Broken MUA interactions (was: Restarting a Python Application)

[Ben Finney]

"Peter Decker" <pydecker at gmail.com> writes:

> Imagine if you wrote applications where the default behavior did not
> do what was needed 99% of the time: how long do you think you'd be
> in business?

You seem to be complaining about the functionality of your mail user
agent (MUA) software. The mailing list processor is doing its job
fine.

There are at least two "compose a reply" functions supported by every
MUA. Use the one that does what you want in each instance.

If you use the "Reply to individual sender" function, that's what you
get.

If you use the "Reply to all" function, that's what you get.

If you use the "Reply to the list" function, that's what you get.

> The default behavior of replying to the original sender instead of
> the list makes no sense.

The mailing list software provides your MUA with all the information
it needs to do what you want: the 'From' address as set by the
original poster, the 'Reply-To' address as set by the original poster,
the 'To' and 'Cc' addresses as set by the original poster, and the
'List-Post' address as set by the mailing list software. All of these
are standard message header fields with well-defined functions, and
can be used as-is to do what you need.

If your MUA isn't using this information correctly, the solution is to
fix the MUA (by choosing a better one or encouraging the maker of your
existing one to fix it), not to munge those fields to accomodate your
broken MUA.

-- 
 \         "Dyslexia means never having to say that you're ysror."  -- |
  `\                                                         Anonymous |
_o__)                                                                  |
Ben Finney