Mailman 3 August 2000 - Mailman-Users

Strange Install Problem beta5
by Pete Holsberg Aug. 3, 2000

Aug. 3, 2000

The cgi-bin directory is empty! 'make install' creates it but never puts any files in it. How do I get those files? Thanks, Pete

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moving subscriber list to new host?
by Christopher Kolar Aug. 3, 2000

Aug. 3, 2000

Hi everyone. I have been running several lists on a host that is being reassigned. I have set up Mm on the new box, and I was wondering how I could get the list subscriber data from the old machine to the new (the old box is no longer running Mm BTW). Is is just a matter of recreating the list on the new server, copying the .db file in the old list directory to the new box, and dropping it in? Thanks, --chris

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Beta5/FreeBSD4.0 - Mail not getting delievered
by H. Wade Minter Aug. 3, 2000

Aug. 3, 2000

I just upgraded a partially functional Mailman 2.0b2 to 2.0b5 in hopes of fixing some lingering problems. However, now mail won't get sent out to the lists. Looking at /var/log/maillog, it gets accepted and "sent" just fine, but it never reaches its destination. Ideas? ---/var/log/maillog excerpt --- Aug 3 12:10:10 bunning sendmail[27478]: MAA27478: from=<minter(a)netraverse.com>, size=889, class=0, pri=30889, nrcpts=1, msgid=<Pine.LNX.4.21.0008031209520.2978-100000(a)squirtle.nc01.lastfoot.net>, proto=ESMTP, relay=[216.5.96.76] Aug 3 12:10:10 bunning sendmail[27479]: MAA27478: to="|/home/mailman/mail/wrapper post test", delay=00:00:01, xdelay=00:00:00, mailer=prog, stat=Sent ---End---

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Re: [Mailman-Users] mailman won't archive
by Virginia Beauregard Aug. 3, 2000

Aug. 3, 2000

> From: Jean Andre Vallery <JeanVallery(a)BicycleMessenger.com> > Subject: [Mailman-Users] mailman won't archive > We couldn't get the cron to write to the archive unless it was done > manually. It would be incredibly helpful if we could get more information (for example, is cron sending a error message back, and if so, what does it say?), but I have two suggestions: (1) Check the permissions in your archives directory. On my system all the archive and mbox directories are mode 2775 (a+rx,og+w,setgid) and owned by mail:mailman (mail is the UID that my MTA runs as). bin/check_perms may help here (2) Check your distribution of python. If you are running RedHat Linux, upgrade to at least python-1.5.2-13. -- Virginia J. Beauregard virginia(a)texterity.com UNIX Systems and Network Administrator Texterity, Inc.

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Re: [Mailman-Users] A Vote Against Passwords
by J C Lawrence Aug. 3, 2000

Aug. 3, 2000

On Thu, 3 Aug 2000 17:18:02 +1000 Chuck Dale <bug(a)aphid.net> wrote: > Wrote Gary Wilson on Wed, Aug 02, 2000 at 06:20:12PM -0400: >> I'll add my vote for making passwords optional. Just like all the >> other fine options in Mailman, some lists need and want the >> passwords, others don't. I'm for freedom of choice. > Thank you Gary I will agree with that and leave it there. > Too tempting to keep arguing =) Yes, well, umm, you do realise that Mailman also needs to be able to enforce password changing, auditing, and dictionary crack requirements don't you? Say something like: At least 8 characters Must contain at least 2 punctuation symbols (non-letter, non-digit) Must be contain at least two letters of different case Must not differ from an english word by only the punctuation symbols Enforced bimonthly password changes with a 6 month history check Few other similar requirements. Yeah, that should keep a few people happy, especially if we make it the default. Or we could just go the simple route and implement a PKI structure. Yup. -- J C Lawrence Home: claw(a)kanga.nu ---------(*) Other: coder(a)kanga.nu http://www.kanga.nu/~claw/ Keys etc: finger claw(a)kanga.nu --=| A man is as sane as he is dangerous to his environment |=--

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Re: [Mailman-Users] A Vote Against Passwords
by Dan Mick Aug. 3, 2000

Aug. 3, 2000

> -> Those [non-technical] people don't remember their phone number? > -> They don't have an SSN? > > 1) Phones have been around a hundred years, my grandmother knows what that > is. She does *not* know what a password is (in computing terms). She doesn't have to know. She's been told she needs it, and to save it, in no uncertain terms. That's all she needs to know. And it's a trivial task. > 3) Most people don't know how to file their emails. They have enough > problems using the backspace key. I don't believe that. I deal with a huge cross-section of users, and less than 1% are that stupid. (Yes, stupid. You have to be as sophisticated to drive a car as to file a copy of an email.) > I'm thinking of the network appliance and IMac users, here, not > Unix sysadmins such as the people subscribed to this list. It's very easy > for us to forget that the general public can't distinguish between the > monitor and the CPU. You don't need to do that. > > -> It's trivial to save a four-character password, [...] > > ...not for my grandmother (or even my mother).... Nonsense. They have notepads, and know how to use them, if they insist on not learning that basic function of the computer. > -> and it's reasonable to expect a mailinglist member to do it. > > Depends on the mailing list member. OK, I'll fall back on the Standard Mailman-Users response: any mailing list member I'm interested in supporting will find some way to store, using a computer or a notepad or a wallet or a Daytimer or a memory or a pen on the back of the hand, a password. > May I suggest a self-improvement exercise? Volunteer some time at > your local library, helping newbies with computers. Observe how people > have problems understanding the correlation between mouse-movement and > cursor-movement. Observe how people don't understand terms like > "scrollbar", "button", "window", or "click". > > Then try to imagine having to explain passwords to these people. Those people aren't on mailing lists, because they can't find the keyboard to subscribe.

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Re: [Mailman-Users] A Vote Against Passwords
by Dan Mick Aug. 3, 2000

Aug. 3, 2000

> I'd love to not have to receive password notifications or have to do > this to unsubscribe: > > 1. Go to list page, ask for password to be emailed to me. > 2. Receive email, go back to page, enter email and be unsubscribed. > > This is obviously not a big issue, but it is a big niggle. While I agree that passwords are a pain, coping with them just seems trivial to me. First, sub/unsub happen *very* infrequently, so a little pain just isn't that big a deal Second, "a mailbox to save my list subscription info" struck me as a good idea about 15 years ago, and it takes up almost no space, and it includes every Mailman list's password right in it, along with instructions on how to use it without the Web browser, for free just by saving the welcome message. I still agree that passwords should be optional, at least per-list (per-subscriber could get to be a pain) but they're just not that hard to deal with.

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mailman won't archive
by Jean Andre Vallery Aug. 2, 2000

Aug. 2, 2000

Please assist my ISP at 1-941-378-3566 he has installed the version 1.1 with limited sucess. The main part of the python worked with the unix. We couldn't get the cron to write to the archive unless it was done manually. I would like to end this drawn out drama which has been going on for two months Thanks Jean Andre Vallery www.BicycleMessenger.org my number is 1-941-504-2453 _____________________________________________________________ Win a Free GT Dyno Cruiser Bicycle Visit: www.bicyclemessenger.com/freebicyclecontest.html

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New to List
by ron phelps Aug. 2, 2000

Aug. 2, 2000

Hi.. Just checking out this list. Was hoping to add it to my site http://nursesportal.com Have you guys had success with this program. It is extremely easy to get on and off .... which is important.. Feedback on mailman would be nice.. later ron

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Re: [Mailman-Users] problems with installation
by Dan Mick Aug. 2, 2000

Aug. 2, 2000

Did you run check_perms from ~mailman/ ? > got problem with installation. i run ./configure then make install (linux, suse 6.1). > afterwards /home/mailman/bin/.checks_perms. > the i get 284 list of problems something like: > /home..... bad gid (has users, expected mailman) > /home..... .hotjava directory is not setgid(has: users, expected mailman) > > What did i wrong? i got a user account mailman and group mailman. i added the user mailman to group mailman. > thanks for help

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