> Can someone give me a good reason why *any* LISTSERV list should not
> be SEND= PRIVATE?
 
Depends on the list and who writes for it!  I have an information &
discussion pair of lists.  A third list contains the combined postings
of the first two.  There are also 2 dozen local redistributions of the
list.  So postings to the information & discussion lists are *often*
from non-subscribers. Also, nearly 1% of subscribers have addresses
from which they cannot send mail.
 
Because of this and because we validate commands with the OK procedure
(*) (and some of my moderators command LISTSERV only via email), we
have a separate (confidential) list, maintained by the moderators, just
for the purpose of posting.
 
For another list I own, SEND=PRIVATE works nicely.
 
- ------
 
(*)  If we were to use just SEND=PRIVATE, postings from the
redistributions would just be rejected.  We wish to moderate them, and
so use SEND=Editor,Hold.  Making the list be a secondary editor is a
good solution for some, but this is awkward in one instance.  We wish
to go one step further in that we moderate "1st post".  A subscriber
gets a Default-Options=REVIEW and we reset it to NOREVIEW on 1st post.
 Let's say an article comes to the moderator and it is approved.  We
now want to treat this address as a subscriber (NOREVIEW).  The
moderator doesn't know whether the person is a new subscriber or a
non-subscriber.  (A new subscriber would get a SET listname NOREVIEW;
a non-subscriber would get an ADD listname...).  It's a hassle to do a
QUERY and then wait for the reply.  A *separate* confidential list,
just for regulating posting privilege works nicely.
 
This isn't confusing, is it?  :-)
 
Regards,
 
Wayne T. Smith
Systems Group -- CAPS        internet: [log in to unmask]
University of Maine System   BITNET/CREN: WTS@MAINE