Threads
I received this recently from elsewhere - re netiquette
It contains some thoughts that are new to me, so you're getting them too.
Worth also mentioning the helpfulness of editing material that you use
in a public reply - If you can, chop out everything that isn't needed
otherwise there's gigabytes of repetition roaring around the earth.
So edit and save a tree. (seriously - a lot of novices (and others)
print out all their traffic!
Jeffrey M. Oliver
www.cowan.edu.au/education/summer/homepage.htm (temporary)
(If your message to me is confidential, please say so. :-&)
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sat, 26 Oct 1996 11:25:52 +0800
From: Fremantle LETSystem <FreoLETS@cleo.murdoch.edu.au>
To: forum-l@peg.apc.org
Subject: Threads
Please don't break the thread.
This information is known and practised by most people on this list. New
members may find it helpful (particularly if this is your first mailing list).
"Threads" are internet-speak for the continuing flow of conversation on any
topic. A thread is shown by it's "Subject:" field at the top of the
message. (This message is starting the thread - "Threads")
Many email programs are capable of sorting messages by Subject (or Date,
Size, etc). This enables the user to put all the messages on the same topic
together and read through a single thread (topic) to see how the discussion
developed. Of course this is only possible where the "Subject:" field has
the same name.
If you reply to a message but change the "Subject:" field you "break the
thread" and start a new one. It is possible to have several threads that
have been spawned from one parent that are all discussing the same topic
under different "Subject:" fields.
Most email programs let you reply to a message and will automatically put a
"Re:" in front of the subject if there isn't one there already. If your
program doesn't then it is good practice to do this manually, ie. if
replying to this message type "Re: Threads" in the "Subject:" field.
As threads develop they may get far away from their original subject and
need to be renamed, they may also create new threads that run parallel to
their parent. It is better for all subscribed to the list if all new
threads are created consciously rather than by accident.
Note: When starting a thread use a brief "Subject:" line. A long one may be
truncated when displayed by some email programs (don't forget it will have
"Re: " in front of it when someone replies).
HTH
Unnat