As I was notified of subtle problems and it the time of year to run a
subscription probe have been monitoring the mail in the list periodically.
Normally I peruse the "Digest" version due to the mail volume that crosses
my desk daily.
Answers to some questions:
1. Dennis W. Farrell" <dfarrell@ridgecrest.ca.us> is your first contact
point, he handles most subscription requests (subscribe and un subscribe)
letting people know that the topic of discussion has left the bounds of
what is proper for the list and handling those discussions that need to be
aired in private rather than in a public forum.
2. The purpose of the list is Sailing and discussion of the West Wight
Potters. Many people own and enjoy these interesting sailing craft and are
willing to share years of sailing experience. they convince others that
this is the boat to buy. The entrance to the list was designed to be as
"easy" as possible and to make it easy for an individual with little
training to manage the list - on a day to day basis.
I helped Allen created code to allow subscription from a web page, this
was done to minimize his time in getting people subscribed that were
interested - into the list.
Because of UCE/SPAM it has become a target, and in most cases this should
just be ignored. Should it be decided that the controls need to be
tightened, then someone or multiple people need to coordinate monitoring
and approving each message on an hour by hour/daily basis. No SPAM would
ever reach the list but that person(s) have just become a slave to
something they are doing as a volunteer.
The list is digested (meaning there is a compiled copy that is put
together on roughly a daily basis. This digest is transferred to the Web
Site for a historic archive of useful WWPotter information. People that
send graphics into the list cause things like digests to happen on an
hourly basis - the archives get out of sync (more work for people that are
doing this out of love of sailing, rather than being paid by the hour).
This also as Allen stated makes it difficult for a person with a laptop and
hooked up to a phone jack at the dock to see what is happening from the
cabin of the Potter. Thus common sense and courtesy should be the rule not
the exception, they are spending time downloading rather than sailing.
About twice a year a subscription probe is constructed and the list
settings are modified to remove dead email address from the list.
* Normally you would automatically be removed from the list if your copy of
the current message bounces (4) times, this could take up to twenty days to
resolve. Some of the common reasons are that some providers have a limit of
mail that a person can hold on their server, after your limit is reached
the mail server returns the mail saying the mail box is full (1 bounce
three left) AOL is really bad for that situation. After the list server
reaches the limit of bounces (that is 4 bounces) it automatically removes
the name from the list.
* A subscription probe is set that if the mail does not bounce then name is
Good! If it bounces the name then is removed.
The last time I looked there were 80 messages "bouncing" this lasts for up
to 5 days for each message. Thus system resources are tied up while all the
happens as the mail server tries to deliver the message every five minutes
for the five days. If you get dropped off the list then contact your local
"Sysadmin or Customer Support" check your mail more often and make sure
that you clean it off the server. IF you are using AOL and want to keep old
messages around then you have a real problem!
What is my roll in all this?
I'm the Unix system administrator that makes this part work.
Allen is a friend of mine and owes me at least one sailing trip up here
around the Islands (Puget Sound). He asked me what might be done as he was
losing a resource and was about out of time. I'm an ISP I have a
list-server running thus it would be easier to transfer on a short term and
keep the list going. Well I made him and offer to host it for a year that
was out of friendship rather than business. the caveat was to recover cost
of resources a sailing trip. The labor was to be bourn by "volunteers."
Once the list is running it only eats drives space, wear a tear on the
drive and controller, CPU time and Internet Bandwidth. Thus as I mentioned
every five minutes 80 mail processes are spawned the email address is read
(drive activity) and contacts made to 80 mail servers to see if a piece of
mail can be delivered (for up to 5 days or until delivery which ever comes
first) Most quality services charge about $200 a year for the wear & tear
and bandwidth. This allows for those times that when a System Administrator
needs to become involved so it does not cost a fortune. Currently TSCNet is
currently only charging $50/year for both the normal list and the digest
(my stock holders need that) and the other $150 is my donation, thus the
Sailing Adventure that Allen promised to deliver becomes Even More
Spectacular! Grin.. So I'm the technical guy that helps the volunteers and
knows how this thing is supposed to work and fixes it when it stops working.
What I would suggest is that the association develop a plan to collect a
buck or three bucks from the membership, this would allow creating the
WWPotter domain and setting up a server that would house the web site.
* The association has an address that is setup and to handle costs of the
association. If you send what you can and mark it for what you enjoy
(creation and maintenance of the West Wight Potter site) then it can be
properly handled.
* There are internet services that can be purchased on an annual basis that
would enable the people to continue to find and enjoy sailing information.
Should plan be developed I will be happy to review to insure that the costs
are in line.
* In some circumstances it could also be configured to handle the list server.
* Those that have realized savings in direct costs for the Potter and
learning from others experience have gained a Large Value with no cost. Is
it time to return some of that?
* I will make a point that the builders of the Potter have realized a very
large return without direct advertising costs. Is it time for them to
provide indirect/direct support for what is the Love of all Potter Sailors?
I have actually spoke with one of their people, is it TIME?
* Volunteers could still manage the web site, other functions that require
human time could become automated.
* The next time volunteers are asked for should I offer? That is for you to
decide!
This whole West Wight Potter Adventure is a Labor of Love that Allen
created, many people have enjoyed more information and resources then you
can buy in a store. This is because one individual with a passion for
sailing. All this ( the web server and access for the list server ) has
basically came out of and continues to reach into of Allen's pocket. Had
anyone that has ever gained from the web site or the list donated a buck or
two (just because I learned something) to the association then it would be
truely self sustaining. For those that provide that information, Thank YOU!
Please be considerate of those that participate in this list.
SCrapppp as I put the soap box away.
If you have specific questions for me please direct then at my email
address. If its felt that some topics are really valid discussion points
that fit the theme of the list then place them there. I will try to provide
information "from the ISP" standpoint that is relevant to the topic. I
would remind those that would say there are "Free Web Servers" that there
is No Free Lunch! There a dangers that are yet to be discovered in that area.
Al Reust
TSCNet
alreust@tscnet.com
Something I Virtually dream of a Complete Web Site <G>rin.. Have Fun
URL: http://www.tscnet.com/ http://www.kitsap.net/
Mail to: alreust@tscnet.com Voice (360)613-0708 Fax (360)308-0185