[Ubuntu Chicago] Mailing list configuration

[Nathan Handler]

On Sat, Mar 14, 2009 at 4:14 AM, Richard A. Johnson
<nixternal at ubuntu.com> wrote:
> I looked through the configuration for our mailing list and the only thing
> that would help you is hiding who email messages are from. So it would look
> like every email came from the list and we would have no idea who sent it
> unless they signed their message.

Richard,

I was just looking through the admin interface for another mailing
list, and I think there is an easy way to have the Reply-To header set
to the mailing list for all messages. Under General Options, there is
a text box that says "Explicit Reply-To: header.". Here is the
explanation given about this option:

---------------------------------------------------------------------
reply_to_address (general): Explicit Reply-To: header.

This is the address set in the Reply-To: header when the
reply_goes_to_list option is set to Explicit address.

There are many reasons not to introduce or override the Reply-To:
header. One is that some posters depend on their own Reply-To:
settings to convey their valid return address. Another is that
modifying Reply-To: makes it much more difficult to send private
replies. See `Reply-To' Munging Considered Harmful for a general
discussion of this issue. See Reply-To Munging Considered Useful for a
dissenting opinion.

Some mailing lists have restricted posting privileges, with a parallel
list devoted to discussions. Examples are `patches' or `checkin'
lists, where software changes are posted by a revision control system,
but discussion about the changes occurs on a developers mailing list.
To support these types of mailing lists, specify the explicit
Reply-To: address here. You must also specify Explicit address in the
reply_goes_to_list variable.

Note that if the original message contains a Reply-To: header, it will
not be changed.
---------------------------------------------------------------------

And here is the explanation about reply_goes_to_list:

---------------------------------------------------------------------
reply_goes_to_list (general): Where are replies to list messages
directed? Poster is strongly recommended for most mailing lists.

This option controls what Mailman does to the Reply-To: header in
messages flowing through this mailing list. When set to Poster, no
Reply-To: header is added by Mailman, although if one is present in
the original message, it is not stripped. Setting this value to either
This list or Explicit address causes Mailman to insert a specific
Reply-To: header in all messages, overriding the header in the
original message if necessary (Explicit address inserts the value of
reply_to_address).

There are many reasons not to introduce or override the Reply-To:
header. One is that some posters depend on their own Reply-To:
settings to convey their valid return address. Another is that
modifying Reply-To: makes it much more difficult to send private
replies. See `Reply-To' Munging Considered Harmful for a general
discussion of this issue. See Reply-To Munging Considered Useful for a
dissenting opinion.

Some mailing lists have restricted posting privileges, with a parallel
list devoted to discussions. Examples are `patches' or `checkin'
lists, where software changes are posted by a revision control system,
but discussion about the changes occurs on a developers mailing list.
To support these types of mailing lists, select Explicit address and
set the Reply-To: address below to point to the parallel list.
---------------------------------------------------------------------

I personally see nothing wrong with changing the Reply-To header to
point to the mailing list.

Nathan