Re: Mailing lists, CC, followup-to, netiquette and all the rest [was: direct ethernet connection between computer and printer]

[Lisi Reisz <lisi.reisz@gmail.com>]

On Monday 19 October 2015 09:44:56 Chris Bannister wrote:
> On Mon, Oct 19, 2015 at 08:57:30AM +0200, tomas@tuxteam.de wrote:
> > Yes, I'm aware of all that. And I never said the CoC is wrong or should
> > be changed. I'm just advocating for dealing with those who fail this
> > CoC (especially this little technical item) more gracefully. That's all.
>
> As in a another post of mine where I mentioned that because the list is
> open then it makes sense to CC a poster if they appear to be newbie and
> you're not sure if they're subscribed.
>
> Also I've seen some posts where the OP has asked to be CC'd and
> subsequent replies have been to the list only.
>
> It may seem like I'm contradicting myself, but I'm suggesting that
> discretion is required. I have seen some threads where the OP has
> requested help installing Debian and there's been about 10 replies with
> requests for more information and the OP hasn't replied to any of them,
> doesn't it make sense to CC the OP in that case, just to at least ensure
> that no one is 'talking to a brick wall'?

At the risk of also seeming to contradict myself, I (almost) agree.  I was 
recently cc'ing someone who was having trouble with emails from the list (as 
were several other people).  

But that is quite different from replying personally to everyone who posts to 
the list, with a cc only to the list because ...   Because what?  the whole 
point of a mailing list is that it sends copies to everybody.

But the one point where I disagree is the sending a personal copy to anyone 
who appears to be a newbie.  I would want some sort of evidence that it was 
required.  Replying to the list from a personal copy is actually not easy in 
some email clients.  A newbie especially needs access to all the resources of 
the list.

Not replying to requests for information is a common occurrence, that has as 
much to do with personality as with the destination of emails.

And yes, people do sometimes forget to cc someone who has requested it.  Kind 
people then sometimes forward the replies.

Lisi