Subject: Re: bug#46472: Make lisp/mail/uce.el obsolete

From: Eli Zaretskii <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 04 Mar 2021 23:12:16 +0200

> From: Glenn Morris <[email-masked]>
> Cc: Stefan Kangas <[email-masked]>,  [email-masked]
> Date: Thu, 04 Mar 2021 14:27:29 -0500
> 
> Replying to spam is at best pointless, but most likely actively harmful.
> Emacs having a package to help you reply to spam is at best pointless,
> but most likely actively harmful.

Yes, Stefan already said that up-thread.  I don't see how our views on
what is and isn't appropriate response to spam should be mandatory for
the few users who may disagree.  This is free software, users are free
to do whatever they want with it.  Which is also something I already
said, so I don't see why do we need to reiterate the same arguments
without saying anything new.

> This is one of the many things that makes Emacs look antiquated.

Why "antiquated"?  Is there any other, more modern method we support
to respond to spam?

> I find the refusal to even obsolete such things demotivating for working
> on Emacs. So IMO the cost for keeping such things around is non-zero.

I sympathize with your feelings, but feelings aren't limited to one
side in a disagreement, and you are not the only one who finds this
and similar disputes demotivating.  Which is why I think we should try
to stay technical and not emotional.