Unintended replies

[Loren A. Billings]

In response to Karen's and Eliot's recent motions about unintended
personal mail to the whole list, allow me to suggest a milder therapy:

I, too, have sent two or three unintended "replies" to the list.  The last
time someone really blundered there was a suggestion that we institute a
"dual header" (i.e., an additional four-line-or-so notice of who posted to
SEELangs).  Since doing so not once have I unintentionally replied to the
whole list.  If we impose anything on the whole list, let it be that the
default be the dual header (allowing those who don't need it to get rid of
it).  The dual header is a nuisance when I dial in from a slow modem, but
worth it, I feel.  It would not have been worth it last year, when I was
on a different mainframe which did identify (sufficiently for me) both the
original poster and the list through which the message was delivered.

In principle, I do not have a problem with making people "forward" their
replies to the list; this slight nuisance would filter out both
unintentional postings and emotional outbursts (such as were seen with
regard to the _the Ukraine_ issue recently--hopefully!).

Best,  --Loren Billings (billings at mailer.fsu.edu)