[kwlug-disc] Posting without subscribing to the KWLUG-Help list

[Bob Jonkman]

Chris Frey says:

> If replies go to the list, and newbies aren't subscribed, then the newbies
> 	won't see it.

The OpenOffice list works this way -- messages allowed from unsubscribed 
users,   Replies can be sent to the Original Poster, or not, as the 
replyer wants.  Unsubscribed users can catch the replies in the archives.

> So that leads to the idea of turning off the
> 	Reply-To header, which leads to Reply To All behaviour

Reply-to munging is always a bad idea.  But I do it on some of the lists 
I maintain at the request of users, who can't figure out how to use the 
"Reply" button on their mail client.  If that's the level of new user 
kwlug-help is hoping to attract then requiring mailing list subscription 
is way beyond them, and the list will be just like the 6:30 Q&A period.


Unsolicited says:

> The moderator cannot be, or become, the behaviour or censorship police 
> - the list will deal with that under its own steam.

Then why bother with moderation at all?

--Bob.


Bob Jonkman <bjonkman at sobac.com>         http://sobac.com/sobac/
SOBAC Microcomputer Services              Voice: +1-519-669-0388
6 James Street, Elmira ON  Canada  N3B 1L5  Cel: +1-519-635-9413
Software   ---   Office & Business Automation   ---   Consulting




On Wed, 02 Jun 2010 at 1:08, Chris Frey <cdfrey at foursquare.net> wrote 
about [kwlug-disc] Posting without subscribing to the KWLUG-Help list:
> On Wed, Jun 02, 2010 at 12:13:34AM -0400, Bob Jonkman wrote:
>   
>> If the intent is to encourage the newest Linux users, those who might 
>> not have cottoned on to the protocol and etiquette of mailing lists, 
>> then posting should be allowed from unsubscribed users.
>>     
>
> This sounds good at first, but there are some maintenance problems with
> this.
>
> 1) If replies go to the list, and newbies aren't subscribed, then the newbies
> 	won't see it.  So that leads to the idea of turning off the
> 	Reply-To header, which leads to Reply To All behaviour, which leads to
> 	cumulating address lists in the To fields in the best case, or in
> 	the worst case, leads to:
>
> 2) If newbies need to Reply To All to get to the list, then the first person
> 	who answers the question becomes the off-list answerer for all
> 	followup questions, because newbies may only reply, and have it
> 	go to the individual instead of the list.
>
> Of course, #2 might actually be a newbie-friendly outcome, but it is an
> outcome we should be aware of and consciously choose, instead of let it
> happen by accident.
>
> I suggest having a custom email message that goes to any off-list poster,
> stating that the message is awaiting moderation approval, and that if
> they choose not to subscribe to the list, they should watch the archives
> for answers.  I believe mailman can be configured this way.
>
> - Chris
>
>
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