RE: How does the digest "work" (too long)

["Brian Shorey" <bshorey@domain.elided>]

nice description, a couple of nits.

> Because Brian gets postings individually he will receive Frank's email
> but Jon will not -- at least not yet.  Brian knows the answer to Frank's
> question so he hits the REPLY button, changes the subject line to
> something meaningful (so it doesn't say RE: Alfa-Digest-Vol4-#3), writes
> his reply and clicks the SEND button.  His reply post is sent to the
> Alfa Digest server.

in individual format you get the real header (not the digest header).  so,
if the original author used a meaningful header then i don't have to do any
editing in the header.

<snip>
> Before you decide that Brian has the better deal, take into
> consideration that 4 to 5 digests are sent on a typical weekday, more if
> there's a pissing contest going on.  Contained within each of these
> digests are at least 20 postings.  If you switch to the individual
> format then you will get 80 to 100 emails a day from digest members!!!

on the other hand, i can use my mail client to file messages (or filter out
the drivel, which usually includes anything written by me!).  also, i've
been first to respond to a couple of good 'for sale' postings because i
received them before the digest went out.

when receiving the digest, an end user sees one or more digest messages in
his folder, but must open them to see what's in each.  in addition, if he
wants to respond he's got to modify the header, then cut away the bulk of
the rest of the digest (and a few have forgotten to do this in the past).
when receiving individual messages, i go to my digest folder and see a list
of messages, much like the digest reader might see when he opens a digest.
i can go straight to the messages that concern me, and responding doesn't
involve editing headers or huge amounts of cutting and pasting.

like webers and spica pumps, there is no right answer for everyone.

bs

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