[Techtalk] private replies/ list replies

[Devdas Bhagat]

On 06/06/04 10:08 -0700, Carla Schroder wrote:
>  ***please reply to list-only***
Set Reply-To:
<g,d&r>
<snip>
> > Not necessarily. A list is a good way to get in contact with
> > knowledgable people, of which a subset will find your problem
> > interesting and you only deal with that subset about that problem. 
> 
> How does this work, a show of hands? "Only people who are interested raise 
> their hands, and we won't talk to anyone else." Also keep in mind that the 
> lists are archived, so they are a nice searchable resource for future 
> generations.
No. You post to a list. People interested in that topic reply. The rest
don't get any mail on that subject. You post a summary after two/three days of
technical discussion, and there are fewer flamewars on the list.

> > 
> > Think of a list as a single point of contact helpdesk. 
> > 
> > When the offlist discussion is done, you need to post a summary to the
> > list.
> 
> If I want to engage someone in a private discussion, I will contact them 
> privately. 
> 
> Again, I appreciate very much the help and knowledge that is shared here, I 
> don't want to discourage anyone from participating. I just prefer to keep 
> list traffic on the list. No one benefits if only questions, and no answers, 
> are posted!
Agreed. If the list does not set reply to and there is a lot of private
conversation happening, then the original poster is supposed to
summarise. 

This is particularly true with moderated lists, where you are not sure
that your mail will go through, but you want it to go to the original
poster in any case.

Devdas Bhagat