[To support current interest in lists and their moderation, I've compiled some tips on what to expect and how to operate as a moderator. The version for private lists has been well-received. I am now posting this public-list version for information and wider review.]
Here are some tips for starting as a moderator on any Apache OpenOffice public lists. This may be old news for current moderators. I am providing it for the benefit of newcomers and the curious. After any improvements that are suggested, I'll consolidate these in a place where they can be found for future reference. 1. MODERATOR WORKLOAD The mailing list moderation system is e-mail driven. The needs for moderation arrive in the moderators in-box as messages from the list robot. Moderators may also receive messages that are directed to them via the list's owner address (i.e., <listname>-owner@ incubator.apache.org). It is not necessary to read the lists often or in their entirety. It is useful to keep an eye on lists to ensure there is not some technical issue to report. Participating on the list is not a requirement for moderation. Being a moderator does not even subscribe you to the list, although moderators of private lists certainly need to be subscribed to those lists. There are only two kinds of moderator mails from the list robot: requests for approval of posts from non-subscribers and subscription requests (only for private lists). On public lists, subscription does not require any moderator action and none is requested by the list robot. 2. MODERATOR E-MAIL ADDRESSES When starting as a moderator, it is important to choose an e-mail address where you will receive moderator-directed mail. It works best if this is an e-mail address that you can also use to send e-mail from. If you use an e-mail address that is handled by a forwarding service, it is desirable for you to be able to send e-mail from an account of yours that allows that e-mail in the "From:" entry. For ASF Committers, the ideal e-mail address is the Apache Account Name/ID address, <name>@ apache.org. When a moderator e-mail is to be added, removed, or changed, the procedure is the same: * Open a JIRA task ticket on the Infrastructure project, with component "Mailing Lists." This is usually done by a PPMC Member using <https://issues.apache.org/jira/secure/IssueNavigator.jspa>. * Request any e-mail addresses to be removed (and at whose request/authority, if they are not yours). * Request any e-mail addresses to be added. * TIP: To make this easier in managing your own address in the future, use an e-mail of a forwarding service where you can update the forwarding yourself without changing the e-mail address used by the mailing-list robot. You can use the first step (below) to confirm that the forwarded e-mail address is recognized properly. The JIRA tickets are usually acted-upon within 24 hours. 3. THE FIRST STEP The first new-moderator action is to send an e-mail to <listname>-help@ incubator.apache.org Send that e-mail from an account that has your moderator-listed e-mail as its From: address. (If there is no such account for sending, but you can receive at your moderator e-mail, use a sending e-mail account that allows you to specify a different From: address.) When the e-mail robot recognizes that the request is from a moderator e-mail, it will send a moderator version of the list help message. The subject will be "Moderator help for <listname>@ incubator.apache.org". Save that e-mail. Remember how easy it is to do that again when needed. 3. IF THIS DOESN'T WORK, send a note to the existing moderators at <listname>-owner@, and we'll see how to sort it out. If there is no response within one day, communicate with one of the existing moderators to work with you in resolving the difficulty. - Dennis
