[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
> I GUESS I NEED TO POST MY QUESTION ONE MORE TIME:
My apologies for not getting to this sooner. A number of people have
asked what the administration of the list involves, so is a brief
rundown.
The initial tasks are:
- set up and test the mailing list. Duh. Add yourself and a few
volunteers to the real-time and digested lists, then thrash it. Make
sure the digests are generated properly, either at set periods
(important for low-traffic lists) or when the digest reaches a set
size. Check that the real-time postings and digests are archived
properly.
- ensure the list can run without intervention. This generally means
setting up periodic processes that keep disk usage in check.
- minimise your daily work by automating common tasks. This is critical,
because it will save you time, which means you'll provide better
service to the list later on. Answer common questions on a web site or
in a form letter. Write scripts to boot people off the list. Set
machines working overnight updating stats on a web page.
The daily tasks are:
- unsubscribe any email addresses that have gone bad. This is largely
automated, but some mailers (notably MS Exchange, may it burn in
compiled H*ll) produce error messages beyond the understanding of my
scripts.
- answer questions: How do I un/subscribe? Is it okay to post this? Is
it true your seasons are the opposite to ours?
- remove spam and inappropriate postings from the digest currently being
built up; reinsert postings that Majordomo has incorrectly identified as
spam.
Infrequently:
- fiddle the spam filters. Remove "monica", add "kosovo".
The mechanics of these processes aren't relevant: they will vary with the
host system and administrator's taste. I have them tied up with Emacs
and the shell.
That's about it.
--
_________________________________________________________________________
Andrew Donkin Nikon list administrator
