[Elecraft] Is it just me?

[w7aqk]

I think on most email programs there is a "reply" and a "reply all" option. 
On mine, at least, if I hit "reply all" it will go to the sender and to the 
reflector.  So, if you want to avoid that kind of duplication, one must 
remove the excess addressee, which is fairly simple.

There is benefit to sending it to both!  If the recipient is a digest 
subscriber, He will get his response forthwith, which may well be 
preferable.  That way he won't have to wait until the next digest is 
distributed to see the response.  If the recipient gets all messages as they 
are sent, then it can be duplicative.   However, you don't know which is the 
case.  Since I subscribe to digest mode on some reflectors, sending to both 
can be helpful to me, if I am the intended beneficiary, but that won't be 
the case for everyone.

I also think having a choice between "reply" and "reply all" is very 
beneficial.  Sometimes you really only want to reply to the sender, and it 
should be your choice to do so easily.  At least one reflector made an issue 
of this, and removed the "reply" option, forcing replies to go to the 
reflector--unless you go to great lengths to alter that.  I strongly oppose 
this attempt to "control" how and to whom a response is set.

Another problem, primarily involving digest subscribers, is how to properly 
respond.  Too many just hit the "reply" button and end up copying the entire 
digest, rather than just copying over the pertinent parts of the single 
post.  This is most annoying.  If the digest mode is better for you, part of 
the "price" you pay for that convenience is to have to do a little cut and 
pasting on any reply you might make.  Yes, it takes a little extra work, but 
how often do you have to do it?  Copying over part of a post may be very 
helpful for continuity, but not the whole darned digest!!!  Also, if you 
receive in digest mode, and someone replies by copying over the entire 
digest, then you have to scroll endlessly to get past that post!  It is just 
plain inconsiderate!  Digest subscribers need to be very careful about how 
they formulate their responses.

Hopefully I practice what I preach!  In this case I didn't copy over 
anything, since I think my comments are self explanatory.  If I had needed 
additional context, I would have cut and pasted from the digest.  It really 
only takes a few extra key strokes.

Dave W7AQK