list configuration problem (was Re: (OFF LIST) Re: [ltp] Detailed Linux on ThinkPad FAQ)

[Fabrice Planchon]

On Thu Apr 18 2002 at 07:27:46AM +0200, Dr. Edmund Weitz wrote:
> Could you give an example how I could, e.g., teach Gnus to
> 'understand' lists? Thanks.

have a look at the GNUS manuel, section 2.10 Group Parameters

broken-reply-to 
     Elements like (broken-reply-to . t) signals that Reply-To headers
     in this group are to be ignored. This can be useful if yoúre
     reading a mailing
     list group where the listserv has inserted Reply-To headers that
     point back to the listserv itself. This is broken behavior. So
     there! 


Not to add to the flame (Bill Mair as the list owner does whatever he
is pleased with), but it all comes down to what you expect from a
computer program: it should automate tasks as much as possible. So, if
you are reading a list, and want to reply to a post, there are 3
different options:
-reply to the list
-reply to the sender only
-reply to everybody who was in the header ("group reply", so to speak)
So, at that point, ideally, any half-decent mailer should understand
the 3 concepts and offer it to you with just hitting a button (rather
than having to manually fiddle with addresses). the fact that most of
the time the first option is the one you want should not preclude the
other two. 
That being said, most software do not offer this, hence I suppose the
habit of setting the reply-to to the list by the list admin.
Of course, assuming the user is using a unix-like system, he can get
around that by simply rewriting the headers when receiving mail from
the list (since most likely he is already sorting it automagically ;->
) using procmail. Same goes with duplicates...
now I don't hold my breath to see procmail abilities make it to
Outlook,

                           F.

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