Normally, nobody will take the time and download a file just for checking whether it is worth to be in such an archive. If it is the default to move it to the archive, I expect it to overflow relatively soon. I think that such an archive cannot work reasonably for a longer time without continuous human interaction. A "moderator" who feels responsible for it would be needed here. (Interested?;-)
There should be a rule to include a .lsm or a .README file. No problem to moderate such an archive.
How? Are you thinking of some auxiliary program invoked by a `cron' script?
Yes. a Simple "find" should do.
You mean that there should be a readable `incoming' directory for the archive where files stay for some "evaluation time"; after that they can become members of the archive, and in the meantime they are symlinked into the archive?
Just my words...
What I think : * an Incoming directory where people put the files xxx.tar.gz and xxx.lsm/xxx.README * immediately (script) put symlinks to the archive * after 2 weeks move it "hard" to archive.
I would suggest taking .lsm-files because there would be the possibility to do more automatisation like making an automated cataloge from the description inside the lsm-file.
Mary Christmas to everyone
Hans