Sorry for being a bit "too naive" perhaps, but I still don't get the point
of setting up an Usenet gateway.

For a start, there is the huge security risk (SPAM mail, loops) and so
forth. Secondly, Usenet has been increasing deserted (forced out by SPAM).
Thirdly, if anyone is genuinely interested in reading the e-mails
he/she/it could simply subscribe to the mailing list. There are far less
people with only UUCP and not PPP & POP access these days...

JT



On Mon, 27 Apr 1998, Mark Drake wrote:

> Since american.edu doesn't seem to be working any more, I have set about
> making my own gateway.
>
> I am afraid, however, that it will only be able to handle my own
> list/newsgroup.
>
> I thought, however, that I would post here what I have done and am doing so
> that others out there can also make their own gateways.
>
> *
>
> The first thing I did was search for information on how other
> newsgroups were moderated.  I found the Usenet Moderators Archive
> <http://www.landfield..com/moderators/> and the NetNews Moderator's Handbook
> <http://www.landfield.com/usenet/moderators/handbook/>  The abstract for
> the handook says:
>
> *
>
> After determining that it was feasible, I sent out a request on my list and
> newsgroup asking for help.  What I needed was a unix account with email and
> usenet access, and someone who was able to write scripts/program in unix.
> One member was able to give me an account on his linus server, and others
> offered their services in building the gateway.
>
> If you have a separate email account that you use to handle your list, it
> may be a unix account and can be used to for the gateway.
>
> "Technically, all that the <gateway> has to do is add an 'Approved'
> header, and repost the article. The only thing that differentiates
> an 'approved' from a 'non-approved' posting is the existence of the
> 'Approved:' header. The news transport will then accept it and transfer it
> to other machines."
>
> So, the set up would be:
> 1.  The list address is set up as the newsgroup moderator
>     submission address and the Approved: address.  This allows
> 2.  The gateway is subscribed to the list and SET NORENEW
> 3.  The gateway takes email it receives, confirms it is from the
>     list (via the Sender: line) and modifies the headers.  Then it
>     puts it in the newsgroup. It now propagates in the normal
>     Usenet manner.
>
> Listowners do #1 and #2.  Unix experts do #3
>
> Modifying the headers:
> 1.  Apparently some headers need to be stripped (see
>     NetNews Moderator's Handbook Section 5).  The listserv
>     does some of that, but not all of that.
> 2.  The listserv puts the correct Newsgroups: line in itself.
> 3.  The approval syntax is "Approved:listname@nodename
> 4.  Until the american.edu gateway is turned off, the Path: line
>     needs to contain american.edu to prevent a loop from
>     forming.
> 5.  I wont know what else needs to be looked at till the gateway
>     is finished and functioning..
>
> I hope this is helpful.
>
> Mark
>
> --
> Mark Drake   [log in to unmask]
>