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- Automated Internet Mailing List Services (list)
-
- Charter
-
- Chair(s):
- David Lippke <lippke@utdallas.edu>
-
- Applications Area Director(s)
- Brewster Kahle <Brewster@wais.com>
- Erik Huizer <huizer@surfnet.nl>
-
- Mailing lists:
- General Discussion:ietf-list-wg@utdallas.edu
- To Subscribe: ietf-list-wg-request@utdallas.edu
- Archive: pub/ietf-list-wg@ftp.utdallas.edu
-
- Description of Working Group:
-
- This Working Group will concern itself with ``list servers'', i.e.,
- advanced mail exploders/reflectors which provide services such as
- automated subscription, archive maintenance, and coordination with
- similar systems on the network.
-
- The Group will initially focus its activities towards establishing a
- baseline user interface. Although most current systems support a
- command set patterned after Eric Thomas' BITNET LISTSERV, there is
- wide variance in the options supported and in the general patterns of
- interaction. This results in a great deal of user confusion. The
- Working Group's interface definition will address this by establishing
- a set of commands, options, interactions, and procedures which will
- (hopefully) be supported by all list servers as a subset of their full
- repertoire.
-
- As a part of the user interface work, the Group will also define an
- authentication service for users' list server transactions. Toward
- this end, and to address the privacy issue, the Group will consult
- with the Security Area Advisory Group (SAAG).
-
- The second phase of the Group's work will be to provide for the
- interconnection and coordination of list servers. Experience with the
- BITNET LISTSERV has shown that it is important for users be able to
- view the collection of list servers on the network as an integrated
- whole. Ideally, users should only have to deal with their local
- mailing list service---which knows where all public lists are, what
- they are, and is able to act on the user's behalf with respect to
- them. Interconnecting list servers allows this ``integrated user view''
- to be created and also lets issues such as traffic minimization,
- timely distribution, and load sharing to be more easily addressed.
- Consequently, the Working Group will define the conceptual models,
- communication methods, and extensions to prior work which are
- necessary to bring this interconnection and coordination about.
-
- It is anticipated that further work on issues of authentication and
- privacy will continue in parallel with the ``integration'' effort ---
- perhaps manifesting itself as a separate RFC which extends the user
- interface definition produced during the first phase.
-
-
- Goals and Milestones:
-
- Submit interconnection/coordination definition document to the IESG
- for publication as a Proposed Standard.
-
- Done Review the Group's Charter and begin work on the user interface
- definition.
-
- Nov 91 Resolve outstanding issues with the user interface definition and
- prepare document for IESG submission. Begin work to address the
- interconnection/coordination issue.
-
- Jan 92 Submit user interface definition document to IESG as a Proposed
- Standard.
-
- Mar 92 Focus the interconnection/coordination work. Finalize and document
- settled issues.
-
-
- Internet Drafts:
-
- No Current Internet drafts.
-
- Request For Comments:
-
- None to date.
-