[Mailman-Users] How could this happen? - Post to moderated list

[Brad Knowles]

on 2/20/09 11:48 AM, Edward Ned Harvey said:

> I noticed just now - When I look at the membership status, Joe User
> has the checkbox next to his name, under the "mod" column.  Does this
> imply that he is being forcefully moderated?

Yup.

>                                               How could that checkbox
> have gotten set?  I am the moderator, and I don't want him moderated,
> and I never set that box explicitly for him.

There is a "default moderation" check box that can be selected at the 
time the list is created, or can be applied to all new subscribers after 
it is selected.

For example, this option is now turned on for all new members of this 
mailing list, so everyone has to go through the moderation process at 
least once or twice (proving they're a real human being and also proving 
that they can post relatively on-topic messages and that they're 
probably not a spammer).  Once you've posted to the list a couple of 
times, I usually remember to clear your moderation checkbox, and all 
future posts will bypass the moderation process.

Maybe you selected this checkbox and didn't know it, or maybe you didn't 
understand what it was.  Or maybe the checkbox was selected by someone 
else who was involved in the list administration.


Your choices are to do as I do, by individually clearing the moderation 
checkbox for those users you want to allow, or you can de-select the 
checkbox that applies default moderation to all new members.  Selecting 
or de-selecting that checkbox won't affect any current members, but it 
will affect new subscribers after that change is made.


Another option that's available is to use "emergency moderation" for all 
posts to the list, which forces everyone to always go through the 
moderation process for each and every post.  This is usually only used 
in dire circumstances, such as when some sort of mail loop has managed 
to get past the extensive defenses that Mailman has, or there is a 
massive flame war, etc....

> Obviously I got past the problem this time by simply accepting his
> message.  But I'd like to know what caused it so I can avoid future
> issues.

Most likely the default moderation issue.

-- 
Brad Knowles
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