Date: Wed, 18 Apr 2001 10:02:08 -0700
Reply-To: Tobin Copley <tobin.copley@UBC.CA>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Tobin Copley <tobin.copley@UBC.CA>
Subject: SPAM, closure,
road access and NOMAIL option [was: Why the Delete Key is not
enough
In-Reply-To: <5.0.2.1.0.20010418105426.025761b0@umassd.edu>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed"
Okokok,
I've kept quiet on the spam issue until now. I'm solidly behind Ric
on this one. CLOSE THE LIST.
Our air-cooled brothers at type2.com have been running a closed list
for a very long time, with no problems. It doesn't exclude people at
all, even people on the road--in fact, it was the type2 people
(Charlie Ford, specifically, I recall) who initiated and still run
the AIRS program (the Air-cooled Interstate Rescue Squad) to send
hands-on roadside help to broken-down VW bus folk.
THE FORGOTTEN NOMAIL OPTION?
----------------------------
Maybe I'm missing something, but why do people think they have to
unsubscribe when they leave for an extended period? If the concern
is about thousands of messages backing up on their mail server, then
just set NOMAIL. That's what it's there for! Set NOMAIL, remain
subscribed, and you won't get mail from the list, yet you'll still be
permitted to post to a closed list since your email address is still
valid (that is, you're still subscribed, just aren't receiving mail
right now). You'd need to ask people to specifically pmail you in
reply, since you won't get list mail replies, but unsubscribers have
to do that anyway, so there's no loss there.
REQUIRED KEYWORD
----------------
I have no problem with also requiring that every message have the
word "vanagon" or "vw" or somesuch in it, but if the list is closed,
I can't see any marginal gain from doing this. It *may* help keep
posts on topic, but then again, "vanagon" appears in my sig line--as
it does in many other listees'--so I could post about anything I
wanted and it would pass through the filters. But Tom's post
indicates Lsoft can't filter by keyword on the listserv, so any
filtering would be up to each subscriber anyway. If you'd like to
filter, then go for it, power to you, but if the list remains open
and keyword compliance is low, you'll avoid almost all spam while
missing many on-topic relevant posts.
T.
At 11:00 AM -0700 4/18/01, Richard Golen wrote:
>John,
>
>...To the argument that we have to keep the list open for folks who are on the
>road and encounter problems and need access to the list, ask yourself this:
>How many messages per day do we get from stranded list members versus the
>amount of spam and smut we get on this list by keeping it open. Besides,
>the stranded list member is illusory....you can access your email as well
>as send your email from your ISP on the road by simply using something like
>hotmail, etc. This list was filtered in the past...no list members got
>stranded...and there was no porno-spam.
>
>Most lists I'm subscribed to base the filter on email addresses....an
>incoming piece of mail comes in and its not from a recognized member of the
>list, the email doesn't get posted plain and simple.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tobin Copley Bowen Island, BC, Canada 49deg 23'N-123deg 19'W
'82 Westfalia 1.6L NA diesel ("Stinky")
'97 son Russell =============
'99 daughter Margaret /_| |_L| |__|:| clatter
SPEED KILLS! {. .| clatter!
Drive a Vanagon diesel ~-()-==----()-~
| 
