[etni] Re: emails to the list

From: "David Lloyd" <david@xxxxxxxx>
To: "Etni" <etni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 25 Jun 2008 08:43:13 +0200
Batya wrote:
>When replying to a message,  I'm sure most of us
>automatically push the 'reply' button -- so I hope
>that explains why not all the responses make it
>to the list!
>By the way, is the following the correct address for sending replies?
>ask@xxxxxxxx

The official list address is - etni@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
When a message is sent to this address, it is clear that it is meant for the 
list.
When people reply to these messages, their reply comes back directly to the 
list address.
(*Note - attached files can not be sent to this address)

People often send messages to ask@xxxxxxxx, which are meant for the list. I 
then forward these messages to the list address.
(If there is an attached file in their message, I put this file up on the 
site and put a link to it from their message.)
When people reply to these messages, their reply comes back to ask@xxxxxxxxx

In both instances, when replies come in, this often requires a guessing game 
on my part. Did they mean to reply to the list, or was their reply meant 
only to go to the original sender (people usually don't notice where their 
reply is going to when they click on the reply button).

In some cases, it is clear that people do not mean to reply to the list, but 
rather only to the original sender. These are usually messages which don't 
relate to the original message: -

"Hi X,
Haven't heard from you for ages. How are the children? I understand that 
Johnny's Bar Mitzvah is coming up soon."

or

"Hi Y,
I meant to ask you something at our last teacher's meaning, etc."

This usually opens up an ongoing dialogue in which their replies continue to 
come back to me, my becoming privy to all of their family or school 
information. Sometimes I try to make them realize that they are not replying 
directly to each other, despite the many indications of this in the message, 
but this usually doesn't work and it is quicker to simply forward it on.

In these cases, I simply forward the message directly to the original sender 
and not to the list, in order to avoid embarrassment.

The more complicated issue arises when the person replies to the content of 
the original message to the list, but it is not clear whether this is meant 
for the original sender only, or also for the list. In this case, I usually 
forward the message on to the list, if I think the list members - as a 
whole - will benefit from it. If this appears to be an answer to a personal 
request for information that is mainly of interest only to the original 
sender of the message, I do not forward it on to the whole list.

Complicated, eh? Just another element to add spice and flavour to the day.

Any input on this matter is welcome. (But let me know if it is meant only 
for me, or for the list ... or maybe for Aunt Dorothy ...)

David



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[etni] Re: emails to the list

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