...making Linux just a little more fun!
Rick Moen [rick at linuxmafia.com]
Quoting Michael Makuch (linuxgazette@makuch.org):
[You wrote to tag-owner@lists.linuxgazette.net. I've decided to CC this response to TAG.]
> Curious. I am subscribed to TAG with the address > linuxgazette@makuch.org. > > However, I accidentally sent a message to TAG just now from > mike8@makuch.org, yet the message went through to the list. > > There seems to be a problem with the list if email from any ole > unregistered email address can send to it...
{sigh} No, it's a deliberate list configuration. You're absolutely right that that particular list configuration is archaic and essentially never seen (otherwise) on a usable mailing list in this decade, because of the continually rising spam problem. TAG has always been set up to permit non-subscriber posting because of its unique intended role: It's supposed to permit any reader of _Linux Gazette_ to address the mailing list to converse with The Answer Gang. Doing so of course makes it very vulnerable to spam.
You will probably have noticed that some spam does get through my MTA and mailing list software defences. I (as listadmin and MTA owner) then manually analyse ASAP any spam that does so, and take immediate action to ensure that no further mail from that (pick one; whatever seems most effective and least disruptive of legitimate mail) SMTP HELO string, or sending address, or sending domain, or IP will be accepted in the future. That is of course a no-win strategy with unavoidable collateral damage, but it's the best I can contrive under the circumstances.
TAG is the only mailing list with that configuration I know that's not utterly overwhelmed with spam and thereby made useless, so I must be doing something right. But the possibility of it, too, getting overwhelmed is always present.
Martin J Hooper [martinjh at blueyonder.co.uk]
Rick Moen wrote:
> You will probably have noticed that some spam does get > through my MTA and mailing list software defences. I (as > listadmin and MTA owner) then manually analyse ASAP any spam > that does so, and take immediate action to ensure that no > further mail from that (pick one; whatever seems most > effective and least disruptive of legitimate mail) SMTP HELO > string, or sending address, or sending domain, or IP will be > accepted in the future. That is of course a no-win strategy > with unavoidable collateral damage, but it's the best I can > contrive under the circumstances.
Rick may I say that you are doing a very very good job of keeping the spam out of the list.
Keep up the good work on this mate!