Rich Pieri and Jason Tibbits wrote:
> JLT> The risks? You annoy everyone with real software and you don't gain
> JLT> anything for anyone. Read
> http://www.unicom.com/FAQ/reply-to-harmful.html
> JLT> for more information.
>
> your users get to learn
> how to use their mail programs. If you do use reply_to, the ignorant
> users remain ignorant
As someone who's been there and since then seen the light, I found these
kinds of responses less than helpful. I (and everyone else asking about
this, I bet) had a goal to make life simpler for my users, to make it easy
to send replies back to the list. Reply-to seemed a good way to do that.
Instead of actually EXPLAINING the right way to achieve my goal, however, I
got only two types of responses (exemplified above, commented on below):
1. "use REAL software". Many of my users are forced to use Microsoft
Mail. I *know* we don't have real software, but that's not going to change.
(Corporate standards and mandates.) So my belief that Reply-to is the only
way to achieve my goal is only reinforced. From the private correspondence
I had, it appeared that this REAL software that people are using has a
"Reply To List" button on it. MS Mail doesn't, neither does PINE, so again,
all you're doing is convincing me that I really DO need to set the Reply-To
header.
2. "You're an ignorant user who shouldn't even be writing with sharp
instruments like a pencil, much less using e-mail. Good luck learning,
because *I'M* not about to give you a clue." Yes, I'll gladly admit it was
a real DUH moment when I realized that a simple way to do this without
setting a Reply-To header is (everyone listen carefully):
Use "Reply To All" to send public replies to the list. Messages from
the list will show as coming From: the submitter and To: the list, so "Reply
To All" will send e-mail back to the list as well as the original sender.
If you want to be considerate, also remove the name of the original sender
from the To: list so they don't get two copies.
If instead of railing about how lame it is to use Reply-To, this tip was
added to the FAQ and the Reply-To Considered Harmful page, people may be
spared a lot of embarrasment and abuse. I'm not exactly an e-mail novice,
but for some reason this simple connection didn't click until some time
later. I'd hate to think that disqualifies me from productive society.
-- Brad Whitlock
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