[time-nuts] hijacking threads

Chuck Harris cfharris at erols.com
Mon Jan 23 14:58:38 UTC 2012


I don't think it is clear that editing the Subject line is the same as
raising a new subject.  There are a bunch of reasons why you might want
to edit a subject line on a thread without starting a new thread: Removing
offensive material, fixing a spelling error, adding an "OT:", or other label
to a thread that has drifted, or adding a few notes about hijacking threads
in the thread that was hijacked... are examples.

The only legitimate way to raise a new subject is to use Compose.

Let's not blame the email program when the problem is really operator error.
It is important that folks use Compose when they want to open a new subject,
not simply erase the subject line and start writing.

-Chuck Harris

Mike S wrote:
> On 1/23/2012 4:41 AM, Hal Murray wrote:
>>
>> You didn't cleanup the headers. Your message contained:
>>
>> References:<CABbxVHtj3B3KBzshESqqZca_Do8fAK2FXNAM4fOeKTtOKFwstQ at mail.gmail.co
>
> That's not really his fault. Thunderbird does it wrong. RFC 1036: "2.2.5. References
> - This field lists the Message-ID's of any messages prompting the submission of this
> message. It is required for all follow-up messages, and forbidden when a new subject
> is raised."
>
> Of course, threading has been messed up from day one. Not all MUAs support the
> desired headers, and many get it wrong. Instead of complaining when threading breaks,
> people should be thankful when it works. That's just the nature of the beast.
>
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