Suggestion: Give group owners control over how subscriptions are processed

Background: When a person who is not already a Groups.io member sends a group subscription request via email (via groupname+subscribe@groups.io), they must confirm their email address before they are placed on the group's "pending approval" list.  This is typical listserv behavior expected by most owner/moderators.

However, if they subscribe through the "Apply for Membership" button on a group's web page, they are immediately placed on the group's "pending approval" list, and assigned a "NC" (not confirmed) tag.  This has caught some group owner/moderators unawares (myself included).

I understand from previous discussions that this process is by design.  I also understand that it is problematic for some group owner/moderators.  For one thing, it is too easy to approve an unconfirmed address, which is not good security practice.

Rather than reopen the debate about the merits of this process design, I suggest a possible enhancement that would serve as a workaround for those who find it problematic:

Specific Suggestion: Add a group configuration option that controls the "Apply for Membership" button.  This could have the following options:

1. Make the button work as it does now (default);
2. Make the button not show at all on the group's main page;
3. Make the button a "mailto" link directed to the groupname+subscribe address;
4. Make the button a link to an owner-supplied URL.

           -- Charlie