Hi all, My posts on this topic generated more heat than light - apologies to anyone offended.
Ben has a good idea about a consensual agreement as part of subscribing. Rather than dive straight into what goes into this agreement, perhaps its worth asking a three questions: 1. What problem do we have that needs to be addressed? 2. How do we address these problems in a way that /encourages/ people to come here for help if they need it? 3. How can we make sure that the list "regulars" are not subjected to email they would prefer not to see? I know that answers will vary. Steve for example is fed up of seeing tnef autoresponses. I never see them because my .forward autodeletes them. Likewise I only see unsubscribe messages when someone misspells 'unsubscribe' so to me they are not a problem. So please take my comments hereafter as one person's opinion rather than an attempt to impose. Ben's first rule "No spam" - I don't know if we get spam from subscribers. But a sensible thing to ask for. Ben's second rule "No html" - why? Are there still email clients that can't render html? I use Evolution and mutt. Both work fine with html. People who subscribe from work often will have no say on this. I remember the horror of Lotus Notes in a previous employer. I couldn't even get it to mark letters I replied to as replied to let alone change the mail format. Others have suggested no attachments. Why? What attachments have caused problems? Are there some mail clients out there that force you to read attachemnts? Really, I am puzzled as to why cutting and pasting a long file would be felt to be better than attaching it. If I might make a suggestion, why not offer a debian-user .procmailrc and .forward that does get rid oof stuff you don't need. Most of the irratations that Steve and others describe simply don't affect you if you have even minimal filters set up. I have a .forward that filters over 20 bits of spam daily. The template is here...http://colondot.net/mbm/mailfilter.shtml#score It really works. I'm attaching mine so you can try it and see if copying the rules for tbef, Korean character sets, unsubscribe messages, etc. makes using the list a more comfortable experience. dman posted this for the tnef files...or something like it. if $h_X-Mailer: contains "Microsoft Outlook" and ( $h_Content-Type: contains "application/ms-tnef;" or $h_Content-Type: contains "name=winmail.dat" ) then logfile $home/.filterlog 0644 logwrite "[$tod_log] ${lc:$h_From:} ${lc:$h_Subject:}: AUTO-DELETE" seen finish endif Perhaps if we identified the problems that we are trying to fix (in my question 1) we could prepare a filter that does some of it it automatically at user level. That would make the list a more pleasant place for those regular readers who are fed up of unsubscribe messages, etc. Its my opinion that this list is fine, that there is no need to change it. But if change is felt to be needed I hope we can do it in away that encourages people who are clueless to subscribe anyway. Best regards, -- Patrick Kirk
# Exim filter for Patrick Kirk <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> # Error trapping if error_message then finish endif ##################################################################### ##################################################################### # Step 0 # Things that must be deleted # dman posted this for the tnef files...or something like it. if $h_X-Mailer: contains "Microsoft Outlook" and ( $h_Content-Type: contains "application/ms-tnef;" or $h_Content-Type: contains "name=winmail.dat" ) then logfile $home/.filterlog 0644 logwrite "[$tod_log] ${lc:$h_From:} ${lc:$h_Subject:}: AUTO-DELETE" seen finish endif if $h_Content-Type: contains "ks_c_5601-1987" # Why so much Korean stuff? or $h_Content-Type: contains "charset=euc-kr" or ${lc:$h_Received:} contains "pknews" # Leaks from usenet or $h_From: contains "Excite Canada" # Why do they mail me? or ${lc:$h_Received:} contains "esavingszone.com" # Who? Why me? or ${lc:$h_Received:} contains "pkgames"# Leaks from online games or $h_From: contains "[EMAIL PROTECTED]" # Won't go away or $h_From: contains "wotch.com" # Just won't go away then logfile $home/.filterlog 0644 logwrite "[$tod_log] ${lc:$h_From:} ${lc:$h_Subject:}: AUTO-DELETE" seen finish endif ##################################################################### # My scoring system # Email that has a score of 100 or more is treated as junk. # Values should be ending in 0, 1, 3, 4 so if a mail has a score of # 144 you can see it was caught by 6n + 41 + 41 # Idea came from http://colondot.net/mbm/mailfilter.shtml#score # IMPORTANT # Exim doesn't like to have the whole lot done in one sweep. # It likes lots of small tests. ##################################################################### # Step 1 # Things that are definitely spam if ${lc:$h_Received:} contains "informit.com" # Useful site; crap mails or $h_Received: contains "[EMAIL PROTECTED]" # Old ehr inbox after 4 years or $h_From: contains "@helta.dsvr.co.uk" # Clever spammers mimic my hosting ISP then add 101 to n1 endif # Sundry silly spams if ${lc:$h_To:} contains "friend" # Not your friend or ${lc:$h_From:} contains "friend" # Not my friend or $message_body contains "Dear Friend," # Sickening or $h_subject: contains "ADV " # Wonder that ADV means anyway? or $h_subject: contains "[ADV]" or $h_subject: contains "ADV:" or "$h_subject: $message_body:" matches "bulk .*hosting" then add 101 to n1 endif # Can the credit card spammers be caught here? if $message_body: contains "credit card" then add 101 to n1 endif # NUISANCE POSTS TO DEBIAN USER if ${lc:$h_to:} matches "debian-user" and $h_subject contains "subscribe" then add 101 to n1 endif ##################################################################### # Step 2 # Things that are usually spam. # Score is 6n so easier to track why individual mails fail if $h_subject: contains "Viagra" # Dear Lord, 3 kids is enough! or ($h_Subject: contains \\\$\\\$+) # No dollars for me or $h_subject: contains "Card" # Credit card scams or $h_subject: contains "Weight loss Offer" # Fat is a sign of maturity or $h_subject: contains "Lowest Mortgage Rates" # Got my mortgage or $h_subject: contains "Free Pics" # Avoid RSI today # Score the mail then add 60 to n1 endif if (${lc:$message_body} contains "<script") # javascript mail then add 60 to n1 endif if ${lc:$message_body_end} matches "to be removed"# amazing this works then add 60 to n1 endif if ${lc:$message_body} matches "not junk mail" # Trust me then add 60 to n1 endif if ${lc:$message_body} matches "spam free" # Nothing is free then add 60 to n1 endif # If the To: box is empty, that's suspicious if (${domain:${lc:$h_To:}} is "") then add 60 to n1 endif ##################################################################### # Step 3 # There are a lot of legitimate users of hotmail and # of html mail. There are other indications that hint # at spam but that are not conclusive. if(${lc:$sender_address} contains "([a-z\\\\d]+)@(lycos|hotmail|aol|yahoo|msn)\\\\.co(\\\\..*|m)" and $1 contains \\d) then add 43 to n1 endif if (${lc:$message_body} matches "<html>") # html mail then add 43 to n1 endif # If we find a "mailto:" link for which the address is not # the same as the sender address or return path. if (${lc:$message_body} matches "a\\\\shref=(['\"])mailto:([EMAIL PROTECTED]@[EMAIL PROTECTED])\$1" and $2 is not {$lc:$return_path} and $2 is not {$lc:$sender_address}) then add 43 to n1 endif # A lot of spams seem to have a subject which has a number # (possibly in brackets) at the right-hand side, this is # designed to catch this if (${lc:$h_Subject:} contains "\\\\s\\\\s\\\\s\\\\s+(\\\\(\\\\d+\\\\)|\\\\d+)\\\$") then add 43 to n1 endif ##################################################################### # Sort the mail by recipe and by score: # ALLOW POSTMASTER ACCESS if $h_To:,$h_Cc:,$h_From: contains postmaster then save $home/kirks.net logfile $home/.filterlog 0644 logwrite "[$tod_log] ${lc:$h_From:} ${lc:$h_Subject:} $n1: POSTMASTER" finish endif # ALL THAT PESTY USEFUL INFO FROM ROOT AND CRON... if $h_From: contains "[EMAIL PROTECTED]" or $h_From: contains "Mailer-Daemon" then save $home/rootmail logfile $home/.filterlog 0644 logwrite "[$tod_log] ${lc:$h_From:}: ROOT MESSAGE" finish endif # BETTER SEE HOW TO USE ENLIGHTENMENT if $h_Sender: contains "enlightenment-users@lists.sourceforge.net" and ($n1 is below 100) then save $home/enlightenment logfile $home/.listsfilter 0644 logwrite "[$tod_log] ${lc:$h_From:} ${lc:$h_Subject:} $n1: ENLIGHTENMENT" finish endif # GETTING THE SPEEDTOUCH MODEM WORKING UNDER lINUX if $h_To:,$h_Cc:,$h_From: contains "speedtouch" then save $home/lists logfile $home/.listsfilterlog 0644 logwrite "[$tod_log] ${lc:$h_From:} ${lc:$h_Subject:} $n1: SPEEDTOUCH" finish endif # GENTOO if $h_Reply-To: contains "gentoo-user@gentoo.org" and ($n1 is below 100) then save $home/gentoo logfile $home/.listsfilterlog 0644 logwrite "[$tod_log] ${lc:$h_From:} ${lc:$h_Subject:} $n1: GENTOO" finish endif # DEBIAN - OF COURSE if $h_X-Mailing-List: matches "debian-user@lists.debian.org" and ($n1 is below 100) then save $home/debian logfile $home/.listsfilterlog 0644 logwrite "[$tod_log] ${lc:$h_From:} ${lc:$h_Subject:} $n1: DEBIAN" finish endif # KIRKS.NET if $h_Received: contains "[EMAIL PROTECTED]" and ($n1 is below 100) then save $home/kirks.net logfile $home/.filterlog 0644 logwrite "[$tod_log] ${lc:$h_From:} ${lc:$h_Subject:} $n1: KIRKS.NET" finish endif # BTINTERNET if $h_Received: contains "[EMAIL PROTECTED]" and ($n1 is below 100) then save $home/kirks.net logfile $home/.filterlog 0644 logwrite "[$tod_log] ${lc:$h_From:} ${lc:$h_Subject:} $n1: BTINTERNET" finish endif # DEFINITE SPAM if ($n1 is above 99) then save $home/junkmail logfile $home/.filterlog 0644 logwrite "[$tod_log] ${lc:$h_From:} ${lc:$h_Subject:} $n1: DEFINITE_JUNK" endif # ALL THE REST if not delivered then save $home/kirks.net logfile $home/.filterlog 0644 logwrite "[$tod_log] ${lc:$h_From:} ${lc:$h_Subject:} $n1: DUBIOUS" endif ##################################################################### # EOF - patrick's .forward