> Since cross-posters always (!) read each mailing list's charter before sending, > it is intriguing to consider that said posters probably also stumbled across > the list's subscription method. This would presumably move the act of > subscription from the realm of "obscure knowledge" and into the realm > of "duh".
there are two pieces to this: 1. it's unreasonable to expect occasional commentators to subscribe to a list before sending traffic there. (it's completely reasonable to expect them to read the charter, and any drafts they are commenting on, but not to jump through extra hoops and to flood their mailboxes with unwanted traffic) 2. it's unreasonable to expect those who post from one address and subscribe to the list using a different address, to have to know a secret handshake that puts their posting address on the whitelist. A simple fix for #2 is to put the instructions for getting on the whitelist on the WG's charter page, and on any other announcements for the list. Keith