On Thu, 07 Jan 93 09:49:18 EST Anthea Tillyer said:
>I'm not sure I totally understand this, but is it something we could do for
>TESL-L?
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>There are many systems that show only one "From:" address,
>usually the list address.
 
The From: address we put out is, correctly, the person writing it, not the
list name.
 
>I have to keep reminding people to
>sign their messages with their name and email address so that
>others can respond by direct email rather than by sending
>personal messages to the list.  It *is* helpful to have a sig.
 
His time would be better spent installing a decent mail system - if he
thinks everyone in the world is going to put in a sig because *his* mail
sucks, I think he is misguided.
 
>Hi, Dan!
>
>At IPCT-L we have deliberately stuctured the macros in our mailers
>(both vms and unix) to put the list name in the outgoing "From" and
>"Reply-to" lines...and the incoming "Sender" information as the first
>line in the text. That way it is upfront for every one to see.
 
If he changes the From: line to the listname, that is messing with what
the standard says the From: line is supposed to contain.  Very bad idea.
If he just places the From: line etc in the text of the mail that's an
incredible overhead and not necessary on CUNYVM anyhow.
 
We already put in a proper Reply-To line.
 
>IPCT-l mail is then instantly recognizable in people's mailers,
>showing the list name, rather than an individual's.
 
Huh - if he puts the stuff in the body of the mail, which I THINK is
what he his saying (i.e. I sure hope he doesn't change the From: header,
which might also be what he's saying) then that will NOT do anything to
people's mailers to make them recognize the mail... mailers look at headers,
not the body of the mail!
 
Anthea, we've been going through this since the creation of TESL-L.  You
will not be able to please everyone... the way things are set up probably
is best for the great majority of the people - the ones who have mail
systems that are decent.  Some people don't understand how to tailor their
mail, some people have just plain bad systems - but I don't think you can
reasonably do much to help them... we are not broken - they are!
 
I think it's best, one more time, to drop it...
 
Thanks... Bill