[Python-Dev] comp.lang.python.announce

[Barry A. Warsaw]

>>>>> "MF" == Markus Fleck <fleck@triton.informatik.uni-bonn.de> writes:

    MF> I agree with this. What would be helpful would be (i) a web
    MF> interface for multiple-moderator moderation (which I believe
    MF> Mailman already provides), and (ii) some rather simple changes
    MF> to the list-to-newsgroup gateway to do some header
    MF> manipulations before posting each approved message to
    MF> c.l.py.a.

This is doable in Mailman, but I'm not so sure how much it will help,
unless we make a further refinement.  I don't know enough about the
Usenet moderation process to know if this will work, but let me
outline things here.

There's two ways a message can get announced, first via email or first
via Usenet.  Here's what happens in each case:

- A message is sent to python-announce@python.org.  This is the
  preferred email address to post to.  These messages get forwarded to
  clpa@python.net, which I believe is just a simple exploder to Markus
  and Vladimir.  Obviously with the Starship current dead, this is
  broken too.  I don't know what happens to these messages once Markus
  and Vladimir get it, but I assume that Markus adds a magic approval
  header and forwards the message to Usenet.  Perhaps Markus can
  explain this process in more detail.

- A message is sent to python-announce-list@python.org.  This is not
  the official place to send announcements, but this specific alias
  simply forwards to python-announce@python.org so see above.  Note
  that the other standard Mailman python-announce-list-* aliases are
  in place, and python-announce-list is a functioning Mailman mailing
  list.

  This list gates from Usenet, but not /to/ Usenet because of the
  forwarding described above.  When it sees a message on c.l.py.a, it
  sucks the messages off the newsgroup and forwards it to all list
  members.  Obviously those messages must have already been approved
  by the Usenet moderators.

- A message is sent directly to c.l.py.a.  From what I understand, the
  Usenet software itself forwards to the moderators, who again, do
  their magic and forwards the message to Usenet.

So, given this arrangement, the messages never arrive unapproved at a
mailing list.

What it sounds like Markus is proposing is that the official Usenet
moderator address would be a mailing list.  It would be a closed
mailing list whose members are approved moderators, with a shared
Mailman alias.  Any message posted there would be held for approval,
and once approved, it would be injected directly into Usenet, with the
appropriate magic header.  I think I know what I'd need to add to
Mailman to support this, though it'll be a little tricky.  I need to
know exactly how approved messages should be posted to Usenet.  Does
someone have a URL reference to this procedure, or is it easy enough
to explain?

-Barry