Hi Viswa,
Adding to HPN's mail
>>3. Why should mails go selectively passed and selectively discarded?
It is set to selectively pass only for *new members*. This is because of high SPAs, mostly trollish in nature. Unfortunately, this setting also applies when people send from their other email addresses (like chapter email id / unsubscribed other email ids)
>>4. How come very stale mail messages come after almost a month, just when they could significantly be more relevant (or more damaging a particular positive cause) with a changed /new scenario?Some (or many) messages that were cleared today actually were rightfully put on hold (either they are advertisements, troll mails, off topic mails). But since it was not discarded and there were tonnes of such mails, I did not look into each and just cleared all of them assuming good faith, just by seeing name and email id of sender. Please be assured, no one has any interest in moderating mails to support / damage any cause.
>>Can we then get a report or log of activities?
I dont think mailman offers any such provisions.
A background on moderation policy on this list, thread from 2011[1], after which myself and Prashanth NS were added as moderators (to have someone not from the chapter). FWIW, I was a chapter member only briefly and never renewed my membership, so I don't have any interest in Chapter (or CIS A2K for that matter).
FWIW, an attempt was made to have agreed mailing list guidelines, but there was no clousure and this is not enforced. The page Mailinglist Guidelines on chapter wiki. The problem with rules / guidelines and enforcement is people would again complain of being strict, which is why this list is largely unmoderated.
What is criteria for selection of moderators? How long should one be as moderator?
Anyone who can answer mails, understands mailing list etiquettes, has time can be one. Few of the community members trusted us(existing mods), hence we are mods. If the community doesn't trust we cease to be, just let us know.