docs/115774: [patch] Mailing list users aren't warned about public exposure of information

[Warren Block]

The following reply was made to PR docs/115774; it has been noted by GNATS.

From: Warren Block <wblock at wonkity.com>
To: Remko Lodder <remko at elvandar.org>
Cc: freebsd-gnats-submit at freebsd.org
Subject: Re: docs/115774: [patch] Mailing list users aren't warned about   
   public exposure of information
Date: Fri, 24 Aug 2007 15:20:47 -0600 (MDT)

 On Fri, 24 Aug 2007, Remko Lodder wrote:
 
 >>> Description:
 >> Users who submit messages to mailing lists aren't warned about the public
 >> exposure of their email address or other information.
 >>> How-To-Repeat:
 >> Submit a message to a FreeBSD mailing list.
 >>> Fix:
 >> Apply this patch to
 >> usr/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/handbook/eresources/chapter.sgml.
 >>
 >> Patch attached with submission follows:
 >>
 >> --- chapter.sgml.orig	Thu Aug 23 19:56:29 2007
 >> +++ chapter.sgml	Thu Aug 23 20:28:12 2007
 >> @@ -40,6 +40,14 @@
 >>        mailing lists ultimately fail as an effective communications medium
 >> for
 >>        the project.</para>
 >>
 >> +    <caution>
 >> +      <para>Email addresses and other information you submit to &os; lists
 >> +        will be visible to many people through multiple methods (the list,
 >> +        the web, newsgroups, and others). When protecting privacy is a
 >> +        concern, consider using a disposable secondary email address and
 >> +        posting only public information.</para>
 >> +    </caution>
 >> +
 >>      <note>
 >>        <para><emphasis>If you wish to test your ability to send to
 >>  	&os; lists, send a test message to &a.test.name;.</emphasis>
 >
 > I am not sure whether we 'must' explicitly mention this. As on any
 > mailinglist , that has publically available archives. I dont see
 > any other big list mentioning this. I dont feel confident with this
 > idea.
 
 The issue comes up on the mailing lists from time to time.  Currently, 
 people are told after posting that their formerly-private email address 
 has now been posted around the world, and it's too late to do anything 
 about that.
 
 Isn't it better to explain that beforehand?
 
 Maybe a <note> instead of <caution>?
 
 -Warren Block * Rapid City, South Dakota USA