Using Mailing Lists << 4/5 >>
Sending Messages and Replies
After the successful subscription Armano wants to introduce himself to the list, which should also serve as a fine test to see if the list works for him.
Sending a Message to the List
Armano creates a new message and addresses it to the list address ("lang-dang@phenom.org" in our example). The subject and the body of the message are not affected by writing to a mailing list: they contain Armano's introduction to the lang-dang list. Sending the mail, Armano has put the list to work.
Soon, he receives a message from the list server informing him that his posting has been accepted and distributed to the members of lang-dang. For some mailing lists, you can configure whether you want to get acknowledgement of your messages to the list or copies, or neither. Since the lang-dang list is set up to send all mail to all subscribers Armano also finds a copy of the message he just sent to the list in his in-box.
Replying: Check the Addressee
Armano's introductory mail has sparked some discussion. Mail after mail hits the lang-dang list. Of course, Armano cannot abstain from that vivid conversation: he wants to send a reply to one particular posting.
Marina has set up the lang-dang list to include the list address in the "Reply-to:" header. So all Armano has to do is to initiate a reply in his email program and start writing. The new message is automatically addressed to the mailing list and not the individual member that sent the mail he is replying to (which would be the case otherwise, since replies are addressed to the sender or the original message by default).
Not all lists are configured that way, however. This is why it is always a good idea to take a look at the "To:" field when replying to a message on a mailing list. If you want the reply to be sent to all members of the list, make sure the list address is what appears there; if you want to respond to the sender only, put her address in the "To:" field (and remove the mailing list address).
Introduction
List Address and Server Address
Subscribing
Sending Messages and Replies
Unsubscribing
