From: Craig A Summerhill (craig@cni.org)
Date: Mon Mar 29 1999 - 14:53:30 CST
>
> Problem one:
> ------------
>
> Take the following header on a message:
>
> Subject: Re: Dumb Question?
> From: Ashley M. Kirchner (ashley@pcraft.com)
> Date: Tue, 23 Mar 1999 17:34:57 -0700 (MST)
>
>
> The only link in that header is the 'From:' line where it puts a
> mailto: link as the email address...BUT...it also adds quite a few
> other information that, to my opinion, isn't necessary:
>
> [ NOTE: broken into multiple lines for readability ]
>
> <STRONG>From: </STRONG>Ashley M. Kirchner (<A
> HREF="mailto:ashley@pcraft.com?subject=Re:%20Dumb%20Question?&replyto= \
> Pine.LNX.4.10.9903231728520.3602-100000@users.pcraft.com"><EM> \
> ashley@pcraft.com</EM></A>)<BR>
>
> If it's just a link to the person's email address, there's no need
> for the subject and replyto to be included. Each message already has
> a 'Reply' link, in which this information is, um...somewhat needed,
> well, the subject line is needed, the replyto won't do some people
> any good.
Um... I'm not sure I agree with this objection, at least not in its
entirety.
I think the inclusion of the subject and message-id in the URL is a
good idea. Where this is particularly useful is where the link is
a mailto: reference to a mailing list address. The message going
back to the list has the same subject line and a reference which can
be used by hypermail to help build threads.
I can see the argument not including the subject and reply-to in the
URL of any mailto HREF generated from the body of the message, but I
think there is utility in keeping it within a mailto HREF generated from
data in the original header of the message (e.g. To: From: or Cc:
fields).
-- Craig A. Summerhill, Systems Coordinator and Program Officer Coalition for Networked Information 21 Dupont Circle, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036 Internet: craig@cni.org AT&Tnet (202) 296-5098