Yes and yes.

    Most of the tools to assist in moderation are available in a Unix
    environment, and if you plan to use a variety of scripts and
    programs to support the moderation process, you may want to use a
    Unix "shell" account to handle the moderation mail rather than a
    dialup IP (PPP, SLIP) account.

    On the other hand, if you have the tools to handle a volume of mail,
    posting news, and some scripting in a non-Unix environment, go for it.

    If you are comfortable with the Unix environment, and
    you have been thinking of setting up your own home Unix box,
    and you have a reliable mail/news connection, go for it.

    The key word is *reliable* - group readers may accept a small loss
    of messages, but a loss of more than a few percent between the
    net and your moderation process would likely be seen as unacceptable.

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