On Wednesday 13 February 2008 10:00, Alan Dayley wrote:
>
>
> Years ago I heard repeated calls to setup a web based discussion board
> for the list.  Then a PLUGger generously set one up on his own.  It fell
> into disuse in about three weeks or so.
>
> Then a few less years ago the suggestion was forwarded again.  It did
> not lead to anything, just as this current suggestion has had no response.
>
> Personally, I prefer email discussions over web ones.  There are forums
> that can be read and posted via email to make a bridge between the two.
>  If we were to do it, that is what I would vote for.
>
> However, online forums also add a problem of administration.  In the
> email list, spam control is largely automatic.  My understanding is that
> web forums are not as automated.  The admin side of the current PLUG
> website, for example, is riddled with attempts to spam the article
> comment system.  A web based forum would take more attention.  In a
> purely volunteer organization like PLUG, time investment is hard to get
> and maintain.
>
> Just my input to the idea.
>
> Alan

Alan,
judging by my inbox lately, it seems that listserv administration needs to be 
beefed up.
I have been seeing a lot of bounces and returns about "not authorized to post 
to this list" when clearly I have not done so and am not a member of those 
lists.

This is commonly called "backscatter spam" and it is the direct result of 
letting a program do the preconfigured handling of spam to a list, when a 
human should be taking a look (and if necessary, forwarding the "spam" to 
spamhous or spamcop). Frankly, I see less spam (far less) on such forums 
(everyone is required to have a valid e-mail account that the system sends a 
confirmation to each month) than I do from e-mal lists (and I am on rather a 
few of those).

I guess the pointy I am trying to make is this: it doesn't matter what system 
you use (listserv or phpbb3 or whatever) you are still going to have 
administrative headaches. They'll just be different ones.
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