I don't see any inconsistency: if you did TELL LISTSERV GET listname
(HEADER, you wouldn't expect the list header to be send back via TELL,
would you? :-) And if a link is down and you use mail to send a GET XYZ
PACKAGE you probably wouldn't expect the binaries to be mailed to you.
The GET command sends back a file, and the way to redirect file output to
mail is to code F=MAIL. The MAIL command prefix redirects regular message
output via mail and is useful only if you send your command via TELL but
want the reply in a mail message. It is a no-operation when the command
is sent via mail.
Eric