Thread: [OT] How to avoid using Reply-All on this list

[OT] How to avoid using Reply-All on this list

From
"Anthony E. Greene"
Date:
If you don't have access to procmail and formail on your mail server, you
can ignore this message.

When I post to lists that don't add a Reply-To header to list messages,
repliers often use the Reply-All function of their mail client. This sends
one reply to the list and another to me. I dislike getting multiple copies.

If I'm sending a reply to a list message, I almost always want to send a
single copy to the list address. I don't want to take the time to
copy/paste or type the list address. I don't want to use Reply-All because
I don't want the original poster to have to deal with multiple copies (see
preceding paragraph).

So I need a way to have my mail client act as if the message had a Reply-To
header. Solution: Add the Reply-To header before I get the mail. The
following procmail recipe that does exactly that. Th recipe will work
whether you read your mail on the server or via POP3.


# Add a Reply-To header to pgsql list messages.
:0
* ^X-Mailing-List: pgsql-novice@postgresql.org
  {
    :0 f
    | formail -a "Reply-To: pgsql-novice@postgresql.org"

    # Uncomment the following if filtering to a file/folder.
    #:0:
    #path/to/mailfile
  }



 Tony
 --
 Anthony E. Greene <agreene@pobox.com>
 PGP Key: 0x6C94239D/7B3D BD7D 7D91 1B44 BA26  C484 A42A 60DD 6C94 239D
 Linux: The choice of a GNU Generation.

Re: [OT] How to avoid using Reply-All on this list

From
al
Date:
what a load!

the solution is to FIX ONE LIST SERVER
not RIG A THOUSAND PROCMAILS

what a backwards solution

when something is setup wrong you fix it
dont adjust EVERYTHING ELSE


are you a MS programmer?

Re: [OT] How to avoid using Reply-All on this list

From
"Anthony E. Greene"
Date:
At 09:41 2000-06-02 -0500, al wrote:
>what a load!
>
>the solution is to FIX ONE LIST SERVER
>not RIG A THOUSAND PROCMAILS
>
>what a backwards solution

It has one advantage over the one you advocate (and which I tried): it works.

>when something is setup wrong you fix it
>dont adjust EVERYTHING ELSE

You assume, incorrectly, that such a fix has not been attempted.

>are you a MS programmer?

Actually I'm someone who has already posted just such a suggestion and not
received a response.

I am subscribed to several lists where there is no Reply-To header. I could
spend a lot of time trying to convince the list owners and perhaps get a
consensus of influential subscribers for each list to support a change, or
I could do what I did; make a suggestion, then fix my own problem with 10
minutes of coding and testing and move on to productive work.

Sometimes there is a reason the list is configured without a Reply-To,
whether I agree with that reason or not. In those cases, a local fix is the
only practical solution.

Rather than composing such a well considered response to my post, your time
would have been better spent trying to get the list owners to change the
lists. I sincerely hope you succeed.

If you do, I'll send you the addresses of the other lists I know of that
are similarly configured. If you don't want to spend your time trying to
fix all those lists, I know of a procmail recipe that will do the trick...


 Tony
 --
 Anthony E. Greene <agreene@pobox.com>
 PGP Key: 0x6C94239D/7B3D BD7D 7D91 1B44 BA26  C484 A42A 60DD 6C94 239D
 Linux: The choice of a GNU Generation.

Re: [OT] How to avoid using Reply-All on this list

From
al
Date:
> It has one advantage over the one you advocate (and which I tried): it works.
>
..................................................^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^..........?
So You run this list??
You say you tried to fix it??
otherwise you tried nothing
simply ignoring a problem wont make it go away

I advocate learning software before you try to use it in the real world
apparently you feel different........

> >when something is setup wrong you fix it
> >dont adjust EVERYTHING ELSE
>
> You assume, incorrectly, that such a fix has not been attempted.
>
who said I assumed ANYthing???
>
> Actually I'm someone who has already posted just such a suggestion and not
> received a response.

So after one voice out of thousands was not heard you give up and allow
a wrong to perpetuate??

>
> I am subscribed to several lists where there is no Reply-To header. I could

this is the ONLY list(out of ten) that I know of with this mistake

just because you have gotten used to improper list administration does
not make it right

> spend a lot of time trying to convince the list owners and perhaps get a
> consensus of influential subscribers for each list to support a change, or
> I could do what I did; make a suggestion, then fix my own problem with 10
> minutes of coding and testing and move on to productive work.

 A typically desktop-centric train of thought
This list exist on the internet and not your desktop

My suggestion is to get the rats out of the kitchen
NOT vaccinate everyone for the plauge

Re: [OT] How to avoid using Reply-All on this list

From
al
Date:
your request the everyone on this list stop using reply-ALL because YOU
dislike getting multiple copies of a reply is vain and conceited to put
it nicely

why should all of us need to install/edit/admin procmail to please you?

THAT is why I said you were on the wrong list
you need to be on the "I'd Like to Change The World" list


nuff beating on that poor ol ded horse

cheers

Re: [OT] How to avoid using Reply-All on this list

From
"Anthony E. Greene"
Date:
At 15:16 2000-06-02 -0500, al wrote:
>simply ignoring a problem wont make it go away

The above statement does not reflect the course of action I took.
Regardless, my solution is not intended to make the problem "go away". It
is intended to save me the time and effort it would take to:

 1. Attempt to convince the responsible parties to implement the preferred
fix.

 2. Edit my replies to the affected lists to address them in the manner I
prefer.

>I advocate learning software before you try to use it in the real world
>apparently you feel different........

I'm not sure what data you used to reach this conclusion. What evidence do
you have of deficiencies in my knowledge of software?

>> >when something is setup wrong you fix it
>> >dont adjust EVERYTHING ELSE
>>
>> You assume, incorrectly, that such a fix has not been attempted.
>>
>who said I assumed ANYthing???

Simple. The statement "when something is setup wrong you fix it" implies
pretty clearly that an fix was not attempted. It also implies the ability
to get it fixed.

>> Actually I'm someone who has already posted just such a suggestion and not
>> received a response.
>
>So after one voice out of thousands was not heard you give up and allow
>a wrong to perpetuate??

I stated so pretty clearly already. I do not have enough of an emotional
investment in seeing this fixed on the several lists that affect me to
spend the requisite time *attempting* a fix for each one. This issue seems
to energize you. Why don't *you* do it?

>> I am subscribed to several lists where there is no Reply-To header. I could
>
>this is the ONLY list(out of ten) that I know of with this mistake

My experience differs.

>just because you have gotten used to improper list administration does
>not make it right

I never attempted to portray the current list policy or configuration as
"right". In fact I stated that there may be reasons for it that I may not
agree with. I'm not sure how you interpreted any of my statements as saying
the current policy/config is "right".

Your statement that there is "improper list administration" makes a
judgment that the list should send a Reply-To header (or a functional
equivalent). I agree, but I have not said, and will not say, that the list
administration is "improper", only that I do not agree with it. It seems
that since you disagree with it, it is "improper". What's proper on a
mailing list is what the list owner says is proper. Are you the list owner?

>> spend a lot of time trying to convince the list owners and perhaps get a
>> consensus of influential subscribers for each list to support a change, or
>> I could do what I did; make a suggestion, then fix my own problem with 10
>> minutes of coding and testing and move on to productive work.
>
> A typically desktop-centric train of thought
>This list exist on the internet and not your desktop

This list exists in a file on a server somewhere, not "on the internet".

>My suggestion is to get the rats out of the kitchen
>NOT vaccinate everyone for the plauge

If you can't get the rats out, then what? Tilt at windmills or go for Plan
B? The world is not perfect. Not every solution is the preferred one. Time
and other resources affect decisions about solutions.

My suggestion is that you practice what you preach. Talk is cheap. Get this
list changed and I'll send you addresses for the rest that I know of. Let's
see how far you are willing to go before you decide that you have limited
resources and better things to spend them on. Don't stop until you get them
all fixed.

That is what you're advocating, isn't it?


 Tony
 --
 Anthony E. Greene <agreene@pobox.com>
 PGP Key: 0x6C94239D/7B3D BD7D 7D91 1B44 BA26  C484 A42A 60DD 6C94 239D
 Linux: The choice of a GNU Generation.

Re: [OT] How to avoid using Reply-All on this list

From
"Anthony E. Greene"
Date:
At 15:23 2000-06-02 -0500, al wrote:
>your request the everyone on this list stop using reply-ALL because YOU
>dislike getting multiple copies of a reply is vain and conceited to put
>it nicely

I suggest you re-read my messages. I never asked anyone to do anything. I
made *an offer* to people whose preferences are similar to my own.

The interpretation that my original post was a request for anyone to take
action is not supported by the actual text of the message. That
interpretation is based on data that exists only in your mind.

>why should all of us need to install/edit/admin procmail to please you?

I described my dislikes as a lead-in for those with similar tastes, not as
part of a request that other people take some action. Re-read carefully.
You will not find a single request to take action anywhere in my original
post.

>THAT is why I said you were on the wrong list
>you need to be on the "I'd Like to Change The World" list

Again, re-read carefully.

>nuff beating on that poor ol ded horse

A strange sentiment given your ad hominiem attacks, insults, sarcasm, and
otherwise emotional and negative response to my original offer of help.


 Tony
 --
 Anthony E. Greene <agreene@pobox.com>
 PGP Key: 0x6C94239D/7B3D BD7D 7D91 1B44 BA26  C484 A42A 60DD 6C94 239D
 Linux: The choice of a GNU Generation.

take it off line kids

From
"D. Duccini"
Date:
this public bickering is unbecoming of all of you

please take it offline, or i'm going to "graduate" to a different list

-duck

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Re: take it off line kids

From
al
Date:
agreed to all

I profusely appologize for all ruffled feathers

Re: Out of disk space

From
ghaverla@freenet.edmonton.ab.ca
Date:
Following up on an earlier note, i gather nobody on this list
either knows how to clean-up all those xinv* file in the dbase,
or don't know what I am talking about.  So, I should ask elsewhere.

Related question, maybe someone knows the answer to this.  If
I am storing "words" in a tuple, I would be better trying to
get almost 8k worth of words in a tuple, instead of having
800 tuples with words of 10 bytes each in it?

Gord

Matter Realisations     http://www.materialisations.com/
Gordon Haverland, B.Sc. M.Eng. President
101  9504 182 St. NW    Edmonton, AB, CA  T5T 3A7
780/481-8019            ghaverla @ freenet.edmonton.ab.ca


Re: Re: Out of disk space

From
Martijn van Oosterhout
Date:
ghaverla@freenet.edmonton.ab.ca wrote:
>
> Following up on an earlier note, i gather nobody on this list
> either knows how to clean-up all those xinv* file in the dbase,
> or don't know what I am talking about.  So, I should ask elsewhere.

Nope sorry, never heard of them...

> Related question, maybe someone knows the answer to this.  If
> I am storing "words" in a tuple, I would be better trying to
> get almost 8k worth of words in a tuple, instead of having
> 800 tuples with words of 10 bytes each in it?

Store it in the most convenient way for you and let the database
decide on how to most efficiently store your data. Isn't that
what databases are for?
--
Martijn van Oosterhout <kleptog@cupid.suninternet.com>
http://cupid.suninternet.com/~kleptog/

Re: Re: Out of disk space

From
ghaverla@freenet.edmonton.ab.ca
Date:
On Sun, 4 Jun 2000, Martijn van Oosterhout wrote:

> > Related question, maybe someone knows the answer to this.  If
> > I am storing "words" in a tuple, I would be better trying to
> > get almost 8k worth of words in a tuple, instead of having
> > 800 tuples with words of 10 bytes each in it?
>
> Store it in the most convenient way for you and let the database
> decide on how to most efficiently store your data. Isn't that
> what databases are for?

That's what I thought originally, but it isn't working that way
it seems.  Certainly with large objects, you have to treat the
data differently than just stuff it in and work with it.  But,
this application could easily have tuples larger than 8k, and
apparently this isn't allowed unless I recompile PostgreSQL.
Instead of having a dbase different than most, I'm changing how
I store the data to reflect average conditions.  Maybe I
am just reading the manuals wrong.

Gord

Matter Realisations     http://www.materialisations.com/
Gordon Haverland, B.Sc. M.Eng. President
101  9504 182 St. NW    Edmonton, AB, CA  T5T 3A7
780/481-8019            ghaverla @ freenet.edmonton.ab.ca