On Mon, 17 May 2004, Ben Parker wrote:

> Whatever their reason is, the result is that they (falsely) report this
> Scouting mail as spam, which causes AOL to block my server.  I have discovered

I sympathize with your situation as we had someone reporting as spam
legitimate mail on one of our lists simply because the person didn't like
the other poster -- but he reported it to spamcop. Their policy, unlike
AOL, is full disclosure of the e-mail and headers, so we knew who it was
and eventually ended up deleting them and serving them off.

I think in your situation (if you are beyond this point already, then
option A might be best), I would send a notice to the entire mailing list
(for the benefit of everyone), explaining the problem just as you did here
and using a one-two or -three strikes and AOL subscribers are gone as you
can't continue to run the list with this happening.  Then follow through
in 1, 2, or 3 strikes, with a final notice to all AOL subscribers giving
them a date when all AOL addresses will be deleted and providing
alternatives for changing their e-mail address and/or how to get back on
the list with a different e-mail address.

I think if I wanted to be on a mailing list badly enough, and I didn't
want to miss postings, I'd go get a free e-mail account someplace and
change my address anyway.

Mmm...I wonder if folks on lstown-l might have more ideas for you -- not
sure.

--Trish

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Trish Forrest, Queen's University