[2m] [Fwd: [QSL-Net] ADMIN: AOL users, please read!

[Jim Lowman]

If you have any questions, please send them directly to me.  Do NOT
discuss this on the list.

Forwarded message from Tim, our server administrator, follows:

72/73 de Jim - AD6CW

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: 	[QSL-Net] More AOL Woes (Everyone Please Read)
Date: 	Sun, 08 Aug 2004 12:23:39 -0400
From: 	Tim <listowner at mailman.qth.net>
To: 	qsl-net at mailman.qth.net



Over the last year or so our system has been periodically blocked from 
sending mail into the AOL system.  A month ago, I finally made 
arrangements with them to be white listed and put an end to this once 
and for all.  To be white listed by them I had to agree to receive any 
and all complaints logged by their users about mail being sent from our 
system (we don't send spam, no problem).

While this seemed easy, I found that AOL provides their users a button 
on their interface that says something to the effect that "this message 
is spam", and when they highlight a message and push it, we get a 
"complaint" logged against us and mailed to us.  No one at AOL reads 
this stuff, but they keep track of them and after we reach a certain 
percentage of the mail we send vs how many complaints we get, they block 
our entire system.  I've also found that the spam button is next to the 
delete button, and a clueless user MIGHT use it to delete messages. 
Here in lies the problem.

I am getting plenty of these "complaints" and since AOL does not tell me 
who is complaining (apparently a privacy issue), it's near impossible to 
find out who they are and remove them from the system.

So, I'm asking all list owners to post a message to all of your lists 
reminding AOL people not to use the "spam" button as a delete button and 
if they are subscribed to your list and don't want to be, help them get 
off the list so we don't get blacklisted by AOL.

Thanks for your help.  If you have any questions about this, let me know.

Tim