introduction Mailman

introduction Mailman Thomas Krichel 2003-10-09

structure • history • fundamentals • list configuration overview • normally the defaults are sensible • but I will mention the most important features one needs to be aware off.

Listserv • Listserv is a program by Eric Thomas. • First version ran on IBM VM/XA architecture (yuk!) in 1986 • Now commercially produced and maintained by LSoft International, see http://www.lsoft.com • They have an exclusive trademark on the term, its use to mean "mailing list" is inappropriate.

At LIU… • We used to run "listproc" a piece of software that started life as "Unix Listserv" by Anastasios Kotsikonas, later commercialized by CREN. • Last year, following gripes by me, Mailman was adopted. • covered by GNU public license • sophisticated • user-friendly

Fundamentals • A mailing list is a computer managed tool • it collects data about members (at least their email address) • it allows users to send mail to a list address, which is aimed to be distributed at all member of the list. • Usually only members of a list are allowed to send mail to the list. This is called "posting" to the list.

list administrator • A list administrator is a person who has full rights to manage the list. • add and remove member • set all list service parameters • A list is open if anyone may become a member of the list, without approval of the list administrator. Otherwise it is closed.

list moderator • A moderator is a person who can approve posts to the list • a list is moderated if, by default, posts are held for approval, it is unmoderated otherwise.

digested delivery • A digest is a compilation of posts sent to a list • during a day or • when a traffic limit is reached • Members may be allowed to opt for digested delivery. • If you don't think that this is a good idea, then remove the digestability right when opening the list. If you do it later, all digested members will be unsubscribed.

open a list • technically, you need to have • name of the list • email of list administrator • initial password • or one will be mailed to you • administratively, all this has to be approved by LIU administration.

web interface • If your list is called list • its user web interface (aka listinfo page) will be at https://lists.liu.edu/mailman/listinfo/list • and its adminstrative web interface will be at https://lists.liu.edu/mailman/admin/list. It will be protected by the password you gave or you got. • Site wide user web interface is at • https://lists.liu.edu/mailman/listinfo (what a mess!)

basic configuration: informative • description: a terse text string that describes the list and that will appear on the site-wide web user interface • introduction: a html formatted string that appears on the listinfo page • prefix: a string that appears in the subject line with each mail sent to the list

basic configuration: replies • Default reply • to poster (recommended) • to the list • to specific address • If poster sets custom reply-to header • respect it (recommended) • remove it

base configuration: notification • When users subscribe, they are being sent a password that can be used to change subscription options. • Users can ask to be reminded about their password from the listinfo page. • By default, Mailman will send a monthly reminder. You can switch it off if you think that it is over the top.

base configuration: administrivia • Administrivia are the contents of short posts that request "signoff" "help" etc. • They are mainly a legacy from mail command based mailing list interfaces. • By default • posts will be checked for administrivia • will be held if they contain administrivia.

membership basics I • mod set the moderation bit. If set, posts by this member are held for moderator approval • hide hide member. If set, will prevent the member from appearing in member listings • nomail set a member to receive no mail • ack set whether a member receives an explicit acknowledgment that she has posted

membership basics II • not metoo prevents a member from getting her own postings to the list • digest if set the member will receive the post in digested form. By default, digests will be put together using the MIME protocol. • plain if set, digest messages using a plain text digestion method (not recommended)

mass subscription and removal • You can mass add or remove. • Cut and paste a list of addresses, one address per line • or upload a file, one address per line

privacy options I • These have become extremely important because of all the spammers out there! • You can choose not to advertise the list on the LIU Mailman site. • You can close the list by requiring administrator approval for subscription. • You can set a ban list of addresses that are not allowed to subscribe.

privacy options II • You can restrict the membership list to be viewed • by members only • by list administrators only (recommended) • You can choose to obfuscate mail addresses e.g. "krichel at openlib dot org" in membership lists.

privacy options III • You can set some email addresses of non-members that are approved to post. • All other non-member postings can either be • held (administrator will decide later) • rejected (explanation is sent to poster) • discarded (poster receives no reply) • You should be careful with the default action. • You can request that administrators receive a forward of all discarded mails.

privacy options IV • Most spammers do not put the address of the destination in the TO: header. Requiring the list address to be mentioned in the to: or cc: header is a good defense against them. • You can also set a ceiling for the maximum number of recipients of the post. But sometimes that leads to legitimate messages being held if there are extensive cross-postings.

privacy options V • Finally, you can ban known spammers from sending mail to the list by explicitly blacklisting their addresses.

bounce processing • If delivery to a member address failed, it is said to bounce. • You can configure the bounce sensitivity of Mailman, but I wouldn't do it. • if an address bounce too much it is disabled • member is still subscribed • Mailman sends occasional messages to the member to check if the address works again and to invite the member to subscribe again. • if a disabled address still bounces, the member is unsubscribed.

archiving • Mailman can be configured to keep an archive of posts. • This archive can be private or public. • public means that they are on public access on the web • private means that they can only be accessed by list members using their passwords.

contents filtering • You can set up contents filtering. • You can disallow messages that have a certain MIME type. This can be very effective in preventing viruses. But I don't currently have a list most frequently used by viruses.

moderator requests • You will be informed every 24 hours • if a message has been held for approval • if an non-member has tried to post • if there is an uncaught bounce • etc, if you have opted to be informed. • If you are not informed, you will not see any problem. • Amount of notification requires careful planning.

bounce notification • you can choose to be notified • if un uncaught bounce (one that mailman did not know what to do with) is received • if a member is disabled • if a member is unsubscribed • on class lists, this is recommended.

Thank you for your attention http://openlib.org/home/krichel

introduction Mailman