Re: [Exim] Possibility of rewriting the subject...

* Greg A. Woods <woods@???> [2003-06-02 20:51:05 BST]:
> [ On Monday, June 2, 2003 at 21:10:24 (+0200), Michael Jakscht wrote: ]

> Nope, definitely not. This is again a user-level problem that must not
> be made worse by inappropriate mucking about at the transport layer.

I agree, the transport layer is not really the place to do this sort of
thing.

> I subscribe to dozens of mailing lists, very few of which do this stupid
> subject-line munging.

I *LIKE* the stupid subject line munging. Infact I like it so
much I actually rewrote my procmail recipes to add it to the subject
lines of all those mailing lists which don't include it.

> I use very simple software tools which help me manage my e-mail.

ditto

> They do so by using the vast profusion of information already present
> in the headers to identify the source of the messages and sort them
> appropriately for me. Every mail reader worth using can do this kind
> of thing without having to rely on any submitter supplied information
> such as the body of the message or the subject header.

Well, *I* am of the opinion that it's not the job of the mail reader to
filter mail. That's the job of an MDA, like procmail.

> People who use inappropriate software tools for the job they're trying
> to do must suffer from the results they deserve,

Aye. So why not let them go to hell in their own way?

> just as any carpenter who tries to drive in a wood screw using a
> hammer must deal with the problems he deserves. Use the right tool
> for the job. If "Notes" isn't a good MUA then don't use Notes for
> reading e-mail!

Sometimes people just have to make do with the software they've got.
After all, if management made purchasing decisions on technical merit,
50% of all SysAdmins would be out of a job. There also are sometimes a
nasty hack is just the most expedient way to get a job done. Yes, I'd
fire a carpenter who used a hammer as a screwdriver - but there have
been times when I've given a screw an quick tap.

Moan all you like about people not doing things in the correct manner.
But I've discovered it's a lot easier to hack the software than try to
change human nature.

You've got your way of doing mail, and your reasoning is probably just
as logical and sensible as the way I've chosen to do my mail. As for
Michael, well....

...if you really want to have a pop at Michel, try pointing out that the
fascist blacklist policies on his mail server - which caused the help
message I sent to bounce - are unfair, evil, and totally, totally,
wrong.


--
TTFN, FNORD

Peter McGarvey
Freelance FreeBSD Hacker
(will work for bandwidth)