[Mailman-developers] Bug: includes Reply-To in administrative messages

[Barry A. Warsaw]

>>>>> "JS" == Janne Sinkkonen <janne@avocado.pc.helsinki.fi> writes:

    JS> If the 'reply to list' option is set, mailman seems to put an
    JS> erroneous 'Reply-To:' header into administrative messages as
    JS> well, for example to reminders to administrators about pending
    JS> messages. (Then the administrators discuss what to do, and the
    JS> discussion goes to the list.)

Mailman should never add a Reply-to header.  Please see the seminal
paper on this:

    "Reply-to" Munging Considered Harmful
    <http://www.unicom.com/pw/reply-to-harmful.html>

"Some forms of header munging are helpful, such as special
 loop-detection headers. Others are questionable. Most are ill-advised
 or dangerous. Many list adminstrators want to add a Reply-To header
 that points back to the list. This transformation also is one of the
 most ill-advised.

 Some administrators claim that Reply-To munging makes it easier for
 users to respond to the entire list, and helps encourage list
 traffic. These benefits are fallacious. Moreover, Reply-To can have
 harmful -- even dangerous -- effects. If you think Reply-To munging
 is a good idea, I hope I can change your mind."

-Barry