Starting a new thread with a reply to an old or existing thread. (Was: Twitter)

[Art Alexion]

On Sunday 01 February 2009 15:24:30 Ian wrote:
> Derek Broughton wrote:
> > golephish at gmail.com wrote:
> >> Any of you fine folks on twitter
> >
> > Please stop starting new threads by replying to something completely
> > unrelated.
> >
> > Beside the annoyance factor, it is likely to get your question completely
> > ignored by people who have already decided they have nothing to add to
> > the original thread.
>
> I used to start a new thread by replying to an existing thread just
> 'cause I was too
> lazy to type in the list address (not this list, one from years ago.)
> However, in my
> defense, I had no idea that it caused problems in certain email readers
> - even if I
> completely changed the SUBJECT line.
>
> Perhaps this individual is new to lists.  Maybe someone could offer an
> explanation
> as to /why/ this is a bad habit.  I would do so myself, but I am not
> quite sure of
> the details and technicalities behind.

OK.  I'll take the bait.

As this is a Kubuntu list, we can assume that almost all subscribers are using 
KDE.  The default mail user agent in KDE, kmail, threads messages into what 
gmail calls conversations.  If you use Thunderbird or even Evolution, they 
can thread messages as well.

Kmail does its threading based on the in-reply-to header which does not depend 
on the subject line.

People who like to read their mail threaded don't like to see unrelated 
messages in a thread.  Derek's point, and one I have made before, is that it 
not only screws up those of us using a threaded view, but also can harm 
the "threadjacker".  For instance, if someone posts on VMware, I don't use 
VMware, so I will ignore it, deleting the entire thread before reading it.  
Suppose someone posts a question on getting an external USB hard drive to 
mount in kde by threadjacking that thread.  Even though I have experience 
with that problem and could have offered some suggestions, I will never see 
the question because I have deleted the entire VMware thread.

Does that make sense?
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