Re: [Boost-users] Please don't reply to digests

From: Phil Endecott (spam_from_boost_users_at_[hidden])
Date: 2006-01-08 12:35:56

David Abrahams wrote:

 > Please don't reply to digests.
 >
 > http://www.boost.org/more/discussion_policy.htm#quoting

Which says:
   Do not reply to digests if you are a digest delivery subscriber.
   Your reply will not be properly threaded and will probably have the
   wrong subject line. Instead, you can reply through the GMane web
   interface.

The GMane interface doesn't work for posting messages, I've tried it; 
the mailing list rejects messages from non-subscribers, including those 
that come via GMane.

There is a trade-off here:

- On one hand, replying to digests means that threaded views using 
references: headers will not work properly.  (There is no need for the 
subject line to be wrong, but it isn't difficult to forget to change it 
when replying.)

- On the other hand, prohibiting digest subscribers (like me) from 
sending replies means that you won't hear from me again.  You may or may 
not consider that a good thing.  I do try to reply to questions on the 
rare occassions that someone even newer to Boost than me asks a question 
that I have an answer to, and I do so in the hope that this lets the 
more expert readers (Dave!) concentrate on more important things.

I'd like to encourage a debate - which is considered more important, 
better threading or more contributions?  If you don't want to hear from 
me again, that's fine, I'll unsubscribe until I next have a question of 
my own to ask.

Regards,

--Phil.