[mapserver-users] Volunteer for Mapserver mailing list "owner"

[Frank Warmerdam]

Folks,

In the transition of the mapserver mailing lists to OSGeo it appears I made
myself "owner".  I'm finding already that this is a fairly demanding role for
such a popular set of lists, but there is no special reason it needs to be me.

I'm interested in a volunteer to take on this role.  I would provide
admin access to the lists via the web interface, and the owner would need
to respond to human emails to the -owner alias.  Typically the tasks are like:

1) I have unsubscribed, but I keep getting email.  Why?  The answer is usually
that someone else left your company and his email is being forwarded to you.

Diagnosis approach, search the members list for this persons address, and
variations (like from the same domain).  Suggest they review the headers very
carefully to see what address the email was originally send to.

2) I don't know how to unsubscribe because I'm too lame/busy/unlucky to use
the web interface and email confirmation mechanism.

Action: manually unsubscribe them via the admin interface.

3) Why won't my email go through on the list?

Diagnosis: Are they sending it with the same address they subscribed as?
Likely not, though they may not realize it.  Check where their complaint
email comes from and check if *that* address is subscribed.

4) My posts to nabble don't work!

Diagnosis: Not my problem - or much better perhaps whoever takes over could
work this out and take on responsibility for the nabble interface to our
lists.

As overall lists.osgeo.org admin I would remain available to backup whoever
takes this task.

If I sound cynical about people - it is because I only see them at their
worst in this role. :-)  It is helpful if the volunteer has a deep well of
good will in the face of laziness, rudeness and cluelessness.  Keep in
mind these folks are often well intentioned, but just not to familiar with
mailing list issues and a pleasant human response can substantially improve
their feelings about mapserver.

I would stress this is a great task for a non-developer!  It is a way to
contribute even if you feel a bit out of your depth helping with other
more complicated aspects of the project.

Please contact me directly, off list if you are interested.  If you can't
manage to reply offlist I may deduce you too are email-clueless. :-)

/me works to push cynical negativism back down into the closet.

Best regards,
-- 
---------------------------------------+--------------------------------------
I set the clouds in motion - turn up   | Frank Warmerdam, warmerdam at pobox.com
light and sound - activate the windows | http://pobox.com/~warmerdam
and watch the world go round - Rush    | President OSGeo, http://osgeo.org