At 4:16 PM +0100 2005-10-03, David Teall wrote:

• The ability to utilise our on-line database, which includes a User Name, Password and email address for every member, as the basis for membership of the List rather than a separate inbuilt database.

You haven't given us much details here.  A great deal depends on 

your particular database.

In theory, there are unsupported third-party patches to allow 

Mailman to use various back-end database "member adapters", but that is beyond the scope of this mailing list or this message. You will need to find member adapters which may be suitable to your requirements, and all further questions regarding those should be directed towards their developers.

• The ability to configure the List so that clicking on 'Reply' addresses the reply back to the list *and* to the author of the message.

There's absolutely no way you can guarantee this.  Sure, you can 

set headers that tell clients to do whatever you want, but that doesn't mean that the client will actually do what you ask.

It is possible to modify the "Reply-to:" header, but this is 

almost always a really bad idea. See the Mailman FAQ Wizard for more.

• A web page where members can read current messages and archives.

Mailman does include a web archive function, but does not provide 

a web message board feature. You can read messages on the web, but that's it.

There are unsupported third-party patches to integrate Mailman 

into web message boards, but you will need to contact their respective authors for more information.

• The ability to customise which messages members can opt to receive to include the following options:
• No Messages I will read all messages on the web.
• Level 1 Delivery 'Special Messages' only i.e. messages from the List Manager(s)
• Level 2 Delivery 'Special Messages' plus new questions from othermembers.
• Level 3 Delivery All messages.

No.  Mailman does provide a "topic" function, and all messages 

posted to the list which match the topic would be sent to the person who subscribed to that topic. Mailman also provides the ability to remain subscribed to the list but not receive any messages, as might be typical if you were to go on vacation for a while.

I should be most grateful if someone could let me know which of these features Mailman provides as it stands and which it might be possible to provide by suitable mods.

Pretty much all the answers to your questions should be found on 

the Mailman web site at <http://www.list.org/>. In particular, you should start by looking at <http://www.list.org/features.html>.

-- Brad Knowles, <brad@stop.mail-abuse.org>

"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."

 -- Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790), reply of the Pennsylvania
 Assembly to the Governor, November 11, 1755

SAGE member since 1995. See <http://www.sage.org/> for more info.