Re: how to determine if to reply by CC as well

[Will Parsons]

Emanuel Berg wrote:
> Bob Proulx <bob@proulx.com> writes:
>
>> It is posted on the web page.
>>
>>   http://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/
>>
>>   Support
>>
>>   To ask for help with GNU Emacs, use the mailing list
>> help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org or the newsgroup gnu.emacs.help.
>> The mailing list and newsgroup are linked: messages
>> posted on one appear on the other as well.
>
> OK! I see, there is also this page with more details:
>
> https://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/help-gnu-emacs
>
> This problem doesn't seem to be mentioned, though.
>
> Now, this is a delicate situation - by mentioning it,
> maybe *more* people will start posting without joining?

You seem to think that not using the mailing list is undesirable - I
disagree.

> But, in the spirit of the FSF, perhaps it should be all
> spelled out? Like,
>
> "We recommend you to either use the newsgroup, or to
> join the mailing list. However, you can also get help
> simply by sending questions to help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org.
> If you choose to do that, we ask you to mention that
> you are not on the list. That way, we can send replies
> to your mail as well as to the members of the list."
>
> Excursion: Why do people don't want to join? Probably
> because they think their inboxes will be flooded with
> stuff they (as beginners) won't understand. I use Gnus
> so I don't know, but even for gmail and such, aren't
> there ways to split the mail logically into folders,
> where 1000 mails are just a non-disturbing one-liner
> "help-gnu-emacs(1000)"? Perhaps a link to a guide that
> helps you do it for the more common (non-hacker)
> clients and web-solutions would help.

I am one of those who prefer to follow the newsgroup, and not sign up
for a mailing list.  Yes, I don't want my mailbox to fill up with a
lot a mail that I'll have do deal with (if only to delete it), and as
I have more that 30 years experience as a professional programmer, I
hardly think I classify as a "beginner".  NNTP is much easier to deal
with IMO than mailing lists, and I generally prefer to use Gmane
rather than signing up for mailing lists if I possibly can.

The fact that I follow gnu.emacs.help rather than a mailing list is a
*good* thing.

-- 
Will