Thank you, Roger. If only YOU understand my message, it will have been worth it. George. > -----Original Message----- > From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of roger south > Sent: 05 September 2005 21:35 > To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > Subject: [access-uk] Re: Moderators request once more: Subject naming > > Hi George and Barry > > I've always wondered what Conversation actually meant in > email context. Now after reading the posts today I not only > know but also know how guilty I've been for doing exactly > what I'm not supposed to do. I'll remember and in future > instead of changing the subject line as I always do I'll be a > good boy and start a new post. > > Roger > > You're just jealous because the voices only talk to me. > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "George Bell" <george@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> > To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > Sent: Monday, September 05, 2005 8:50 PM > Subject: [access-uk] Re: Moderators request once more: Subject naming > > > > For the benefit of those who are wondering what this thread > > is all about, (and some of those who do) let my try to > > explain. Andrew has mentioned some of what follows, but I > > feel that perhaps a simpler explanation might help. > > > > (And sorry if this is a long message, but I too have learned > > a few new things today about how to manage mail from e-mail > > lists.) > > > > Most e-mail software packages these days allow you to sort > > messages in one way or another. This might, for example, be > > by date received or by sender. > > > > However, there are two specific sorting methods which are of > > concern here, Subject and what is called either, "Thread" > > or, "Conversation". > > > > So how do these two work? > > > > When you send a completely new message to the list, you > > (hopefully) include a meaningful Subject. > > > > If someone replies to your message, many (but not all) > > e-mail systems will add additional information to the reply > > called a, "Thread-Topic" to the bit of the message you do > > not usually see, called the "Header". This is normally > > whatever was in the Subject line of the new message you > > sent. > > > > Once this, "Thread-Topic" Header has been added to a > > message, it essentially CANNOT be changed when you reply to > > that message - at least not easily. > > > > Someone may change the SUBJECT in a reply to a message, but > > that "Thread-Topic" will stay the same. > > > > Now in Outlook for example, one of the sorting options is > > "Conversation", and it is actually the, "Thread-Topic" which > > is used to sort messages. > > > > But Outlook also includes a sort by, "Subject". > > > > So why have these two sorts, "Subject" and "Conversation" or > > "Thread"? > > > > I'm afraid it's one of these things that was probably > > decided by Internet boffins way back. > > > > Let's say you start a new conversation or thread, > > "Supermarket Web Pages", asking if anyone has any views on > > them. > > > > One person might reply, and leave the Subject as is. > > > > Someone else might reply, and change the subject to, > > "Tesco's Web Site". > > > > Another may reply, and change the subject to, "Morrison's > > Web Site". > > > > If you have your mail sorted by Conversation or Thread, all > > four messages above will be grouped together. > > > > If you have your messages sorted by Subject, you will get > > THREE groups of messages. > > > > Are you following me so far? > > > > So then I jump in, and reply to ANY of the above messages, > > and change the subject to, shall we say, "Internet Banking". > > > > That's fine for those who have sorted by Subject, but for > > those who have sorted by Conversation, or Thread, they now > > find a message about "Internet Banking" in amongst the > > "Supermarket Web Pages" messages. > > > > So the bottom line is that we are asking, as nicely as > > possible, if you would spare a minute to think about this > > when you are posting to the list. > > > > Are you really replying to the Subject, or are you starting > > a new conversation or thread? If it's NEW, please hit the > > NEW button instead of REPLY. > > > > If you have got this far - thank you. > > > > If you have any specific questions, I'll try to answer them > > as best I can. > > > > George bell. > > ** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:- > > ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe] > > ** If this link doesn't work then send a message to: > > ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > > ** and in the Subject line type > > ** unsubscribe > > ** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the > > ** immediately-following link:- > > ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq] > > ** or send a message, to > > ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq > > > > ** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:- > ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe] > ** If this link doesn't work then send a message to: > ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > ** and in the Subject line type > ** unsubscribe > ** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the > ** immediately-following link:- > ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq] > ** or send a message, to > ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq > > ** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:- ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe] ** If this link doesn't work then send a message to: ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ** and in the Subject line type ** unsubscribe ** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the ** immediately-following link:- ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq] ** or send a message, to ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq