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debian.org/MailingLists - Official information about mailing lists
First see the official information.
Contents
Introduction
There are over one hundred mailing lists, each focused on a specific topic.
Find a list in lists.debian.org.
A click on a list name yields this information.
- A description of the subject.
- An index to archived messages.
- An interface for subscribing and for cancelling subscription.
- Statistics concerning activity.
A list can be read via these mechanisms.
- Email when subscribed to the list.
A Web browser viewing the archives, which are public. Open http://lists.debian.org/<listname>/. Subscription is not necessary.
- Usenet with Network News (Transfer|Transport) Protocol, NNTP.
The mail-to-news gateways linux.debian.*. Install a news reader and subscribe to the linux-gate admin.
Each list has two addresses.
<listname>@lists.debian.org to which a list message can be sent.
<listname>-REQUEST@lists.debian.org to which an administrative request can be sent. Subscription and unsubscription requests are examples. More information is available in the Debian support page on debian.org.
For users
debian-user is probably the most frequented mailing list for users. Any problem using Debian can be discussed there in English. This list receives up to 300--yes, three hundred--mails per day.
Other lists are dedicated to other natural languages and to specific subjects.
Posting Rules, Guidelines, and Tips
The answer to a question might already have been answered. Check these areas before posting.
Search the Debian User Lists. Instructions for searching are in the SearchHowto.
Most lists are unmoderated and will accept a submission from an address which is not subscribed.
Read first the official code of conduct. These points should be born in mind.
- Help is provided voluntarily. However dissatisfied a questioner is with an answer, anger or rudeness is inappropriate.
- Please post only in plain text. Do not submit HTML, h4x0r or sp34k.
- Please do not use offensive language - these lists go out over radio and language rules for radio are not the same as local laws.
Do not submit an attachment larger than 10 KiB. Consider using paste.debian.net and including a link in your post.
- Do not flame or troll.
Respond in Interleaved style. Unnecessary quotes should be trimmed and a question should precede an answer.
- Aim for standard grammar and spelling.
- Set linewrap to 65-78 characters. 72 is a popular setting.
Flow quoted text if possible. "qv}" in vim.
Use standard and conventional abbreviations in the Subject field.
Use the standard prefix characters '> ' or '>'. Other notations can interfere with quoting or wrapping.
- Attribute quotes accurately.
Use a concise and descriptive subject line. When the sender has no clue where the problem is hidden extra care should be taken in choosing the subject. A subject such as "help" is non-specific and likely to be ignored. Avoid redundant information as in "I need help setting up X with Debian GNU/Linux". That help is needed and that this is a Debian issue is already known. ?MicroContent is maximized with the concise, descriptive "setting up X 4.1 with Matrox G550".
- Debian lists are for discussion of Debian issues. Discussion of other distributions, or other operating systems, unless related to a Debian issue, are inappropriate.
- For the benefit of others, keep a discussion on the list. Avoid making it a private conversation with the author.
- Use the 'reply' function of your mail-program. That should include a reference to the original message so that the connection of reply and question are evident.
- Trim Cc:'s. Many or most list members do not want two copies of a message.
Why all these rules? Busy people spend valuable time monitoring lists and responding to questions. The recommended practices make these activities more efficient and pleasant.
Message Threading and Replying
Typically there is at least one reply to a question in the list. The sequence comprising the original message and the replies is commonly referred to as a thread. The software which manages Debian mailing lists stores every submitted message in an archive. When an archived message is displayed by a Web browser, links to parent messages and reply messages are displayed. This allows a thread to be followed through the archive. The mailing list software creates these links by referring to the "Message-id", "In-reply-to" and "References" fields in the message header as described in RFC 5322. Typically, when an email client is used to read a message and create a reply, it automatically takes the value from the Message-id field of the parent message and inserts it as the value of the In-reply-to field in the reply. Also according to RFC 5322 the client should take the complete value of the References field from the parent, append the Message-id of the parent and insert the result as the value for References in the reply.
A thread is easily broken so that links to parent messages do not appear in the archive correctly. For example an email client might use only the parent Message-id as the value for References. Otherwise an old message can be read from the archive with a browser and a reply can be created with an email client. No email client can extract the Message-id field from the html version of a message archived under http://lists.debian.org/. In this situation, unless the user deliberately inserts values for In-reply-to and References a new thread is created. Some email clients allow the user to construct these fields. Mutt for example has the -H option. The required In-reply-to, References and Subject fields and the message body are placed in a file, named "Draft" for example. "mutt -H Draft" will create the reply with thread connectivity.
HowTo send plain text emails to the list
No configuration necessary.
To set plain text as default - (before composing) Navigation Bar => Settings => Authoring - unselect Use Rich Text / HTML Editing => Save => OK.
See instructions for AIM Mail.
To set plain text as default - Toolbar => Mail => Preferences... => Composing => Message Format (Format) select Plain text.
To set plain text for a single message - (before hitting Send) Toolbar => Format => Make Plain text.
No configuration necessary.
To set plain text as default - Toolbar => Tools => Options... => Styled Text select Ask me every time for When sending mail with styled text (HTML). NOTE: don't insert images or use the Formatting tools or message will cease to be plain text. If that happens you'll be prompted to select the format when you select Send. Choose Plain text. (Click OK if prompted).
To set plain text for a single message - (while composing your post) Toolbar => Format - unselect HTML.
To set plain text for a single message - (while composing your post) Formatting Toolbar => Edit as Text.
NOTE: if using the Advanced Compose mode - Formatting Toolbar => HTML(near headers) => Edit as Text.
No configuration necessary.
No configuration necessary.
To set plain text for a single message - (before hitting composing) Toolbar => Actions => New Mail Message Using => Plain text.
To set plain text as default - Toolbar => Tools => Options... => Send => Mail Sending Format select Plain text => OK.
To set plain text for a single message - (before hitting Send) Toolbar => Format => Plain text.
To set plain text as default - Toolbar => Edit => Account Settings... => Composition & Addressing unselect Compose messages in HTML => OK.
To set plain text for a single message - (while composing your post) Toolbar => Options => Format => Select Plain Text Only.
To set plain text for a single message - (while composing your post) Ctrl+F8 - unselect Rich text.
To set plain text for a single message - (while composing your post) Toolbar => Rich Text => Plain Text => OK.
See instructions for Outlook Express.
To set plain text for a single message - (while composing your post) select Plain text (near end of Subject line) => OK.
(Yahoo! Classic, before composing your post) To set plain text for a single message - Navigation Bar => Options => Management => General Preferences => Composing E-mails - select Compose messages as plain text => Save.