On Fri, 28 May 1999 19:00:07 -0400, John Witherspoon <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>OK, but I'm interested in what makes the Web Subscriber Interface a) ask for
>a password before a subscriber can even enter a request as opposed to b)
>allowing a subscriber to subscribe or submit a request to change his
>options and then confirm the subscriber's request via an e-mail (which
>contains an instruction to reply to the server with an OK and cookie).

Lessee...

Subscribe 'page' and top archives page (http://server/archives/listname.html)
are never protected, always accessible.

Depending on whether list archives are set public or private, a login may be
required for actual access to the archives. 

Posting, Changing subscriber options (including unsubscribing), List Management
all always require a web login.  None of these logins (except the
change/creation of a personal password) use the OK-confirimation by email.