[sf-lug] SF-LUG & MX records, etc. (sf-lug at lists.sf-lug.org, or ... )

[Michael Paoli]

Daniel (and Rick and Jim),

Daniel - Ah, you're about half a step ahead of me.  :-)

Yes, I remember the earlier communications, regarding email and the
sf-lug list and such.  I was thinking along relatively similar lines,
but with a slight difference - if/presuming Rick (and Jim, and yourself
or anyone else relevant that it may matter to), rather than have
the MX records for the domains go to linuxmafia.com, I was instead
thinking subdomain, e.g.:

lists.sf-lug.org. IN MX 50 linuxmafia.com.
(and any other applicable records, e.g. A, AAAA, TXT, SPF, ...)
... heck, could even delegate as a DNS subdomain (that might be
teensy bit overkill, but certainly also highly doable).

Yes, there are pros and cons of doing vs. not doing a subdomain,
but I think the arguments for doing subdomain (and with or without DNS
delegation) (slightly?) outweigh those of not going with subdomain.

Here's the pros I come up with for sub-domain:

o allow for possible separate handling, origination, and administration
   of email, namely list email and related resources can be
   administratively quite independent (just delegate and all else is
   quite independent).
o allows for the possibility of mail such as:
   security at sf-lug.org
   webmaster at sf-lug.org
   security at lists.sf-lug.org
   webmaster at lists.sf-lug.org
   to each go to appropriate administrative realms, and without either
   having to first go through handling by one if it may be (much or more)
   relevant to the other.
o Each can (at least if desired) receive and originate mail, with
   reduced probability of complications, interference, entanglements,
   etc. of the other.
o website stuff for list can work in manner quite corresponding with
   email, e.g.:
   sf-lug at lists.sf-lug.org
   http://lists.sf-lug.org/mailman/listinfo/sf-lug
   and with the above, there can also be A (and if applicable AAAA)
   record(s) to lists.sf-lug.org. independent of sf-lug.org.'s IP
   address(es).  Can also potentially set up separate web page(s) with
   same subdomain, e.g.:
   http://lists.sf-lug.org/
   Could even potentially use rewrites/redirects to simplify:
   http://lists.sf-lug.org/mailman/listinfo/sf-lug
   to just:
   http://lists.sf-lug.org/
   and serve up same content - whereas the above isn't really an option
   without subdomain
o And *wherever* it may go, lists.sf-lug.org. could be handled and
   managed quite independently of sf-lug. - it also doesn't preclude such
   from all being run off of the same site/host, if/when that might ever
   be desired and feasible.
o it may be at least somewhat more clear and intuitive as to
   what sf-lug at lists.sf-lug.org is likely for (almost certainly would
   appear to be some type of list related email address) as opposed to
   sf-lug at sf-lug.org (clearly something to do with sf-lug, but what
   exactly - maybe a generic contact address?)
o if subdomain isn't used, can be more complex/hazardous, etc., to later
   separate out to separate administration if/when that may be desired,
   where sf-lug.org would have both list, and non-list email.
o DNS - could even delegate lists.sf-lug.org. subdomain, thus delegating
   even more direct control to the administrative realm handling
   lists.sf-lug.org.

Of course often nothing is 100% - we do also have the cons:
o sf-lug at sf-lug.org is simpler and shorter than sf-lug at lists.sf-lug.org
   - probably a bit easier for users to remember and type, etc. (they
   might also forget, is it @list.sf-lug.org or @lists.sf-lug.org)
o maybe there won't ever be particular need/reason/desire for
   @sf-lug.org to have email independent of and unrelated to
   @lists.sf-lug.org - and if so, why complicate by adding subdomain
o probably not a huge deal to change it later if need be - it's not like
   millions/billions of folks use it and there would continue to be
   substantial traffic and links using a long-ago since changed email
   address or web site addresses or URLs - so why sweat it?

Anyway, think it over a bit, let me know your thoughts, and when we have
something at least approximating consensus (at least among the relevant
admin folks), I'll proceed with whatever we come up with, as far as the
DNS and such goes.

Oh, I *might* be at the SF-LUG meeting this Sunday ... about 50%
probability at this point - I'll likely know much more specifically
regarding that by late Saturday, or Sunday AM at the latest (turns out
I'll be headed into San Francisco anyway - still working out the earlier
parts of my schedule for that day).


> From: "Daniel Gimpelevich" <daniel at gimpelevich.san-francisco.ca.us>
> Subject: Re: [sf-lug] sf-lug.{com,info} --> www.sf-lug.org (canonical)
> Date: Fri, 01 Jan 2016 22:26:17 -0800

> On Fri, 2016-01-01 at 22:09 -0800, Michael Paoli wrote:
>
> While you're doing that, can you please kindly point the MX records for
> all the domains to linuxmafia.com? Thanx