Re: Anonymous email users

On 14Jun2024 18:00, avi.e.gross@gmail.com <avi.e.gross@gmail.com> wrote:

I notice that in some recent discussions, we have users who cannot be
replied to directly as their email addresses are not valid ones, and I
believe on purpose. Examples in the thread I was going to reply to are:
>
<mailto:HenHanna@devnull.tb> HenHanna@devnull.tb

[...]

I know some here suggest that we only reply to the wider community and they
have a point. But I think there is a role for having some conversations
offline and especially when they are not likely to be wanted, or even
tolerated, by many in the community.
>
Using such fake or invalid emails makes it hard to answer the person
directly or perhaps politely ask them for more info on their request or
discuss unrelated common interests. Worse, when I reply, unless I use
reply-all, my mailer sends to them futilely. When I do the reply-all, I have
to edit out their name or get a rejection.

I often reply-all (meaning to the list and to the author). And edit the headers (frankly, often just to discard anything @gmail.com which has very stupid spam poolicies).  If I miss an @invalid.com or whatever, then whoops.
If I want to reply directly (eg for some kind of feedback rather than a list type reply) and they've got a bogus address, well then I don't.  Supposedly my reply would be of benefit for them or I shouldn't be doing it, so their loss. But equally, if they don't want personal off-list contact, they've expressed their preference. I should respect that.
Plenty of people have reasons to post anonymously, even to a list like this one. Just assume they've got their reasons and move on.