[lug] Somewhat OT: Types of list email

[Chris Riddoch]

Hi, folks.

I'd like some input on a project.  The goal of my project (for my
thesis, actually) is to make a summarizer for high-traffic email
lists.  If you don't have the spare three hours a day to read the
linux-kernel mailing list but still want to follow the discussion at a
high-level without hiring a personal summarizer, my project is an
attempt to make that possible.  http://www.kerneltraffic.org/ is
great, and it requires *lots* of human effort to make a good summary
of a discussion.  If nothing else, I hope the results of my project
will make their life easier.

Part of the task requires identifying *kinds* of email sent to lists,
and so I'm working on a set of labels.  What I want your thoughts on,
specifically, is the completeness of the following list of labels.
Note that these *aren't* meant to be mutually exclusive - multiple
labels may be simultaneously appropriate for one message.

The following is a list of completions for the sentence:

People post an email to a list in order to...

question - Ask a question ("How do I...")
answer - Provide an answer or suggest a solution ("Here's how...")
correct - Correct someone or Correct oneself ("Whoops, I meant...")
propose - Inform people of an intent to do something, or to propose an idea ("I'd like to...")
raise - Raise an issue without intent ("What do people think of...")
metoo - Echo someone ("Yeah, I'd say the same...")
inform - Comment factually on issue, intent, or proposal ("You'd want to know...")
opinion - Comment with an opinion about an issue or proposal ("I think that...")
agree - Indicate agreement with a proposal (sub of opinion) ("I agree that...")
disagree - Indicate disagreement with a proposal (sub of opinion) ("I disagree...")
thanks - Politiness - appreciation ("Thanks...")
welcome - Politeness - confirmation ("You're welcome...")
meta - Meta-discussion ("This conversation is...")
flame - Baiting or responding to bait in kind ("Y'all're a bunch of idiots...")
noise - Say something that wasn't intended for the list
humor - Say something funny
admin - Related to list management ("Unsubscribe me...")
chirp - See if the list is working ("It's quiet. Can you hear me?...")

Please let me know what you think this list needs, who you are, and
permission to mention you in the list of contributors for my thesis.

Thanks!

-- 
epistemological humility
   - Chris Riddoch -