Forged messages being posted to freebsd-questions

[Ian Smith]

On Thu, 19 Aug 2010, Rod Person wrote:
 > At 08:31 AM 08/19/2010, Ian Smith wrote:
 > >  > Can someone please take care of this. Its getting to be quite annoying.
 > > 
 > > Indeed.  That's because noone had forwarded copies with complete headers
 > > to postmaster at freebsd.org, who I bet hasn't the spare time to browse a
 > > fraction of the freebsd lists (let alone -questions :)
 > 
 > Can some explain to me or know what criteria is used to determine when a
 > posting to the lists need moderation?
 > I have read post in the past that say the list is not moderated or comments
 > such as above.

I was really hoping not to start a bikeshed discussion :(  This is a 
spam / mail abuse issue, not one about content, and yes it's off-topic 
but needs dealing with.

This list is not moderated and is open to posting by non-subscribers; 
it's been that way for a very long time, and arguing for moderation 
won't change anything - who would have the time, anyway?  Some other 
freebsd lists are only open to posting by subscribers.

 > But, then I try to post something and I get a "you posting is awaiting
 > moderator approval".

There are some automatic checks; you can get that by cross-posting to 
too many lists (more than two or three IIRC); sending to too many 
recipients; posting to a list requiring subscription, maybe others.

 > Then I get a email that my posting was rejected with comments that 
 > state "I don't see what this has to do with FreeBSD". But, then we 
 > have these junk mail and forged mail issues, not to mention I see 
 > replies that go way off topic of FreeBSD.

Some list subscribers sometimes (try to) help by mailing people off-list 
about perceived off-topicness etc.  There's nobody here but us chickens.

The postmaster (and assistants), on the other hand, is/are the only ones 
who can do anything about blocking spammers and other abusers posting 
to freebsd lists, and that's generally best all dealt with off-list.

postmaster@ removed from ccs; this won't help him locate the problem.

cheers, Ian  (over and out on this topic)