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On Sunday 23 May 2010, Peter Humphrey wrote: |
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> On Sunday 23 May 2010 12:21:39 Etaoin Shrdlu wrote: |
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> > It would be great if mailing list software could be configured so |
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> > that only users who demonstrate they know how to unsubscribe could |
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> > subscribe in the first place. Example: |
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> > |
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> > - user subscribes |
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> > - mailing list replies: "please unsubscribe and subscribe again" |
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> > - if user fails to do so within a configurable amount of time, |
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> > forcibly unsubscribe him |
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> > - if user succeeds, leave him subscribed after the second |
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> > subscription. |
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> |
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> And how often would you impose refresher tests? Anyone's memory is |
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> fallible, as no-one knows better than I do. |
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> |
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> Better for this purpose would be to require all mailing lists to operate |
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> in the same way, but that's equally unlikely, as well as undesirable. |
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I would be in favour of that. As I said, many things we do in our lives |
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require active proofs of minimal clue, be it once or periodical. The need is |
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greater if those activities involve people other than you. It's just common |
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sense. |
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In many cases, cluelessness harms; the consequences can be very serious (think |
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driving a car without a licence), moderately serious (for example, setting up |
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unsecured wi-fi), or just annoying (mailing list). |
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So yes, it's not a big deal, it's just annoying to (some of) the other |
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subscribers; but nonetheless,in my opinion participating in a mailing list |
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could require proof of minimal clue. In most cases, it doesn't; I'm not going |
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to start an argument for this, but hopefully one is still allowed to express |
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his opinion. |
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And of course nobody wants you to remeber everything, which would be silly. |
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But having a clue means that you know how to find the information when you |
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need it (in most cases, that means nothing more than you are able to read the |
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instructions; most people seem unable to do even something that simple). |
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In the specific case of the Gentoo mailing lists, it would probably help to |
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append the list instructions at the bottom of each message (as many other |
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lists do), rather than having it only in the headers. |
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Now, people can flame me as much as they want, I won't reply. I just expressed |
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my views, and other people are obviously perfectly free to disagree. |
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> > Just saying... |
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> |
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> What does that mean? I had a mother-in-law once who often added it to a |
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> critical remark, and I never understood what she meant by it either. |
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One minute of google turns up |
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|
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http://painintheenglish.com/?p=958 |
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http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=i%27m%20just%20sayin%27 |