TRUTH - Geoffrey Peters wrote: > This is a discussion I was having privately with Nathan. Oh, then I wonder how it ever leaked onto this list. :) > My approach is to LOUDLY ;-) delete members after receiving error messages I also "loudly" SET NOMAIL for users. > 1. I wait at least a day before deleting them to be sure I also wait for multiple error messags to accumulate, to avoid jumping at shadows. > 2. If the person does somehow regain access before I delete them, then > the (loud) DEL usually wakes them up and I get a message that says > "Uh... Why did you delete me?". > If I do a set NOMAIL, however, the user will simply see there mail > cease to appear or a more curious message about not receiving any > messages. This is not true for my list, although I do not know why it might be different for yours; when I (loudly) SET NOMAIL, a message goes out to the subscriber to inform them of this change in their subscription settings. > In any event, the user will still likely contact the > listowner asking what has happened. Which is exactly what happened to me recently--a user whose host was generating "unable to deliver mail for 1 day, will keep trying for X days" messages was SET to NOMAIL. When she received the notification of NOMAIL, she sent me a message asking why that was. > 3. If the subscriber does not get the message, they will still > likely respond to the listowner directly or resubscribe manually. > If they do the later, there is a chance for duplicate addresses This is where personal attention is given to the user. I save one or two copies of any multiple error message that comes my way. I also store the confirmation of NOMAIL. When users complain, I can remind myself why and can then quote them the error messages and explain the situation. > 4. Lastly, the main reason why I use DEL over NOMAIL is because it > keeps the database clean. How do you all control all of the > NOMAIL users that start to accumulate in the database without > forcing an ugly confirmation ordeal? Control all of the NOMAIL users? Why? So long as LISTSERV isn't going to complain, I won't complain. Sure, someday I'll do a QUERY listname FOR *@* and then QUIET DELETE the long-term NOMAILed users. In a list of 200, that's not a big deal, nor a big priority. > Oh well, my two cents! The real reason, of course, is because I never > knew of the NOMAIL option when I started 5 years ago and just happily DELed Ah, blissful ignorance! ^_^ I see what you mean. - Michael; NAUSICAA list owner: <[log in to unmask]> [ Michael S. Johnson <[log in to unmask]> Computer Science, U of W ] [ WWW index: http://weber.u.washington.edu/~msj home: ~msj/msj.html ]