No headers suitable for filtering branch subscription emails for Gmail users

[Stuart Bishop]

There are currently no headers suitable for GMail users to filter branch subscription emails. This is a problem due to the large number of users using GMail and other mail systems that only provide simplified filters, or users unable to setup more complex filters involving custom headers. Filtering on the Subject header produces false positives.

For GMail, ideally we would send the standard List- headers as per RFC 2919 (http://www.apps.ietf.org/rfc/rfc2919.html)

List-Id: <launchpad-pqm.launchpad.devel.code.launchpad.net>
List-Unsubscribe: <https://code.edge.launchpad.net/~launchpad-pqm/launchpad/devel/+edit-subscription>
List-Subscribe: <https://code.edge.launchpad.net/~launchpad-pqm/launchpad/devel/+edit-subscription>

When a mailing list archive exists, we can also add the List-Archive: header:

List-Archive: <http://url-to-mail-archive.example.com>

When a suitable help wiki page exists, we can add a List;Help: header:

List-Help: <http://url-to-help-page.example.com>

[Tim Penhey (thumper)]

I don't think using list headers is a good idea as a team may be subscribed using a mailing list which would overwrite the list headers.

GMail has good search filters so you could filter on the branch bzr identity as it is in the footer saying why you are getting the email.

Alternatively you could subscribe through a mailing list like launchpad-reviews.

[Stuart Bishop (stub)]

> I don't think using list headers is a good idea as a team may be subscribed using a mailing list which would overwrite the list headers.

I cannot see how this is an argument against the feature. It just means this feature is not useful in this particular context. And if there are better filtering options, then this particular context will become less common as people subscribe directly to what they want rather than inherit subscriptions via team membership and all the politics and bitching that involves.

I guess I could setup a team with just myself a member, and subscribe *it* to the branch. Just seems a waste of time and unnecessary bloat.

[Tim Penhey (thumper)]

Lets JFDI and see what happens.