Dear friends,

I would like to suggest the following behaviour for listserv to handle
subscription (or even other things like signoff or even setting/disabling
options)...

Regarding subscription...  Imagine the following scenario:

*** START 1 ***
From: John Smith <[log in to unmask]>

SUB <listname>

This would subscribe [log in to unmask] to <listname> and register him as
John Smith.

*** START 2 ***
From: John <[log in to unmask]> OR From: [log in to unmask]

SUB <listname> OR SUB <listname> John

This would put [log in to unmask] subscription to <listname> on hold and send
him a registration request requesting his full name or anonymity.  When
registration is received the address is subscribed.  If no registration
is received the timeout on Confirm_delay should be used.

*** START 3 ***
From: John Smith <[log in to unmask]>

SUB <listname> [log in to unmask]

This should send an aknowledgement to [log in to unmask] mentioning that the
user [log in to unmask] will be asked to confirm the subscription.

Then (1) a request (via ok) is sent to [log in to unmask] mentioning that
[log in to unmask] has requested a subscrption on his behalf.  And if he is to
accept it he must reply using the ok mechanism; or (2) a "template", like
the one the list owner gets when a subcription is requested in a
Subscription=By Owner list, is sent to [log in to unmask] with a header giving
instructions *and* notifying him who has requested his subscription to
<listname> on his behalf.  Basically he is just getting a preformated
email that he just has to forward if he agrees to be subscribed.

In any case if [log in to unmask] accepts and does confirm his subscription or
not [log in to unmask] should/could be notified accordingly (QUIET could be
used here too maybe???).

Basically all this should do is initiate a confirmation request to join
<listname> from [log in to unmask] on behalf of [log in to unmask]
[log in to unmask] would take it from there on with the only difference being
that [log in to unmask] should/could be notified whether [log in to unmask] did
end up on the list or not.

With (2) this could be applied to other things such as signoff or
setting/disabling options and would allow experienced users to do things
on behalf of others (but "others" always get to approve it first).

The confirmation should be ENFORCED to avoid people subscribing bogus
addresses or adding people to high volume lists without their permission.

Your comments. :-)

Regards,

Dave