After several years of running other lists, I've recently inherited a list
with a long, long history.  I'm trying to fix it up after an extended
absence/illness by the previous listowner.

I've got a few questions, mostly related to "Why would anyone do this?"
(This is intended to bring out some of your thoughts on the best way to
achieve certain goals.  I would like your opinions please.)

I understand what each of the keywords *do*, but I'm having trouble
understanding why anyone would set the header this way.

The list is gated to Usenet as a bit.listser.xxxx  list.  (I've taken out
the name of the list, just to protect the innocent.  :)  )

Here's the relevant header info:

 Send= Public                            Subscription= Open,Confirm
 Confirm-Delay= 120 h                    Subject-Tag= Listname
 Daily-Threshold= 100,5                  Sizelim= 300
 Default-options= repro,ack,editor,subj
 Default-Topics= News, Bio, KAL, Humor, Prayer, Announcements, Other
 SENDER= [log in to unmask]     Review= OWNERS
 VALIDATE= YES,CONFIRM              ACK= yes
 Renewal= monthly, Delay(14),probe
 Auto-Delete= Yes,Semi-Auto,Delay(5),Max(100)
 Newsgroups= bit.listserv.listname
 Digest= Yes,Same,Daily,00,Size(1000)

 NOTIFY= YES           FILES= NO         REPLY-TO= LIST,IGNORE
 CONFIDENTIAL= NO      X-TAGS= YES       STATS= NORMAL,Owner
 Mail-Via= DISTRIBUTE                    Errors-To= owners
 NOTEBOOK= YES, /listserv/archives/listname ,WEEKLY,PUBLIC
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Specific questions:

Why would the list be Send= Public?  (for Usenet purposes?)

Why set everyone to editor as a default?

There seems to be no way to moderate the list, is there?

How does the usenet gateway post to the list?  If someone were to reply to
a Usenet post, does it just go to the list as a regular subscriber?  (The
gateway is set as editor, with no other special settings.)

Aren't Files and Stats obsolete?

I'm not sure I completely understand how the gateway works, but I'm
thinking that the list should be Send= private, with the Gateway address
set to Review, (That way, all posts via Usenet get sent to me for
approval.)  Also, no one would be set to Editor as a default, just a few
would be specified in the header.  (There are numerous "daily" posts,
mostly under a specific Topic.)

Thanks,

Lou