Re: Mirroring mailing lists directly

[Eric Wong <e@80x24.org>]

Mateusz Loskot <mateusz@loskot.net> wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> I'm trying to figure out how to "mirror existing mailing lists" [1]
> in practice. I've got Debian 9 with all dependencies installed.
> I also did [2]
> 
> git clone https://public-inbox.org/ public-inbox
> 
> Next, AFAIU, is to set up inbox watcher [3].
> 
> However, I'm missing some details of the bigger picture:
> I'm going to host a docker or VM somewhere, and I'd like to set it up
> as a mirror of all new posts.

Fwiw, a chroot also works fine and requires less tools to download
(but less isolation than containers or VMs).

> If I manage to get mbox archives, I may also try to import existing
> archives, but that is for later.

In that case, you might want to try the newish --skip feature
which leaves epoch space when running public-inbox-init:

	https://public-inbox.org/meta/20181228101611.16702-1-e@80x24.org/

(no padding for old NNTP article numbers, yet :x)

> How to actually deliver mailing list posts to the public-inbox watch?

-watch currently requires mail to be delivered to a Maildir.
I use offlineimap for that; but mbsync (isync) or other
similar tools should work, too.

If you run your own MTA, using public-inbox-mda is a
possibility, too; but I figure more people have IMAP or Maildir
access than run their own MTAs.

> Could anyone mirroring a list out there share any details on setup of
> the public-inbox mirror host?

Is the example at the top of

	https://public-inbox.org/public-inbox-watch.html

not enough?

For the git mailing list, I also have a "filter" attribute
to kill signatures in old mails:

[publicinbox "git"]
	address = git@vger.kernel.org
	watch = maildir:/home/ew/.maildir/.INBOX.git
	watchheader = X-Mailing-List:git@vger.kernel.org
	filter = PublicInbox::Filter::Vger


I also use the ListMirror SpamAssassin plugin because I'm
paranoid about mail only hitting the archives, but not going
through vger, first:

  https://public-inbox.org/meta/20160624204718.27540-1-e@80x24.org/

One (of many) goals I have for the web interface is to expose
part of the config so it's easier to setup mirrors of existing
list.

But I also don't want to be exposing local pathnames or resource
limiter details (Qspawn stuff)  since that can be used to aid
attackers.

Please let us know if there's specific stuff to clarify in docs
or if the getting mail-to-Maildir was the primary thing.  I have
a lot on my plate :x

> [1] https://public-inbox.org/public-inbox-overview.html
> [2] https://public-inbox.org/README.html
> [3] https://public-inbox.org/public-inbox-watch.html