IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT - List changes - Hopefully no more spam!

From: Derek Peschel <dpeschel_at_u.washington.edu>
Date: Thu Dec 9 20:09:31 1999

Hi,

After the recent spam episode and Bruce Lane's frustrated outburst, I have
changed the configuration of the CLASSICCMP list. Non-subscribers may no
longer send messages.

Luckily, when a non-subscriber sends a message, it is returned to them with
insturctions about how to subscribe. It is also sent to me. That solves
the problem of legitimate non-subscriber messages that I was worried about.
In a few cases I will probably agree to forward messages without making
people subscribe.

There is also a "feature" of the software (I use the term loosely, as with a
lot of the other "features") that saves non-subscriber messages, or maybe
hashes them and then saves them. If the same message is sent more than
once, it simply disappears with no errors. This happens even if the
non-subscriber subscribes and then sends the message again. I don't know if
it happens if the non-subscriber sends the same message from a different
address.

The solution (which is explained in the automated reply) is to change the
contents of the message and then send it again.

Although that is a cute spam-preventing feature, I will probably end up
sending reminders to the legitimate non-subscribers so they don't get
confused when their messages vanish.

I discovered that five people who post here often weren't actually
subscribed. I already replied to them personally and apologized for the
confusion. Hopefully I'll get fewer bounces after they subscribe.

Unfortunately, the requirement that each person must use a specific address
is going to become even more annoying; messages from alternate addresses
slipped through before, but now they will be rejected.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

-- Derek
Received on Thu Dec 09 1999 - 20:09:31 GMT