[x500standard] Re: X500 Standard website: outstanding issues

  • From: Hoyt L Kesterson II <hoytkesterson@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: x500standard@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Tue, 24 Apr 2007 04:46:08 -0700

Title: Re: [x500standard] X500 Standard website: outstanding issu
I fully understand the free part. My ignorance is showing here. I assumed it would be possible to set up a email exploder process under the x500standard.com domain that would be modifiable by designated administrators. If that's difficult then go ahead with freelists. I was never happy with Bull in the old address list since as an arbitrary name it was not easily associated with the directory work. I was hoping that both sides of the @ would be associated.

Note that we have not previously restricted the use of the list to those registered on the list. I had avoided posting the name on fora or had used forms such as x500 at bull dot com to avoid automated harvesting.

As to list administrators, I suggest the application be forwarded to multiple people. That would mitigate delays where a single admin might be traveling or busy. Those designated could work out a system where only one would make the update. Erik and I can cover that duty since I see most of those interested in 509 while Erik sees the others.

A separate X.509 section might be useful. In the defects section I had one area with all defects and another area with just the X.509 defects.

If the mailing list is to be closed, the addition of a forum where questions might be asked and issues raised may be useful.

Does your statement that you are the only administrator mean that you are the only one that can update the defect information? If so, we should expand that to me and to Erik if he wants.

I have no opinion on a consultant's list except to note that the list of X.509 consultants may become large.

   hoyt



At 11:37 AM +0100 4/24/07, Will Sheward wrote:
A few questions have been raised about the mailing list service being used and there are a few outstanding issues relating to the website. I'm writing this email to try and address the questions and to ensure that everyone is aware of the outstanding issues and actions that need to be taken.

FYI I've added Jean-Paiul Lemaire to the mailing list but none of the others from the list that Hoyt supplied.

**The Mailing List**

Firstly, let's talk about the mailing list. I've been asked why this particular service, Freelists, is being used.

The first clue is in the name. It's free :-)

Of course, we could have hosted this on the Isode servers but that would entail Isode administering the list and I don't wish us to do that. Freelists have a good reputation for hosting lists, I've used them before and they are reliable.

Another question has been spam. This should not be a major problem. The x500standard mailing list is a 'closed list', only mail addresses that have been subscribed to the list by an Administrator, via the Freelists web interface, can post to the list.

Currently I am the only Administrator, although I can grant Administrator privileges to other list members.

People can request that they be added to the list using the form on the X500 website. That form is posted to me.

I do not wish to be the only administrator on the list, neither do I wish to be the person who decides if a new member should be added to the list. You need to decide:

1: Which person or persons receive the requests sent via the form on the x500standard website
2: which additional person or persons should be given list administrator privileges.

Now some outstanding website issues.

**The Website**

Please remember that this website is a wiki. The point of setting it up as a wiki was that people other than me could edit the site and add information. I cannot maintain this site, especially if, as we all hope, it becomes the center of an active community of people interested in the X500 Standard.

You need to decide who else should be responsible for keeping site content up to date.

There are a couple of areas on the site that need to be addressed. I've previously mentioned the supplier and whitepaper sections, I think those will take care of themselves once the site announcement message is sent out to list subscribers (provided that people know who to sent contributions to for inclusion - see the point above).

It's also been suggested that and X.509 section as well as a consultants list section  (to complement the suppliers list) would be useful. I suggest that we ask for contributions to both in the 'welcome' message, which I'm drafting.

Currently the site has a 'Forum' section, this might be a problem, I've included one because it was suggested that it might be a good idea. But forums are a two edged sword. If there's activity on them then they are a good advert for the standard. If there isn't then they will make the site (and by extension the standard) look dead. A decision needs to be made about the forums. Should they be hidden and activated if demand is deemed to be there?

**Actions**

To summarize, four decisions need to be taken. They don't need to be taken immediately but they do need to be taken:

1: Which person or persons receive the mailing list subscription requests sent via the form on the x500standard website
2: Which additional person or persons should be given mailing list administrator privileges.
3: Who else should be responsible for keeping site content up to date.
4: What to do with the forum section

I'll circulate a draft website announcement message soon.

Regards

Will

----

Will Sheward
VP Marketing - Isode

Tel: +44 (0)20 8783 2973
Mob: +44 (0)7770 747006

skype: wsheward
yahoo messenger: wsheward

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