On Wed, 5 Jul 2006, Russ Hunt wrote:
> It was some years ago, I think, that this was discussed at some
> length on the list -- so it may be worth expanding on this:

Been discussed, in detail, many times, though don't recall exactly
the last time.  Check the archives. ;-)

Stan Horowitz wrote:
>> How reliable  would a list's archives be if they could easily
>> be modified?

> It _can_ be done, but as soon as a listowner's done it she
> becomes, de facto, the custodian of an archive which is
> infinitely malleable, and has to deal with all the folks who now
> regret having said something intemperate or stupid five years ago.

Even if the listowner never edits the list archives he is *still* the
custodian of the list archives because he *can* edit the archives.
Whether he has ever done so or not has nothing to do with it, only the
status of LISTOWNER, which grants the right/ability to edit.

As to deleting embarrassing items from the list archives, just have a firm
"no, absolutely not" policy.  "I won't delete my faux pas from the
archives, I ain't going to delete yours" (some allowance can be made for
missent super private messages (trysts at conferences, etc.), but the best
way to deal with those is don't let them be distributed in the first
place).

> In fact, I would prefer it were it actually impossible, rather
> than merely difficult (and, given the ubiquity of archives,
> etc., in practical terms it is actually pretty much impossible
> to delete something totally).

The ability to edit the archives is of positive value, e.g. editing out
technical glitches which cause problems when retrieving items from the
archives, etc.  That is about all I have ever used the ability for.
Fortunately email systems are less sensitive, less likely to foul, when
they encounter such things (e.g. a period in the first column), so there
is less need than previously.  But the ability should still be there, if one
has archives.

Also, sometimes subscribers, um, "borrow" items from copyrighted sources
without permission, present the items as their own work.  To avoid a
lawsuit one may need the ability to delete the text of the offending
item from the list archives (been there).

It is not impossible to delete an item from the archives totally, but it
is not advisable to do so as it messes up the archive indexing (you may
hear about it from subscribers using the INDEX option, or those using a
GETPOST from an old database search).  One should leave a note in place of
the excised text.

Now, of course, this won't delete all copies which may be out there, but at
least the offending, for whatever reason(s), item will no longer be
available from the "official" archives.

by the way, it is also possible to edit the list DIGEST before it is sent,
or used to be; haven't tried it in over a year.

Douglas Winship  [log in to unmask]