strathspey@strathspey.org:53351

Steve Johnson

RE: New threads please...

Aug. 8, 2008, 6:29 p.m. (Message 53351, in reply to message 53350)

Steve Wyrick wrote:

> I think that most posters here won't see Cord's problem.  It's apparently
of concern only if you use an e-mail > client that groups threads using ID
fields in the header and not by subject (and you have threaded sort turned >
on, of course).  For example this behaviour occurs in Apple Mail but not in
Thunderbird. 

Grouping messages by message ID when threading is standard behaviour - the
subject line is only there for courtesy to human readers, not as a field to
be processed.  The ID fields in the header (usually not displayed to human
readers) are there in the standard precisely so that automated threading can
take place.

On my PC at least, Thunderbird 2.0.0.26 displays the 'problem' if you have
'threaded' checked in view | sort-by.  Microsoft Outlook 2003 also displays
the 'problem' if you have view | arrange by | conversation selected.  I'd
agree that in neither of these mail-readers is threading the 'default' sort
behaviour - it's one you have to select by choice - but it's one that makes
a deal of sense (to me at least) in following how list postings relate to
each other.

On my copy of Outlook, I have a rule set to automatically move all
Strathspey postings into a specific folder, and that folder is set to
display as threaded.  If a significant number of people are using threaded
readers (did anyone say 'Usenet'?) I can see the benefits of asking posters
to please start a new message if they're starting a new subject, rather than
replying to an old one.

But as the man himself said:

>> Anyway, in no way should anyone be distracted from posting to Strathspey
>> by technical or bureaucratic issues ;)

Best regards
--
Steve
xx@xxxxx.xxxxx.xx.xx