[Air-L] Change of default reply setting on air-l

[Nicole Ellison]

Hi all,
I certainly agree that technical defaults have social implications, but in this case I don't really see how this change is going to "kill the whole idea." I don't know what systems other folks are using, but all three of the email systems I use (MSU web-based email, mail on the ipod touch, and Apple Mail) prompt me to hit reply or reply all. It's not even an extra click! Is this not the case for systems that others are using? In which case, it seems that the commands should do what they claim to do (eg reply to sender goes to the actual sender, reply to list goes to the list). I don't see why if someone wants to post to the list, this change would stop them from doing so.

I'd also like to point out that a community is strengthened by interpersonal connections between individuals. These are often formed by dyadic messages - not everything needs to (or should) go to the group. On my systems at least, the default "reply to group" meant that sending a message to the poster involved a cumbersome process of copying and pasting an email address, whereas with the current default one has the option to do either with one click. On this same note, having messages sent to the group which aren't meant to be may be more detrimental to the community as it increases spam, which leads to people leaving the list altogether. So I don't really see this as the death knell for "community" other folks seem to see it as. On the other hand, if there is really no one else that finds this annoying, I'd be happy to retract my complaint (if that's what inspired the change). 

Nicole 

PS FWIW, the social scientist in me thinks we should try it out and see what results, if anything.

Quoting "Semenov Alexander" <semenoffalex at googlemail.com>:

> I'm totally agree with Jeremy. This desicion may kill the whole idea. It's
> strange to see that people, studying Computer Mediated Communications don't
> understand how crucial such changes in settings may be to the communication
> and community in general.
> Please, change your mind and revert this setting back.
> Best wishes,
> Alexander.
>
> 2009/5/11 jeremy hunsinger <jhuns at vt.edu>
>
>> gotta say, that... I think this is very detrimental to the community.  This
>> change fundamentally destroys the conversation construed as a group, and
>> forces it to be between individuals, unless they consciously choose
>> otherwise.   This is a change I've always been against  and I am against it
>> now.  Air-l should be about collegiality and sharing, not about replying to
>> individuals.   I think this setting should be reverted asap.
>>
>> On May 10, 2009, at 7:11 PM, Holly Kruse wrote:
>>
>>  Up until now on air-l, replies to messages posted to the list went, by
>>> default, to air-l.  The default reply setting for air-l has been changed.
>>> As of now, replies to list posts will go privately to the message poster
>>> and
>>> not to air-l.  If you would like people on the list to see your reply, you
>>> will need to manually insert the air-l address into the To: field of your
>>> reply.
>>>
>>> Thanks for your attention to this change,
>>>
>>> Holly Kruse
>>> List Manager, air-l
>>> holly at aoir.org
>>> holly-kruse at utulsa.edu
>>>
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>>
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>
>
>
> --
> Alexander Semenov.
> MA student
> Faculty of Sociology
> Moscow School of Social and Economic Sciences (MSSES)
> http://www.msses.ru/English/index.html
>
> Graduate Student in Sociology at
> State Univercity - Higher School of Economics
> http://www.hse.ru/eng
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