In a message dated 4/22/01 5:15:07 PM Central Daylight Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:
> Can nobody do anything about these annoying "out of office" messages which
> seem to be generated by anyone posting anything to this list.
>
> If you ask me the settings on the list are bizarre anyway in that reply to
> does not automatically reply to the list but to an individual.
Well, if the "out of office" message went to the list, and the list settings
(with which I am not fully familiar on the mailbase) are such that they were
then sent to the person who had arranged for an "out of office" message, we'd
get into an unpleasant loop pretty quickly.
And even if the list is set up so that we don't receive our own posts, two
"out of office" members could generate a loop.
In my experience, such loops seem to elicit *more* responses from other
listmembers in protest (though the wisest thing is to shut up until the
listowners log on, spot the loop, and rectify the problem), meaning that
one's mailbox can become completely overwhelmed in a brief period. It's half
entertaining if you're online a lot. It's less so if you only log on once or
twice a day. Or if the loop begins with someone who's across the globe from
you, while you're asleep.
I think the problem lies with people who (a) arrange for "out of office"
messages to be sent to anyone who sends them e-mail while they are away and
(b) fail to arrange not to receive listmail during that time. I doubt
there's much the listowners can do (unless they monitor the list 24 hours a
day, and one hopes they are engaged in other activities a good part of that
time) to protect us besides arrange that responses go to individuals. And we
as individuals have, roughly, two choices. If we don't post, we don't get
the "out of office" messages. If we do post, we have to delete them.
I'm on lists where the default reply is to the list, and I'm on lists where
the default reply is to individuals. There seem to me to be pluses and
minuses to each default. I'm willing to accept the judgment of the
listowners on each list as to which one best fits the needs of the group in
question.
Cal Montgomery
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