Lex Thoonen sent the message below at 12:58 PM 3/23/2007:

Hi,

I'm renting a linux box, fedora with the Apache/2.0.53. (as a dedicated server.)

NOW; I looked at installing mailman myself, but rather soon figured I'm not linux experienced enough to do this. So I asked the tech people at fasthots.co.uk to take a look. They've been busy for a few days, working now and then I guess, and just now I received this e-mail from them:

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I've now (with the assistance of my colleagues here) spent considerably longer than the allocated 30 minutes trying to get this setup for you, without success. Realistically we are not going to be able to finish this without incurring additional PES fees, which may add up to a few hours - please let us know whether you wish us to carry on with this.

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Now, I would just like to know if this sounds kind of normal to you, experienced people. "a few hours" is quite a bit of money, hence my question.

p.s. the server is a 'out of the box' story, hardly any modification (if at all).

Thanks a lot, ---------------- End original message. ---------------------

I think they are either lazy or incompetent. (Or both).

Mailman from source is extremely easy to install. I think it took me all of about 40 minutes to download it, extract it, read the install instructions and have my first test list working.

Since you are using a Fedora box, have you tried using yum to install it?

That's even easier, a few seconds for yum to grab an rpm from the repository and install it and then maybe 20 minutes to configure things and you should be going.

Dragon

  Venimus, Saltavimus, Bibimus (et naribus canium capti sumus)

On Fri, 23 Mar 2007, Lex Thoonen wrote:

I'm renting a linux box, fedora with the Apache/2.0.53. (as a dedicated server.)

Fair enough. (You'ld've been better off with Debian, but ... )

NOW; I looked at installing mailman myself, but rather soon figured I'm not linux experienced enough to do this. So I asked the tech people at fasthots.co.uk to take a look. They've been busy for a few days,

Wha-a-a-t ?

Fedora is a pig if you want to add any new software, I know -- but that is just plain ridiculous. Just WTF are they doing?

working now and then I guess, and just now I received this e-mail from them: . . . Now, I would just like to know if this sounds kind of normal to you, experienced people. "a few hours" is quite a bit of money, hence my question.

PERSONAL OPINION

It sounds to me very much that you're dealing with a bunch of clueless commercials -- box resellers who don't know what they're doing and hoping to get their punters to pay for their own learning curve.

For me, installing mailman is a 5-minute job. No more. Actually setting up a new list usually takes me longer than installing the mailman software in the first place.

Just my 2p's worth.

[And personally, I'm with bytemark.co.uk]

YMMV.

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