[MUD-Dev] ADMIN: Untoward unsubscriptions

[J C Lawrence]

Writing as list owner:

  A number of you, or your employers, have mail filters installed that
  bounce messages that fit various patterns.  Sometimes its as simple
  and stupid as a mention of the word for the different between men and
  women, or in another case the verb for building or raising a
  construction.  Other patterns are a bit more complex and detailed.

  All pattern matching algorithms have a base problem with false
  positives.  Such false positives may get you kicked off the list.

  Simply: 

    The software that runs this list tracks bounces from subscribers,
    and if their number and rate exceed a rather complex internal
    function then the relevant address is automatically subscribed.

    In general this is a Good Thing -- it keeps dead addresses as people
    change jobs and ISPs from cluttering the system.  The problem is
    that due to lack of standardisation in mail bounces the system has
    NO RELIABLE WAY of distinguishing between a bounce due to a dead
    address, and a bounce due to an over-zealous mail filter.  Ergo, if
    you're behind such a filter, its quite easy for a just a couple too
    many messages on the list mentioning that procreative activity to
    result in your being automatically and silently unsubscribed.

  If you do get unsubscribed for such reasons, please feel free to
  re-subscribe and to yell then at your SysAdms.  Loudly.  Please don't
  ask for exceptions -- I won't grant them.  In the trade-off between
  complexity and stupidity, such loses badly.

--
J C Lawrence                
---------(*)                Satan, oscillate my metallic sonatas. 
claw at kanga.nu               He lived as a devil, eh?		  
http://www.kanga.nu/~claw/  Evil is a name of a foeman, as I live.

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