[plug] unsubscibe (newbie's perspective)

[Simon Scott]

	Commodore 64 with 6510 thanks. Those Z80s throw biscuits. :)




	From:	Mike <erazmus at wantree.com.au> on 26-03-2001 12:54 AM
	Please respond to plug at plug.linux.org.au@SMTP at Exchange
	To:	plug at plug.linux.org.au@SMTP at Exchange
	cc:	 

	Subject:	Re: [plug] unsubscibe (newbie's perspective)

	mmm, as someone already mentioned, people will email the group
	even though the unsub suffix is present on messages, that and the
	extra b/w required suggest this is not the best solution or at
	least address the idea it could be handled another way,

	Are people forgetting something here ?

	a.	Computers can be programmed to perform various tasks,
		easy to program it to handle unsub requests from the list
		members as well as via an admin list. Simple logic could
		handle the very requests (and several exceptions) that
		have recently occured.

	b.	Wouldn't it be a nice demonstration of the powers of linux
		and cooperative intent of the group (vis a vis linux came
		together via open source cooperation), if the list software
		were expertly programmed to minimise non-effective list
		traffic - such as unsub requests, spam, bounces etc etc
		Note: Its occured to me that to handle erroneous traps
		on unsub requests, the list s/w email the person who
		made the request informing them of being unsubbed, that
		way if some poor plebe stumbles upon an unsub request whilst
		making a bonafide list message then they get alerted.

	c.	Linux is slowly getting some recognition and we need all the
		newbies we can get and then some more, the last thing you
		want to do is restrict in any way acess to learning and
		discussing with others linux and its issues.
		IMNSHO: REstricting subscriptions is like restricting
education
		(which should be totally free - and I'm a capitalist).

	Note:	To address c above we need a really broad based FAQ, from
		messages contributed by this local group - vectoring to
		a general fax is just plain lazy and won't be as dynamic
		illustrating how people can work together - part of the
		evolution of linux <hrrmm>
		Here's a thought: For newbies, the list s/w append a note
		re where the FAQ is (as well as unsub info) for a rolling
		average number of messages. Say if person 'x' only emails
		once a month then they get a suffix note re FAQ and Unsub,
		if people send to the list more then 3 times a month or
		so then they get no suffix FAQ or unsub info.
		In fact, the list s/w should also send a FAQ/Unsub to anyone
		once each 6 months etc etc This is not mutally exclusive
		with list s/w handling unsubs sent to list,

	Its amazing that people who have programming experience tend to be
	less aware of their impact on others and can become so arrogant to
assume
	those without programming experience can not come up with solutions
to
	computer related problems. The traffic generated through a pair of
	unsub requests demonstrates some of this,

	Hasn't perl based string processing at least have the power to
	handle unsub messages sent to the list - f...... easy if you ask
	me and I ain't no perl programmer. F... I could do it in assembler
	with a bleedin Z80, it ain't that hard - is it ?

	<sigh>

	Mike
	 




	At 11:21 PM 25/3/2001 +0800, you wrote:
	>When I tried to move my plug mailings to a different email address,
	>the information contained in the original plug sign up mailing was
out
	>of date.  Emails trying to subscribe and unsubscribe bounced as
user
	>unknown.  If the people sending to the list encountered these
	>problems, I don't blame them for mailing here.  At the same time, I
	>couldn't get accurate info from the plug website as it was down,
and
	>the linux.org.au site had outdated information as well.  Eventually
I
	>was able to unsubscribe and resubscribe to a new email address
(notice
	>I'm using start.com.au not netscape.com now) but it was way more of
a
	>pain than it should have been, and took a significant amount of my
	>time.  I think it would be a VERY good idea to have a one sentence
"to
	>be removed from" line with the CURRENT plug list remove/subscribe
	>email included in that single sentence.
	>
	>Ari
	>
	>
	>Original message from: Mike <erazmus at wantree.com.au>
	>>
	>>At 11:25 PM 25/3/2001 +0800, you wrote:
	>>>  OK, now all you Linux evangelists are going to rave on about
	>attracting
	>>>newbies to further the Great Cause. But wouldnt your energies be
	>better
	>>>directed if we weed out the hopeless cases first?
	>>
	>>Its very sad you must label people this way because they showed
	>laziness
	>>at the time of sending an unsub message to the list - some people
	>>still don't know the difference between the mail list and the
	>'instruction'
	>>list, in fact, these days shouldn't the software be smart enough
to
	>>weed out emails meant for the admin address - why is it so hard
	>>for people to come up with relational s/w or even deadpan simple
s/w
	>>to handle unsub requests with allowances for most spelling
variations
	>?
	>>
	>>This does not make them lazy or hopeless, unless you want to label
	>>yourself an arrogant elitist pedant !
	>>
	>>*grin*
	>>
	>>Mike
	>>
	>>
	>>.
	>>
	>
	>
	>__________________________________________________________________
	>Get your free Australian email account at http://www.start.com.au
	>
	>
	>
	>



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