On Fri, Sep 21, 2018 at 04:17 PM, J_Catlady wrote:

violates the whole model that groups.io is based on

You're 100% correct.   My point, however, is that this goes back a lot longer than groups.io.   Groups.io is a "new kid on the block" of a medium that's very old (cyber-speaking) with conventions and social contracts that date back to the pre-WWW days.

Like I said of myself earlier:  I was there, so I know.  [Usenet and similar from that area are the Grandparents of the entire milieu].
 
--

Brian - Windows 10 Home, 64-Bit, Version 1803, Build 17134 
     Explanations exist; they have existed for all time; there is always a well-known solution to every human problem — neat, plausible, and wrong.

          ~ H.L. Mencken, AKA The Sage of Baltimore