Re: [GCC] Re: Rogue requests being issued

[Trevor Jenkins <trevor dot jenkins at suneidesis dot com>]

On Thu, 26 Sep 2002, Phil Edwards <phil@jaj.com> wrote:

> On Thu, Sep 26, 2002 at 03:43:05PM +0000, Trevor Jenkins wrote:
> > On a separate issue I do want to complain that this list is being archived
> > at gmane.org.
>
> It's being archived on gcc.gnu.org, too.  It's a public list.  Anybody can
> archive it.

Here's my response to an off list message that said the same thing:

Is the archiving of the gcc lists by gmane.org sanctioned by FSF? If yes,
that's fine --- but I'll still add X-Archive: expiry=0 to all my posts.

There are issues with the existence of this system. Here's the first dozen
or so:

Firstly, presumption that because a mailing list is handled as a
majordomo/ezmlm/etc "open" list that the content is also open.

Secondy, discourtesy in that no contact with the list owner is made before
an "open" list is added, which it seems can be at the behest of anyone ---
even someone who isn't a subscriber. Just go to the web site and sign up
any mailing list you like. In the case of John Levine's spamtools they
did NOT ask if he approved of their archiving his list.

Thirdly, mis-intrepretation of the English word "no". The admitedly
obsolete header X-No-Archive is seen as permission to archive the message.
The only sop to the "no" is when the value is yes, i.e. the poster
requests that no archive is lept, then the message will expire in 14 days.

Fourthly, difficulty in having messages expunged from the newsbase. Of
course, one has to know which mailing lists are being gated by this
"service". Then one has to go through the entire archive extract the
message-ids of one's messages. Send the newserver owner that list of ids
who will then expunge them.

Fifthly, difficulty in removing mailing list from the server. (I can't
speak to this personally as all mailing lists I own are closed in the
technical sense.) But they seem to have acquired a reputation for doing
this slowly.

Sixthly, authentication is non-existant. The news server is publically
accessible. Anyone can connect to it; they'll even peer with you if you
ask. Adding a mailing list is not authenticated. Sure the requestor can
provide an email address but there's no verification.

Seventhly, concentration of email addresses. They say "what's published is
puiblished" so because it's on a mailing list archive somehere they
feel justified in copying it over to their newsserver. However, to access
the mailing list one has to know where it is stored and that requires a
little work. Gmane.org provides a one stop service to spam trawlers et al
to get all these lists from one convience store.

Eightly, breach of copyright.

Ninthly, invasion of privacy.

Enough?

Regards, Trevor

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