A way to help the S/N here.

Gregory Maxwell (nullc@nightshade.ml.org)
Thu, 17 Apr 1997 00:22:02 -0400 (EDT)

***Please Read the whole thing if you plan on replying***
I was appaled by the thread about the no-exec-stack-patch.... People on this
list have too much of a problem when it comes to auto-rebutting 'frequently
asked questions'... Think about it.. The guy went through the trouble of
making a patch for it... A patch that does more then comment out some code..
Would a person without a clue (i.e. someone who missed all the fuss the
thousand times thats been previously suggested) know how to make a patch for
that?? Furthermore he said he had been running it for a while without a
problem... Would someone who knew how to make such a patch miss the fact
that he broke signals if he had done so?? People here are just too reactionary.
I think that that has alot to with the crummy S/N here... So thats why I
propose the

ObKernel: plan....

The idea is simple.. The list-serv that handles linux-kernel is modified so
that is scans the first 9 characters of the first 100 lines in each message
it recieves.. If there is no occurance of "ObKernel:" (case and all) it
immediately sends back a copy of the linux-kernel FAQ.. In the FAQ between
the Q's "What should be disscussed..." and "What shouldn't be..." should be
"How can I post?/Why did I get this FAQ".. There could be instructions in
there or it could even send the person on an easter hunt throught the FAQ..
(as in: The magic word you need to have is the first letter of the second
line in Q 2 and the fifth letter in Q5...)... The secret would be obvious to
anyone who reads the list anyways... We're not trying to stop the noise from
people who read the list.. Just newbies and spammers..
This method would auto-re-spam spammers (like the NT blows Unix guy) and
prevent their trash from trashing the groups.. (Or at least theyed have to
read the FAQ and know what linux is before they go talking bad about it
here).. It might also serve to stop a few of the reactionary posts: If you
fire off a post quickly you might forget the ObKernel:... And even if it
doesn't the better S/N will prob help...

Well.. Thanks for your time.. Hope this can be of some use..