Subject: mailing list moderation of subscriptions

From: Kris Jurka <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 25 Apr 2006 00:40:15 -0500 (EST)

I moderate the pgsql-jdbc list and I always leave subscription requests in 
the moderation queue so that the user can complete the confirmation as 
designed.  If they don't confirm after a week or so the request is 
dropped.  This evening someone approved two subscription requests.  This 
defeats the whole purpose of the confirmation system.  Unless there is 
some policy I'm unaware of I'd ask people not to do it.

Kris Jurka

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From: Bruce Momjian <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 25 Apr 2006 09:13:50 -0400 (EDT)

> some policy I'm unaware of I'd ask people not to do it.

Uh, are you sure the user is told to subscribe and repost.  Last I used
it I don't remember that information.

-- 
  Bruce Momjian   http://candle.pha.pa.us
  EnterpriseDB    http://www.enterprisedb.com

  + If your life is a hard drive, Christ can be your backup. +

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From: "Marc G. Fournier" <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 25 Apr 2006 10:56:32 -0300 (ADT)

> it I don't remember that information.

Actually, Kris is referring to ppl sending in a subscribe message, but not 
sending back a confirmation ... the list moderator has the ability to 
approve such requests, which I general do when I clean out the lists ... 
the problem is that I know that I've had issues where that confirmation 
mail gets lost as spam (ie. Yahoo's spam features send it to the bulk mail 
folder, that I've had experience with ppl losing emails in) ...

But, if Kris wants me to stop, that's cool ... there are other lists I 
don't touch ...

----
Marc G. Fournier           Hub.Org Networking Services (http://www.hub.org)
Email: [email-masked]           Yahoo!: yscrappy              ICQ: 7615664

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From: Kris Jurka <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 25 Apr 2006 11:13:32 -0500 (EST)

On Tue, 25 Apr 2006, Marc G. Fournier wrote:

> sending back a confirmation ... the list moderator has the ability to approve 
> such requests, which I general do when I clean out the lists ... the problem 
> is that I know that I've had issues where that confirmation mail gets lost as 
> spam (ie. Yahoo's spam features send it to the bulk mail folder, that I've 
> had experience with ppl losing emails in) ...

I guess my question is why do we have a confirmation at all?  If someone 
else tries to subscribe me then I have a small window where I can reject 
it, but otherwise it will be approved by a moderator?

> But, if Kris wants me to stop, that's cool ... there are other lists I don't 
> touch ...
>

I'd appreciate it if you still moderated messages in case I'm travelling 
or otherwise unavailable.

Kris Jurka

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From: "Marc G. Fournier" <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 25 Apr 2006 16:29:02 -0300 (ADT)

> it, but otherwise it will be approved by a moderator?

My big worry is ppl slipping through the cracks due to anti-spam filters 
... but, you do bring up a good point, why bother with the confirmation in 
the first place ...

Anyone else have comments on this?  It kinda breaks down into two paths:

1. remove 'confirmation / followup' email to subscribe
2. have moderators just ignore "admin requests"

I don't like 1 myself, as that leaves things open to a dictionary attack 
kind of situation, where someone floods the lists with subscribe messages 
... but, on the other hand, the way i've been doing things, those would 
just get approved anyway ...

*groan* ... I think I just talked myself into 2 ... ignore them ...

> I'd appreciate it if you still moderated messages in case I'm travelling or 
> otherwise unavailable.

Oh, for messages themselves, I definitely will ... I'll just skip the 
subscribe/unsubscribe/set messages :)

----

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From: "Jim C. Nasby" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 27 Apr 2006 00:50:09 -0500

> folder, that I've had experience with ppl losing emails in) ...

Surely there's got to be a way to tell majordomo to knock that off...
why on earth would a moderator want to see all the subscription requests
that are outstanding???
-- 
Jim C. Nasby, Sr. Engineering Consultant      [email-masked]
Pervasive Software      http://pervasive.com    work: 512-231-6117
vcard: http://jim.nasby.net/pervasive.vcf       cell: 512-569-9461

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From: Kris Jurka <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 27 Apr 2006 01:14:44 -0500 (EST)

> why on earth would a moderator want to see all the subscription requests

Because it is also the moderator's job to monitor the 
<list>[email-masked] address and respond to questions and help 
requests from people who are having trouble subscribing.  Being able to 
see the pending request queue is vital to understanding where 
they are in the process.

Kris Jurka