Getting REMOVEd from the list...

[Chris Pierce <pierccm@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Folks,

Norbert's letter has prompted me to make a post to the list about some
things.

If you notice that you are no longer getting mail from Harp-L all of a
sudden, it may be due to one of SEVERAL reasons:  1) Something on your
system (mailer problems, Internet problems, account problems, etc), 2)
Something on MY system (mailer problems or Internet problems or Dead
list), or 3) You have been removed from the list.

Normally I only remove users when requested to by that user, but some
situations also force me too.  NOTE:  I have NEVER had to remove a
user as a disciplinary action!

Over the past year, I have been getting unGODly amounts of mail due to
errors (such as exceeded disk quotas, unknown users, bad mailers,
etc).  So I am forced to remove users when this happens over long
periods of time (I've only got so much disk space...and so much
patience).  Sometimes I must remove users because their system's
mailer bounces error messages to the list, it's not their fault, but
there's nothing I can do about it either.

If your system's mailer is bouncing error messages to the list, then
your account has NOT been getting mail from the list (due to exceeded
disk quota, or that it doesn't exist any more, or your node is down,
or something else).  When this occurs, I remove the user from the list
and send mail to their Sys-Admin asking them to fix the problem (ALL
mailers SHOULD bounce error messages to ME, and NOT to the list). 
Sometimes they fix it, and sometimes they do not (I've had this
problem with Elliott's Sys-Admin, and I really DO hate to have had to
remove him more than once because of this).

If your disk quota is exceeded, I will generally leave you on.  I
understand how people go on vacation and can't catch up on mail while
they are gone.  If you are going to be away from your email for a long
time, then you should set ALL of your mailing list subscriptions to
NOMAIL, or unsubscribe until you get back.  This will keep me, your
other list owners, and your Sys-Admin much happier.

If someone has an exceeded disk quota for a long period of time, I
remove them.

If your account is going to be removed, or you are planning on not
using your account or getting a new account, please let me know so I
can remove your name from the membership lists (otherwise it will
bounce more errors to me).

Just to let you know, I get over 500 mail messages every day.  200+ of
these are error messages in response to things from Harp-L (and Harp-L
is the ONLY mailing list I am on).  So the less errors I have to deal
with, the better.

This is also why I've been slow about some things lately...I've been
away myself and I haven't had time to read all my mail.  So please be
kind, so that we may all enjoy the list as much as possible.

Any questions, comments or suggestions should be sent to:

	pierccm@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

and not to the Mailing List.

Thanks,

Chris