Thank you everybody for your comments.
Pipermail is fine, if you would only let Google™ index it.
Every mailing list in the world occasionally sees the accidental slip of
the cut and paste finger, and the need for an administrator to remove
the spilled beans, which he should then do. But there is no need to not
let Google index it. When we think search, we think Google. I hate
proprietary software, and RMS
http://jidanni.org/comp/index.html#rms is
my idol, but when I think search, I think Google, and will not remember
to use a special search for a special list. I end up reposting this
thread every time I realize I can't find something again due to
someone's arbitrary decision, so this time Cc'd jwales to perhaps get a
second arbitrary opinion. Anyway, you are throwing the baby out with the
bathwater, and as you mention the stuff is mostly in Google indirectly
anyway, why do this crippleware concept of not letting it be indexed?
Also no need to reinvent the wheel of a substitute search engine... OK
to have it alongside Google, but don't block Google. There are a lot of
tools, noindex, nofollow, just don't block entirely. OK, maybe you all
operate on some higher logic.
P.S., if removing a message will cause renumbering, just leave a stub
message.
I have an idea, put a message on each subscription page, and post to all
subscribers: "Starting 9.9.2009 all lists will once again be open to
indexing in Google™. This means due to
Mediawiki.org ranking, anything
you say can and will end up at the top of search engine results, you
have been warned."
Tim, good job finding that. I in fact long ago have given up on
searching for anything related to these mailing lists.