Return-Path: Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org via listexpand id S266176AbUAUXI6 (ORCPT ); Wed, 21 Jan 2004 18:08:58 -0500 Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org id S266177AbUAUXI6 (ORCPT ); Wed, 21 Jan 2004 18:08:58 -0500 Received: from caramon.arm.linux.org.uk ([212.18.232.186]:17674 "EHLO caramon.arm.linux.org.uk") by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id S266176AbUAUXIz (ORCPT ); Wed, 21 Jan 2004 18:08:55 -0500 Date: Wed, 21 Jan 2004 23:08:51 +0000 From: Russell King To: Dave Jones , Zan Lynx , Linus Torvalds , Linux Kernel List Subject: Re: List 'linux-dvb' closed to public posts Message-ID: <20040121230851.A27913@flint.arm.linux.org.uk> Mail-Followup-To: Dave Jones , Zan Lynx , Linus Torvalds , Linux Kernel List References: <20040121194315.GE9327@redhat.com> <1074717499.18964.9.camel@localhost.localdomain> <20040121211550.GK9327@redhat.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline User-Agent: Mutt/1.2.5.1i In-Reply-To: <20040121211550.GK9327@redhat.com>; from davej@redhat.com on Wed, Jan 21, 2004 at 09:15:50PM +0000 Sender: linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org X-Mailing-List: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org Content-Length: 2547 Lines: 52 On Wed, Jan 21, 2004 at 09:15:50PM +0000, Dave Jones wrote: > Closed lists are just *rude*. The only intention is to stop spam, > but personally, I find hoop-jumping like this *more* of an inconvenience > than spam, (and I get a *lot* of spam, several megs a day on a quiet day) Umm, I don't think that's entirely correct. There's a problem in the UK and EU with 100% open mailing lists - it's called data protection, where the owner of their personal data has certain rights. I believe that it is questionable whether such open lists can be run in the EU, or even by EU individuals. There appears to be two ways around this problem: 1. Only allow list members to be able to look at the list archives. This precludes the ability of search engines (eg google) to be able to index such archives. It also means that archive sites outside the EU must not be permitted to subscribe to such a list. (List owner control over this is virtually impossible since archive sites don't generally ask permission before hand.) 2. Allow member-only posting and make membership of the list conditional on an agreement which allows all information contained within the message to be made publically available, and that such information will be internationally distributed. This means that people who have not agreed to the terms must be prevented from posting to the list. (1) is fine for things like LUG lists where the membership is fairly small and the subject matter is not of international or universal interest. However, it is unacceptable for highly technical lists and/or those of international interest. Note that I'm not saying that closed lists are a good thing either - I don't like closed lists either, both from the user and more especially the admin point of view, but I've have come to the conclusion that it is a necessary evil which we have to bear in our increasingly litigious world. [Please note: I am aware of an instance where someone has indeed used the UK's Data Protection Act in connection with a mailing list to get the lists archives modified or the list shut down.] -- Russell King Linux kernel 2.6 ARM Linux - http://www.arm.linux.org.uk/ maintainer of: 2.6 PCMCIA - http://pcmcia.arm.linux.org.uk/ 2.6 Serial core - To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in the body of a message to majordomo@vger.kernel.org More majordomo info at http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html Please read the FAQ at http://www.tux.org/lkml/