On 14 Dec 2000, at 11:22, M. Jason Knight wrote:
> On 14 Dec 00, at 9:48, Noctifer@aol.com wrote:
>
> > I wouldn't go so far as calling it nepotism, but moderating an
> > individual who is interesting in GMAST-L and subscribed to the list is
> > a little different than keeping out those who don't subscribe and
> > spammers.
>
> Being slightly more familiar with how the Phoenyx software
> operates, I can point out something you're perhaps missing, in
> message headers:
>
> From: Whispercut
> Subject: Re: GM: Admin
> X-List-Id: gmast
> X-Message-Sequence: 1569
> X-Poster-Status: nonsubscriber
>
> "Whispercut" is /not/ a subscriber. Who around
> here do we know that is subscribed under
> another address, so he's getting the messages
> to reply to, but who can't reply under the
> address he's subscribed with?
I think this bears pointing out. I seem to remember that the old GMAST didn't
have a spammer problem because you had to be a subscriber to post. Most
spammers don't want a verifiable email address. Another list I'm on (the
UseNet moderator's mailing list) is not protected in any fashion, so the
occasional spam gets thru there.
The software is a bit more sophisticated now, and allows such things as having
multiple email addresses for a single poster while routing the contents of the
mailing list to a single address, thus allowing someone with multiple email
accounts to use whichever is handy for sending.
But still, I think that traffic from unsubscribed addresses should be sent to
/dev/null, while the listowner could send mail explaining how to subscribe the
alternate addresses. OF course obvious spams should just get /dev/null and no
response.
I believe that this was done for me on this list so I could use a couple of
addresses. For example, I am mailing using watters.10@osu.edu, which is the
way Ohio State is expecting us to use our addresses now, while I am actually
subscribed under cwatters@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu. Although, Karen, how
would I specify my REAL name instead of just seeing ?
Some mailing lists have done away with allowing "throwaway" accounts such as
hotmail, since they often cause problems with lists with their bounces, etc.
In the time we've been on Phoenyx, I've seen the moderation status option used
only a couple of times that I can recall. I do think that when the combatants
can be pointed out clearly that, as per normal parenting rules B^) the person
who swung first gets it worse, but everyone involved gets some punishment,
even if it's just a chastizing. And in the Craven's case, this could easily
be offline.
While the ugly "C" word has been brought up, this is just a reminder that
while the internet is very free-speech oriented, "there ain't no such thing as
a free lunch". When GMAST was losing its home, Phoenyx stepped in and
generously allowed it to move to their host. Software and hardware upgrades,
routine maintenance, list admin time all incur costs in one way or another.
Phoenyx has remained advertising-free while other services (e-groups, frex)
have come along, and to cover costs (and make a little profit) they insert
advertising into the messages.*
Just my .02 federal reserve note
-Coyt
*Thankfully if you're on digest mode you only get one ad for the whole digest,
but since their thinking of a digest is every time they get 25 messages, I may
get 5-6 digests containing 25 postings, each with an ad.
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