Re: spammers and list confirmations

[Aumont - Comite Reseaux des Universites]

Let me explain Sympa's choice about this topics :

Sympa returns a confirmation message for subscription (if the
list is configured for it). This message is replyable in order
to confirm the subscription request. 

The cookie for confirmation is in the subject field so
quoted printable transfert encoding and crasy multipart/alternative
message structure do not affect reply confirmation.

Note that you can configure a list to accept subscription request
without confirmation message depending on subcriber adress and ask
a request confirmation to other subscriber and/or ask owner for validation 
of the subscription. 

The "private" (privilege of sending messages in the list restricted
to subscribers ) is a nice way to block spam but it also restrict the
sending privil�ge for person who subscribe with a non canonical adress.

As most MLMs, Sympa allows configuration of lists to be private but
the config describe what to do when incoming message sender is not
subscriber : either
 - reject it, 
 - request sender confirmation
 - ask moderator agreement.

Serge Aumont