[ale] Reply-To controversy: a solution

Michael D. Hirsch mhirsch at nubridges.com
Mon Apr 21 11:22:51 EDT 2003


On Monday 21 April 2003 03:20 am, ChangingLINKS.com wrote:
> I appreciate the research and effort you have put out to come up with
> this solution - it sounds awesome, up until the point where you wrote:
>
> "On Sun April 20 2003 22:25, Joseph Knapka wrote:
> > The unfortunate thing is that the lists *must* accept posts from
> > non-members in order for this scheme to work."
>
> I get the feeling that something bad is going to happen as a result of
> that loss of "security." One benefit we will lose is a fully-functional
> polling system (people post their opinions to the list and the results
> are counted from the list - as opposed to upstart alternatives). We can
> verify that the posters are "real people." Contrarily, there ain't too
> much we vote on.
>
> My question:
> Why have we not opted to go with the latest and greatest php threaded
> forum complete with pics (of ourselves) and emoticons? A forum like the
> one at www.tinyminds.org, but with less topics, and a way to click the
> poster's name that will send an email to them (without the email address
> being exposed to spam of course.

What a horrible idea.  I have yet to find a web based forum that I can read 
with pleasure.  I guarantee that I would not be be a subscriber and would 
probably try to find another place to host a mailing list if ALE somehow 
switched to a web forum.

Here are a few of my objections:
1. It's not mail.  Mail arrives in my inbox and I see it.  Web sites don't 
come to me, I have to go to them.
2. Increased latency to read messages.  Once they are in my inbox it is 
instant.
3. Inability to use the keyboard.  I can use 'n' and 'd' to see the next 
message or delete the current message in a mailer.
4. Can't delete, save, or filter a web forum.  I have about 50 mails from 
the last year on ALE saved.  How to I do that in a web forum?  How can I 
filter out al messages on a particular topic, or from a particular user on 
a web forum?

That's it from the top of my head.  I'm sure I can come up with more.

Michael



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