Re: Message threading (was Job Opportunity)

Warren Vail wrote:

While Jim does have a point and is limited by the threading algorithm of this list manager, someone can successfully argue that "this standard" has it's drawbacks. It is somewhat intuitive to pick up a message all pre addressed and reply to all, especially when your intention is to send a message that will "reach all". It is also somewhat intuitive to think that changing the subject means starting a new thread, however with thread id's hidden in the headers, this doesn't work. You CAN argue that standards that don't work are a bad thing, or at least, not a GOOD thing.

The standard allows for a subject change mid-thread while still keeping that thread together (i.e. like this message which has a different subject but will retain its connection to the rest of the thread).

I don't, however, have a good solution, since basing threads on subject lines has a different set of drawbacks like lots of broken or disjointed threads that have a beginning in another thread. These hidden ID's keep things together but they also generate lots of off topic discussion within a thread, like we are doing here ;-), pretty soon we should hear from those police.

Believe me when I say this subject has been discussed at length by some of the brightest people in the world, and the current system is the best compromise they could come up with. Just because you don't agree with it doesn't mean you shouldn't respect it. If I don't agree with murder being illegal does that make it right that I do it? Of course not, because people smarter than me decided that it should be. (Please note that this does not represent my opinion and is only being used as an extreme example). -Stut Jochem: I think I'm over it now!

-----Original Message----- From: Stut [mailto:stuttle@gmail.com] Sent: Wednesday, March 21, 2007 12:58 PM To: Warren Vail Cc: 'Jim Lucas'; 'Chris Ditty'; php-general@lists.php.net Subject: Re: [PHP] Job Opportunity Warren Vail wrote:

Too bad we have to constrain our messages to fit the threading algorithm

of

your list server. Another case of where man becomes servant to the

machine?

8-)

Jim has a point. Hi-jacking a thread by hitting reply to all and changing the subject line messes with the *standard* threading mechanism, and nobody can successfully argue that standards are a bad thing. It has nothing to do with Jim's setup. -Stut