Discussed Majordomo Changes Implemented

[Joel Meulenberg]

Please ignore the previous test messages.  I was testing to see how the
posting restriction worked.

Just as the Majordomo FAQ Bill Ott referenced suggested, the "restrict post"
Majordomo parameter can point to the file containing the people on the GR.pm
mailing list.  The only tricky thing there was that that file exists under
the subdirectory /usr/local/majordomo/lists on the host happyfunball.pm.org
and that directory is *not readable* by normal accounts.  So I took a wild
guess ( : ) ) that our list file would be named "grand-rapids-pm-list" and
it worked.

So now only people who have subscribed to the list may post to the list.

My tests were aimed at learning how this new restriction might affect people
with multiple mailboxes, web-based email, etc.  It looks as if the approved
email address can appear in either the "From:" header or the "Reply-to:"
header for the message to be accepted by the Majordomo resender.  I was
particularly interested in this because my email address on the GR.pm list
is joelm at blueribbon.com , but I often used web-based email.  (I'm slowly
working toward having all of my major apps and data be accessible via any
browser with Internet access.)  Yahoo mail lets you set the "Reply-to"
header, so I can still post to the GR.pm list using Yahoo even though
joelmeulenberg at yahoo.com is not on the GR.pm list.  I just use an option
that tells Yahoo to have my "Reply-to:" be joelm at blueribbon.com.  Note,
however, that Hotmail does not allow you to do this.  (In typical Microsoft
style, then want to lock you in *hard* so you *have to* use Hotmail to get
your replies.)  I don't know if the many other web-based email providers
provide this same useful feature like Yahoo.

If this new restriction causes too many problems for folks (e.g.- trying to
post using different email addresses, etc.) on the list, we can always
revert to the old configuration.

Note that I am not acting as a gatekeeper to the list.  Anyone can subscribe
themselves.  So, in reality, this new posting restriction does not prevent
people from "spamming" the list; it just forces them to jump through one
hoop first.
--
Joel Meulenberg