[ExI] META: Gmail Message threads

BillK pharos at gmail.com
Thu Nov 19 11:33:38 UTC 2015


Gmail uses the email Subject header to automatically group emails into threads.
This is useful as it keeps the emails in a time dependent conversation.

If the Subject line is changed, this causes Gmail to create a new thread.
For Gmail users the Transhumanist exploration game discussion is now
split into four threads with a loss of discussion continuity.

Unfortunately Gmail doesn't provide a facility to Merge threads.
I expect most people just delete the emails they don't want, thus
losing part of the discussion.

So it would be helpful to the Gmail users on the list to only change
the Subject header when you really do intend to start a new
discussion.  :)
(Or when the conversation has drifted far from the original subject).

P.S.
It is usually thought to be bad practice to include individual names
in the Subject line.
It should be obvious from the reply content what/who you are
responding to (trimmed as necessary).
When replying to a mailing list you are writing to hundreds of people,
not just one individual.


BillK



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