Changes to EdStat list

[E. Jacquelin Dietz]

Dear EdStat readers,

I appreciate the feedback many of you have given me in the last couple of days about how to address the problem of complaints concerning EdStat. Of course, different people have recommended different solutions, but I think I have found a compromise approach that should work. Please read this message in its entirety -- it's really important!

First of all, there have been some misunderstandings about who is at fault here. The citizens of North Carolina have nothing to do with this! I don't think it's really fair to blame the NC State computing center either. The problem is that some readers of the list persist in complaining to SpamCop about EdStat messages. SpamCop is apparently very powerful and will blacklist NC State as a sender of spam. This blacklisting can have very negative consequences for the university. The university's reputation can be tarnished, and some internet providers will refuse to send mail to university addresses. This is why the university must take action to stop the complaints to SpamCop. The spam itself is not the problem; the complaints are the problem.

This morning, I changed the configuration of the list so that only subscribers can post directly to the list. Messages sent by nonsubscribers will be forwarded to me for approval. This seems like a good compromise between having the list completely moderated and limiting the list to just subscribers. Messages from subscribers will be posted day or night without requiring any intervention from me. Legitimate messages from nonsubscribers will be posted eventually, but with some delay.

I anticipate some problems:

1. Some subscribers will probably have their messages bounced to me because they are sending them from an address different from the address on the subscriber list. We'll get those problems ironed out eventually.

2. Lots of messages will be bounced to me because they were posted on the newsgroup by nonsubscribers. I would like to ask a favor of regular posters to the newgroup. It is possible to subscribe to the edstat list with a "no messages" option. If you will take the few minutes to subscribe, then your postings to sci.stat.edu will be automatically forwarded to the list. To subscribe, send e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the body

subscribe edstat

You can then change to the "no messages" option at http://lists.ncsu.edu.

3. There is no guarantee that a subscriber will not send a message that will offend someone! I will continue to screen messages for a constantly-growing list of keywords and phrases, but this screening is not perfect. I implore you to just delete any message you do not like! If ANYONE complains again to SpamCop, we will not be given another chance.

Thanks again for the help and moral support that many of you have offered me the last few days. I appreciate it very much.

Jackie Dietz
Listowner


-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Future of EdStat List
Date: Wed, 30 Oct 2002 09:06:20 -0500
From: "E. Jacquelin Dietz" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]

Dear EdStat readers,

I have been given a final ultimatum by the NC State postmaster regarding
the EdStat list. By Friday, I must make changes to the list that will
completely eliminate complaints about spam. The university is in danger
of being blacklisted by SpamCop because of complaints about EdStat; the
university cannot allow this to happen, and they will shut down the list
by the end of the week unless I take drastic action.

I can think of only two options to pursue. First, I can restrict EdStat
postings to subscribers. We tried this once before and decided it was
unacceptable because approximately 2/3 of legitimate postings come from
the sci.stat.edu newsgroup, and the people who post to the newsgroup are
not EdStat subscribers. The second option, and the one I lean toward at
the moment, is to moderate the list. This would mean that every message
would come to me for approval before being posted to the list. Aside
from the obvious burden on me, the disadvantage of this is that messages
will only be posted when I am available. That means that when I go out
of town, or go to class, or sleep, etc., no messages will be posted to
EdStat. The newsgroup will continue to function as it does now. (A
third option, of course, is to just abandon the list in favor of the
newsgroup.)

I would appreciate any feedback you may have about these options (or
others). It is possible to have a group of moderators; if anyone is
willing to share the job with me, or to cover for me occasionally when I
need to travel, please let me know.

I would like to convey my extreme frustration with those of you who have
complained to SpamCop and to the NC State postmaster, despite my
continued pleas that you not do so. I have worked very hard to keep
spam out of the list. Every message is checked against a long list of
key words and phrases before being posted, and I screen out numerous
(maybe 10 to 30) scams and commercial messages every day. The final
straw with the NC State postmaster was a nasty complaint about the
recent message with subject "I provide help for students on very many
subjects." That was a silly and offensive message, but I don't think it
was worth jeopardizing the future of the list.

Jackie Dietz
Listowner
--
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
E. Jacquelin Dietz (919) 515-1929 (phone)
Department of Statistics, Box 8203 (919) 515-1169 (FAX)
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC 27695-8203 USA [EMAIL PROTECTED]

Street address for FedEx:
Room 210E Patterson Hall, 2501 Founders Drive
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++





--
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
E. Jacquelin Dietz (919) 515-1929 (phone)
Department of Statistics, Box 8203 (919) 515-1169 (FAX)
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC 27695-8203 USA [EMAIL PROTECTED]

Street address for FedEx:
Room 210E Patterson Hall, 2501 Founders Drive
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


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