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RFC 2369 / MAILING LIST COMMANDS

Adapt command fields for a nested sublist

04

A known sublist may need its own support commands while some parent fields remain appropriate.

DIAGRAMRead RFC section 4 ↗
RFC 2369 · § 4EXAMPLE
4 / 4
Adapt command fields for a nested sublistFour nested-list rules. A configured sublist normally replaces parent Help, Subscribe, Unsubscribe and Owner fields with its own versions, under SHOULD. In the no-local-archive branch the parent Archive MUST remain untouched. With a local archive, replacing Archive is SHOULD. Posting is a separate MAY policy choice: a post intended for all parent members should not be narrowed to sublist-only delivery. These rules do not rewrite the distinct List-Id identity field or add duplicate command fields.Known parent and configured sublistforward messageParentSublistPosting intended for all parent membersnarrow to sublist onlyList-Post replacement is MAYPreserve the intended posting reach
04
Keep posting reach consistent with policy.

The manager MAY choose a suitable List-Post. If a post is intended for all parent members, redirecting it only to the sublist would lose that reach; the picture stops that narrowing, not every possible replacement.

Source for this drawing: RFC 2369 · Read RFC section 4 ↗

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RFC 5322 Email message format RFC 2919 Mailing list identity RFC 6068 mailto links

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KEY POINT

Nested command headers follow field-specific rules, not blanket preservation.

  • A sublist SHOULD remove the parent List-Help, List-Subscribe, List-Unsubscribe and List-Owner fields and SHOULD insert its own versions.
  • If the sublist has its own archive it SHOULD replace List-Archive. Otherwise it MUST leave the parent List-Archive untouched.
  • A sublist MAY replace List-Post according to posting policy. If posting should reach the whole parent list, it should not redirect posts only to sublist members. This differs from RFC2919’s known-sublist List-Id preservation rule.
DETAILS

The example assumes an explicitly configured parent/sublist relationship. A parent field is replaced, not duplicated; at most one of each remains. The last scene compares posting policies rather than declaring that every sublist must rewrite List-Post.

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