I also wish that startups would use a bit more "personable" email address. Emails from donotreply@what.ever or invalid@examp.le just look odd. Instead, the reply-to email should alias to your help email address, to simplify sending requests for help, or just sending comments and feedback.
I don't know if it's a general EU directive, but this is becoming a legal requirement in some European countries (identifiable sender name, must be possible to reply to email).
I've always found it weird that email - a two-way system supposed to be analogous to letters - has so many occurrences of noreply@example.com. I wonder what percentage of emails end up in these unmonitored mailboxes.
I think it comes from the parallels to physical bulk mailing. I usually get sales flyers, various "junk" mail and the not-as-often "we've moved funds from one account to another because a check didn't clear" from my bank. I equate most of these to something that would come from a no-reply email. Also, I do believe it's possible to have a send only mailbox that won't even accept incoming mail. It would drop the mail on the floor without you knowing.
