[OT] History of debian-user footer.

[ktb <xyf@nixnotes.org>]

In light of the most recent iteration of the 'users can't unsubscribe'
discussion I thought I would do a bit of research.  

When I started using debian the footer was -

Unsubscribe?  mail -s unsubscribe debian-user-request@lists.debian.org <
/dev/null

There was a huge debate about whether or not to change this to a more
user friendly format or not.  Some argued the footer should remain due
to tradition.  Some argued for a kinder and gentler footer.  Others felt
a more user friendly footer would be codling users too much.  After much
debate we ended up with -

TO UNSUBSCRIBE FROM THIS MAILING LIST: e-mail the word "unsubscribe" to
debian-user-REQUEST@lists.debian.org . Trouble? e-mail to Bruce@Pixar.com

For whatever reason, and I bet we can guess why, Bruce turned over the
responsibility to Templin -

TO UNSUBSCRIBE FROM THIS MAILING LIST: e-mail the word "unsubscribe" to
debian-user-request@lists.debian.org . Trouble?  e-mail to templin@bucknell.edu

After Templin stepped down I guess no one stepped forward, or it was
decided it was too much for one person and Listmaster took over -

To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-request@lists.debian.org
with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact listmaster@lists.debian.org

Now I see people are calling for yet another "improvement" a link to -

http://www.debian.org/MailingLists/subscribe 

This debate and problem has been going on forever:)  I find this
humorous on one level.  On another I find it disturbing that as a
species we can send someone to the moon but we are too stupid to
unsubscribe from an email list, *after* we have subscribed.  Or is the
problem the instructions aren't clear enough or the listmaster isn't
responsive enough? <evil grin>
kent

-- 
To know the truth is to distort the Universe.
                      Alfred N. Whitehead (adaptation)