[Mailman-Developers] Read-only lists and per-user moderation

[Phil Stracchino]

I see the question of the read-only mailing list has arisen yet again.  
How difficult would it actually be to add this functionality?

I see two approaches to doing it.  The first would be to just add a
per-list "read-only" attribute.  If this attribute is enabled, then the
"Addresses of members accepted for posting to this list without implicit
approval requirement" list becomes a list of users authorized to post to
the list, period, and all other posts would be rejected automatically
without generating an admin request to the list owner.

The second, more flexible approach would be to add the per-list read-only
attribute *and* add a per-user "Posting OK" flag to the Membership
Management screen, which would default to on and could be set or cleared
only by the list owner.  Setting the list's read-only attribute would
cause the "Posting OK" flag to be turned off for all existing members
except the list owner, and cause all new subscriptions to have "Posting
OK" turned off by default.

This second implementation would also allow the list owner of a normal
read-write list to selectively revoke posting privileges for list members
without actually kicking them off the list.  Used in this way, it would
effectively amount to turning on moderation on a per-user basis without
having to add all other members to the "approval not required" list.

Reasons for doing this might include disciplinary measures for disruptive
members, handling members who go on vacation with a vacation program set
and forget to set their subscription to no-deliver, as a way to quickly
squelch a flame war without having to turn on moderation for the entire
list, or to set up a scheme of "probationary" members whereby posting 
privileges are not granted until a member has been subscribed for a 
specified period in order to learn the norms of accepted behavior on the 
list.


Thoughts, opinions, flames?


-- 
 Linux Now!   ..........Because friends don't let friends use Microsoft.
 phil stracchino   --   the renaissance man   --   mystic zen biker geek
        alaric@babcom.com                halmayne@sourceforge.net
   2000 CBR929RR, 1991 VFR750F3 (foully murdered), 1986 VF500F (sold)