Mailing Lists

ARCS and operates a number of mailing lists, some of which are open to the interested general public. For details please see http://www.arcs.org.au/mailinglists

Planned Changes

9 May 2008

These notes were originally discussed 30 May 2008, some comments:

• still too many lists? maybe messages to arcs_exec_conf should be send to specific recipients to prevent mistakes
• cross posting is something we need to help prevent
• definately don't want a list per group (systems/data/collab)
• People need to be informed of planned downtime, but possibly not all end-users? They will get sick of these messages which are always technical. Instead, inform those that need to know?
  • targeted lists of users who use a service?
  • Support within VOs, but what about non-grid tools? Maybe we can add users to VO.
  • A database instead of mailman for this, based on tags? But then no digest or unsubscribe! Control of who can send/reply? Mailman has categories?

General Requirements

• simple guidelines/table for public lists on http://www.arcs.org.au (maybe on pages focused towards researchers and developers)
• http://www.arcs.org.au as a gateway site for community, researchers and also staff? (links to Twiki, Projects, internal mail lists ...)
• make sure vpac.org is never visible in URL, eg. add a virtual host
• secure access to see up-to-date lists of members for each list (via Staff and/or Exec TWiki)
• Paddy/Ashley to manage membership?
• most lists not voluntary for ARCS staff - no opt-out
• Tony on all lists except arcs_admin
• bounce moderated messages - with address of someone who has access instead of holding in a queue
• no size or attachment restrictions
• rename/move existing list members
• support an alias for user@ to developer@ and operations@ to techstaff@

Lists

List	New	Members	Access	Comments
exec_conf	NEW	ED (executive director - Tony) and voting members	members, restricted archive, subscription list available to members
exec	Existing - renamed	people who attend meetings - Paul, Ashley, David (for now), ED PA (Sharon), EC Secretary, ARCS Coordinator, etc	members, restricted archive, subscription list available to members
managers	NEW	David (for now), Paul, Ashley, Daniel, Steve and ED	members, restricted archive, subscription list available to members
arcs_admin	Existing	Sharon, Silvana, Natalie, Bronwyn, Karen Iatrou	Absolutely anyone can send - this is the ARCS contact	See further comments below
allstaff	NEW	Staff paid by ARCS only	restricted archive, post by ED or arcs_admin, maybe arcs_managers later?, subscription list available to members
techstaff	Replaces operations	ARCS technical staff, ED and few others - Vlad (NZ)	members, restricted archive, subscription list available to members	general/internal technical discussions
developers	Replaces user	ARCS technical staff, ED and optionally anyone building tools based on our services, eg. Auscope ...	members, public archive, subscription list available to members	carefully considered content from ARCS staff - announcements about changes, after sufficient change management/QA
community	Replaces announce?	ARCS technical staff, ED and optionally developers, general public/research community (real end users)	members, public archive, subscription list only available to administrators, reply to set to poster	Messages from managers/ED or arcs_admin: promoting new tools, conferences ... or questions/RFCs. Non-technical superset of tech/dev

Comments

arcs_admin probably should be an alias instead of a list. This means there will not be an archive (unless the alias also sends to a list with no members for a restricted archive).

• admin staff will probably click Reply to a message, which will go to the list but not the original sender unless they click Reply all
• if an alias, Reply will go to sender but will not be seen by others in admin group or archived

community

• will need to accept posts from anyone, difficult to restrict to ARCS managers/ED and admin staff while also allowing discussion from the community
• OR should community be using help@ or arcs_admin@ to ask more questions? It would be difficult to stop them replying to community@

Implementation

9/5/08 discussion with Andy and Lev

General notes:

• add virtual host lists.arcs.org.au
• scheduled export of list members to wiki topics initially in Exec wiki, make sure there is a comment to say this is generated and can not be edited
• Ashley and Paddy will be setup as mailman administrators to manage membership
• allstaff and techstaff will be moderated to leave, meaning no opt-out. This is difficult to do on developers since the rule is all or nothing. Staff will be asked not to unsubscribe
• moderated rule will be set to bounce instead of holding in a queue
• default size will be set to unlimited instead of 40kb
• number of recipients will be increased - mailman by default moderates messages if they have a number of recipients including the list itself
• restrict sending by turning on moderation as default for users - which will be bounced. Members with permission will not have moderate option set - as currently setup for announce list
• very difficult to rename lists, instead - create new, copy members and setup an alias for the old one

Tasks:

1. Andy/Lev - create all new lists, with security restrictions as specified and export to Exec wiki
2. We will be able to start using/testing 9/May/08
3. Collab team - Post information on web site about purpose of each list, possibly not all in the same place!
   • include guidelines for ARCS staff, re: posting to developers, community
4. Post a final message to operations, user and announce with a link to new web pages
5. Disable old lists, sync membership and add an alias in case people forget or don't read the announcement

Still to work out:

• need to know membership for arcs_exec_conf
• who is EC secretary? leave arcs_exec membership as currently defined?
• arcs_admin members could have @arcs.org.au email addresses - this means configuration of mail clients
• arcs_admin an alias or remains a list?
• are we happy with no restrictions on posting to community?
• is community a replacement for announce?