Anonymous email users

Cameron Simpson cs at cskk.id.au
Fri Jun 14 21:34:16 EDT 2024


On 14Jun2024 18:00, avi.e.gross at gmail.com <avi.e.gross at gmail.com> wrote:
>I notice that in some recent discussions, we have users who cannot be
>replied to directly as their email addresses are not valid ones, and I
>believe on purpose. Examples in the thread I was going to reply to are:
>
> <mailto:HenHanna at devnull.tb> HenHanna at devnull.tb
[...]
>I know some here suggest that we only reply to the wider community and 
>they
>have a point. But I think there is a role for having some conversations
>offline and especially when they are not likely to be wanted, or even
>tolerated, by many in the community.
>
>Using such fake or invalid emails makes it hard to answer the person
>directly or perhaps politely ask them for more info on their request or
>discuss unrelated common interests. Worse, when I reply, unless I use
>reply-all, my mailer sends to them futilely. When I do the reply-all, I have
>to edit out their name or get a rejection.

I often reply-all (meaning to the list and to the author). And edit the 
headers (frankly, often just to discard anything @gmail.com which has 
very stupid spam poolicies).  If I miss an @invalid.com or whatever, 
then whoops.

If I want to reply directly (eg for some kind of feedback rather than a 
list type reply) and they've got a bogus address, well then I don't.  
Supposedly my reply would be of benefit for them or I shouldn't be doing 
it, so their loss. But equally, if they don't want personal off-list 
contact, they've expressed their preference. I should respect that.

Plenty of people have reasons to post anonymously, even to a list like 
this one. Just assume they've got their reasons and move on.


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