I am carbon copying this message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] in hopes that it is imformative to others with similar questions. There are also a few questions from me at the bottom.
--Jeff ------------------------ >Thanks for your excellent free service! Thanks! >Evidently there are three problems: >1. file '/etc/htdig/public-list_neither_org.conf' is missing or >unreadable by the UID/GID running htDig or htsearch. >Consequently this error message is displayed on any attempt to use the >"Search" button. Correct, the file does not exist. >A similar problem report was responded to in >http://www.mail-archive.com/gossip@jab.org/msg00031.html >I gather from that response that it may simply be due to >[EMAIL PROTECTED] also being new and therefore not yet having been >indexed. Correct. The search engine runs as a batch process once a week. Last Wednesday it took about 10 hours to process 110,000 messages. > If so I suggest a solution of automatically scheduling an index >run as soon as a list is subscribed - it would be very natural for >people to check the search facility as soon as they subscribe the >archive to the list and doing an otherwise useless index run then would >be useful simply because it avoids the error message. Ideally, messages should be indexed for searching as soon as they are received. However, if this is not practical (due to computational expense) your solution is a good one. There still may be some confusion, as the search engine will only match the first message. Still, this is better than the current situation. >2. Readers who receive such error messages have no way to determine who >is "the webmaster of thissite" - the reader who first encountered the >error naturally reported it to the mailing list instead. I am guessing >that [EMAIL PROTECTED] is the appropriate address as a result of finding a >"feedback" link (not "webmaster" link) at >http://www.mail-archive.com/about.html >This can easily be fixed by including a mailto link for the appropriate >address in the error message text. Yes, that error message sucks. However, I can't change it without patching htdig, which I am reluctant to do from a maintainability standpoint. Better to make sure the error never appears. >3. The error message was generated a few days ago but did not result in >a routine fix as a result of sysadmin perusal of error logs, since I >have confirmed that it is still there now on any attempt to use the >"Search" button. This may be unavoidable in a free service with "no >warranty" etc etc but I hope it is useful to list it as a separate >perceived problem for future attention - a proactive response to >internally generated error messages will result in an even more useful >service than one which responds to problems only after email from users >who have encountered those problems. The service was designed to be as automatic and simple as possible for administration. It really should run by itself. One reason is I am doing almost all development, financing, administration, technical support, etc., myself, during free time. I agree it is important to look at logs promptly and fix any flaws that surface. Excellence in concept, design, implementation and administration are all important for success. This is a real service, that real people are using, and it appears to be growing quickly and I want to keep it that way. However, unless someone volunteers or gives me a suitcase full of money, I'm going to have to continues focusing on improving automation as opposed to improving manual administration. >While checking your site for info on problem 1, I noticed another >possible problem. >4. The "here" link on http://www.mail-archive.com/faq.html >is a link to >http://www.mail-archive.com/archive@jab.org/maillist.html >which appears to be copies of the confirmation messages sent by list >servers in response to subscriptions as stated. >Presumably this is to provide an easy way for people who subscribe a >list to act on the confirmation message themselves in order to confirm >the subscription where necessary, as stated in the faq. Correct. It also keeps me (administrator) easily informed about what's going on. >However this may possibly be a security hole that would enable anyone to >unsubscribe a list by using the confirmation code. >For example the message: >http://www.mail-archive.com/archive@jab.org/msg00272.html >includes a key which might enable someone to unsubscribe that list. >Naturally I have not checked whether this is in fact a problem but just >thought I would mention it in case. Quite possibly. The issue has not come up, as far as I know. >If there is a problem, a solution might be to routinely manually respond >to confirmation messages (perhaps semi-automatically when the types from >the most popular list servers are recognized) instead of enabling others >to do that on your behalf. Hmm... I'm wary of manual solutions and added complexity. However, an auto-confirm would be handy as many people forget to do the confirmation stage, especially if there is a delay involved. >Finally, I have read your info and faq pages and a fair bit of the >archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED] As you say in the faq, "The mailing list >[EMAIL PROTECTED] was created for informal support or discussion amongst >users of the archiving service." >I have not been able to identify a mailing list for discussion among >developers as opposed to informal support/discussion among users. There is none yet. >I and the two CC addresses are interested in participating in technical >discussion of future developments and may have a number of suggestions >that could be useful to you in response to your request for feedback, >however the gossip list does not seem to be a suitable forum. Why/What would you suggeset? There isn't a lot of traffic on gossip, so I don't see a real need to have two lists. Would you prefer a more private forum for future discussion? >Please use "Reply All" to inform all 3 of us: >a) Whether you are interested in (or have already provided for) >participation in a project to develop the software you have implemented >further - and if so - how we can obtain access to the customization >files for mhonarc, htDig and Apache and other scripts/modifications that >you have already done. I am interested, and will provide for it. I'll put latest the code at ftp://jab.org/pub/mailme/mailme-1.3.1.tgz. Shall we do this like linux kernel development, and submit patches over a mailing list? >And/Or b) What developer mailing lists you recommend that we should >subscribe to for such discussions. (We have not yet joined those >associated with the above software and would appreciate your advice on >which of them and/or others would be most useful). Anyway, I hope >this can lead to a quick resolution of problem 1 and thanks again for >providing your excellent free service! Seeya, Albert I keep an eye on the mhonarc, htdig, and list-managers lists. I follow them through mail-archive.com rather than direct subscription, because I find it easier. (Hence the birth of this service.) ---------- Ok, now my turn... Does the service work ok from Australia, or is it far too slow? (The server is in California, USA) Are you interested purely in software development, or also in other aspects of the service? (administration, Australian mirror, etc.) - Jeff PS I just manually kicked the search engine on the neither list. Should be searchable now.
