[Mailman-Users] mail distro, newsgroup, or both?

[bergenpeak at comcast.net]

Hi,

I'm trying to determine if the problem I have is best solved by mailman, 
a newsgroup, or both.

I'd like to setup an open mail distro such that when one writes or 
receives an e-mail with useful information, one could forward (or cc) 
the mailman distro.  The mailman distro would archive the contents and  
provide a means for others to review the threads for useful 
information.   I'd also like to overlay a search engine so one could go 
to a web site, enter some key words, and search the mailman archive.

I'd like the mail distro to be "open" meaning one shouldn't have to 
subscribe to send to the distro.  I'm thinking the mail distro would 
have no receipients other than the archive.  It's sort of like a 
newsgroup but where info could be added to the "newgroup" (archive) via 
e-mail.

Have others tried to setup a similar service and if so, which path did 
you take and why

Is there an easy way to index and search over one or more mailman distros?

I'm not sure how to address "followups".  In a newsgroup paradigm, 
replying to a post brings that thread to the top of the newsgroups.  I 
don't think that's the cases with mailman and threads (though I could be 
wrong). 

I've been holding off going down the NNTP cross-post path between 
mailman and news until I think I've got a solid plane.

Anyway, any thoughts or experiences in this space appreciated.

Thanks