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I have implemented a web interface feature which allows an news admin* to
apply a slight change to a news article: If for some reason the 'Followup-To'
header on a post was set incorrectly, or was left empty when it should have
been set, this can now be fixed. This is for use when a thread is getting out
of hand or is likely to get out of hand, for example the numerous color
arguments. As an example, check out this article:
http://news.lugnet.com/general/?n=48452
When it was originally posted by Randall, it was posted to the lugnet.general
newsgroup with no 'Followup-To' set. When no 'Followup-To' is set, replies go
by default into the same newsgroup (e.g., lugnet.general). I used the feature
described above to add a 'Followup-To' header, and set this to lugnet.color,
a much more appropriate place for the unfolding discussion.0
I believe that this new admin feature will help curtail accidental arguments,
and looking back over the past 6 years I think it sure would have been nice
to have it all along. But that's 20-20 hindsight.
You can think of this new admin feature as a sort of gentle moderation,
although no content is altered other than the article's metadata: Note that
when a new 'Followup-To' header is set, the old value is copied into a header
named 'Original-Followup-To', so that the original setting is archived and is
always visible.
--Todd
* currently: me, Frank Filz, and Larry Pieniazek.
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Message has 3 Replies:
 | | Re: Followup-To, ex post facto
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| (...) <snip> Thanks, Todd, this feature is most welcome. I've found the upswing in FUT "corralling" somewhat off-putting (to the point that I've limited my participation with Lugnet). Now, hopefully we can spend less time talking about meta-data and (...) (20 years ago, 20-Jul-04, to lugnet.admin.nntp)
| | | Re: Followup-To, ex post facto
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| (...) This is a great addition to the community. It's better than your typical moderation, which kills the discussion entirely. Hopefully people will have an easier time ignoring discussions they don't want to see, because they will be moved to the (...) (20 years ago, 20-Jul-04, to lugnet.admin.nntp)
| | | Re: Followup-To, ex post facto
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| (...) Thank you, Todd. I can think of a number of occasions in the past few months where this would have made lugnet a much more pleasant place to be. (...) Should we notify you guys if we think a thread needs guidance, or just assume that you guys (...) (20 years ago, 20-Jul-04, to lugnet.admin.nntp)
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