[darcs-users] darcs-users moderation: opinions (and a moderator) sought

[Nimrod A. Abing]

On 11/30/06, Jon Dowland <lists at alcopop.org> wrote:
> On a related note, do any subscribers have strong feelings
> on the way the list is moderated? What do you think of the
> suggestion to close posting to all non-subscribers, and do
> away with moderation completely?

I'm a subscriber to this and other mailing lists and used to be a
moderator elsewhere so I know your pain when it comes to dealing with
spam. The thing is, closing a list is no barrier to spammers who are
now able to use bots that are able to subcribe and post to the list
and then unsubscribe themselves.

Closing the list would mean placing extra overhead on newbies who
would just like to be able to ask a quick question and be done with
it.

It will also mean increased cries for help when some newbie wants out
of the list and does not know how to do it. Often times this will lead
to some of them just marking emails from darcs-users as "spam" and if
enough number of users use an RBL (whether they know it or not) this
will lead to an even bigger problem of emails from the list not
getting to other users. The list I had been moderating once had this
problem and I had to jump through hoops to get my domain off some of
the well-known RBL's.

So before looking into closing the list to non-subscribers, I think
the following option should be explored:

http://www.jamesh.id.au/articles/mailman-spamassassin/

HTH and thanks for your effort on keeping the list spam-free.
-- 
_nimrod_a_abing_

[?] http://abing.gotdns.com