.  If you want to respond to an issue,
>> you address it to the list.  A person might also want to respond to an
>> issue without opening themselves up to unsolicited personal responses.
>>
>> (And though I wish "get a new browser" were a valid solution at times, I
>> don't think "get a new email client" is a good solution here.)
>>
>> Just another opinion.
>> Tim
>>
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>> http://openlayers.org/mailman/listinfo/dev
>>




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