[plug] Setting up PLUG groups in addition to this e-mail list

[Bernd Felsche]

On Saturday 11 September 2004 22:53, Cameron Patrick wrote:
> James Devenish wrote:
> >  - Set up a leafnode2 NTTP server on PLUG's xbox (which currently acts
> >    as the PLUG web server).
>
> Hmm.  I'm ignorant about NNTP servers in general, but I have some
> reservations about leafnode 2:
>
> (1) The Debian package description says "Leafnode is a news server
>     suitable for small, limited-bandwidth sites with only a few
>     users. Leafnode keeps track of which groups are being read, and
>     downloads only articles in those groups."  The name itself has
>     similar connotations.  This, to me, sounds different from what
>     we're after for a PLUG news server.
>
> (2) Leafnode 2.x is still in beta.

I've been using leafnode2 as a leafnode for about a year. The only
significant issues have been relating to article expiry.

Leafnode2 is necessary because it provides "local" newsgroups; i.e.
those not fed from "upstream".

The main reason for proposing the use of leafnode is that it's
nearly maintenance-free. Once it's running, it requires no manual
intervention; other than to maintain (add/delete) local newsgroups
and moderators.

INN has several orders of magnitude greater admin needs.  Cnews
would work; but it's relatively painful for NN[TR]P.

> Also, Bernd Felsche has offered to give us a machine significantly
> more powerful than spark /and/ xbox.  I don't know quite what's
> involved in setting up the news server, but would it make sense to
> delay implementing this until the existing mail and web services are
> moved onto a new machine?

It'd be simpler to set up NNTP on the new machine first, and when
that's proven (remember that it's really only the NNTP service and
an email address connecting it to PLUG list) to migrate the other
services over.

> >  - People will be able to use their "news" client to connect to the
> >    leafnode server, and will have to enter their Mailman address and
> >    password to gain posting privileges. (We cannot have an 'anonymous'
> >    service because random spammers and robots could infiltrate it.)
>
> If I parse that correctly, anonymous read-only access is still allowed?

That would be a mistake. Address harvesting could occur.

-- 
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