One word: ***** A N A L ****** Just my opinion.
On Monday 21 April 2003 20:02, Patrick Shanahan wrote: <SNIP>
It is more likely that they have *no* knowledge of what a *thread* is and how it is used. A very similar situation is asking for help about two or more completely different subjects in the same post and the use of non-specific *Subject:* headers.
One word: netiquette. You can read all the FAQs you want, but I think it comes best from practice.
It is common practice with almost anyone who receives many emails to scan the *Subject:* headers and delete threads that they have no interest.
So, as I said , threading is a useful tool to help manage the large number of messages.
Failure or *refusal* to trim quotes and sometimes above, sometimes below text answers that destroy readability are also *very* common millstones.
For the best response to someone who "refuses" to be polite is to simply ingore them. I see enough threads as well as messages on my own web site were people seem to think we are "obligated" to provide support and often get angry when we do not spend all of our free time working to sovle **their** problem. When that happens I simply stop reading people's posts.
Education and continual correction (many miss-call it policing) is the only likely solution, with wholesale commitment. Being courteous and respecting others.
Which requires either that we educate them or expect (demand???) that they read an FAQ somewhere. To me if we expect that people read an FAQ, it will not get done in a large enough percentage of cases to make it not worth the effort. Instead the continual correction not only corrects the person who committed the "infraction", but also helps educate other people **before** something happens.
On Monday 21 April 2003 15:41, Vince Littler wrote:
1] Is there any standard on threading and how does is it implemented? I can see the benefit, but I am reluctant jump through hoops to support a non-standard.
Whether threading is a de facto or de jure standard, I cannot say. However, it is present in every mailing list and news group I frequent. Whether or not it is used in other mailing lists, or whether or not it is a "non-standard" is mute. This mailing list does implement threads, many, many people rely on them to help manage the message and therefore provide better support. It is simply polite to adher to the "standards" of this list. My **interpretation** of what you are saying is:
"I am reluctant jump through hoops to make it easier for people to provide me free support."
It's quite simple. The people with more experience are most often the ones who answer questions and solve problems. The people with more experience are most often the ones who use threading to manage the messages. So, do you want alienate exactly those people are most likely to solve your problem?
2] How do I do a reply to all, capture a quote and start a new thread all in one go? [Never mind my mail program, just in general terms]
You can't do it "all in one go". You have to work a little for it. For example, this message. Since you replied to me and not the list and what I needed to say was valueable for the entire list I had to reply-all to one message and then cut-n-paste the reply to your message.
To get the email address in reply-all, it is also a simple matter of cut-n-paste. ( a total of 3 seconds).
As Patrick put it, the key is "Being courteous and respecting others."
Regards,
jimmo -- --------------------------------------- "Be more concerned with your character than with your reputation. Your character is what you really are while your reputation is merely what others think you are." -- John Wooden --------------------------------------- Be sure to visit the Linux Tutorial: http://www.linux-tutorial.info --------------------------------------- NOTE: All messages sent to me in response to my posts to newsgroups, mailing lists or forums are subject to reposting.
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