Minor addition to Mailman/Cgi/options.py
Hello all, Don't know if this small addition would be useful to anyone else but I will pass it along. A little explanation first. It seems our users have some difficulty in unsubscribing from the lists they are on. I know it is simple, yet I get a lot of email complaining the process is to difficult. The biggest issue I see is when the user puts in their email address then clicks the "unsubscribe or edit options" button and the user lands on the Options page. Apparently, the users see the password field and try a password and then find out it is not the correct one. The users just don't seem to read the page first which even tells the users to click the unsubscribe button if they are trying to unsubscribe. Well, they don't read, have problems, then email me that they have tried "everything" and it doesn't work. My solution was to modify the Mailman/Cgi/options.py file to add a line under the Password field telling the user to leave the password blank and click on the unsubscribe button. As I said, don't know if it will help anyone but if you have user's with problems reading, it might help. Below is a diff file with the changes. I modified the original file from Centos 5.6 (their mailman package is v2.1.9-6). If you are running a different version, take care when making any changes. --- options.py.original 2011-03-30 13:28:26.000000000 -0700 +++ options.py.SCU 2011-05-02 14:04:44.000000000 -0700 @@ -880,6 +880,10 @@ ptable.AddRow([Hidden('email', user)]) ptable.AddRow([Label(_('Password:')), PasswordBox('password', size=20)]) + # SCU added 20110502 - Start + ptable.AddRow([Label(_('')), + _("""If unsubscribing, leave Password blank and<br>click the 'Unsubscribe' button below.""")]) + # SCU added 20110502 - Finish ptable.AddRow([Center(SubmitButton('login', _('Log in')))]) ptable.AddCellInfo(ptable.GetCurrentRowIndex(), 0, colspan=2) table.AddRow([Center(ptable)]) Mark, if you think this is useful, let me know what I need to do to get it put into 2.1.15 (you are still working on) and / or 3.0+. Disclaimer: the change(s) I made works for me with my implementation of mailman. Your mileage may vary. Use at solely your own risk. Just because it worked for me, doesn't guarantee it will work for you. Thanks, Chris
On Mon, 02 May 2011 22:30:55 +0100, C Nulk <CNulk@scu.edu> wrote:
Don't know if this small addition would be useful to anyone else but I will pass it along.
A little explanation first. It seems our users have some difficulty in unsubscribing from the lists they are on. I know it is simple, yet I get a lot of email complaining the process is to difficult. The biggest issue I see is when the user puts in their email address then clicks the "unsubscribe or edit options" button and the user lands on the Options page. Apparently, the users see the password field and try a password and then find out it is not the correct one. The users just don't seem to read the page first which even tells the users to click the unsubscribe button if they are trying to unsubscribe. Well, they don't read, have problems, then email me that they have tried "everything" and it doesn't work.
My solution was to modify the Mailman/Cgi/options.py file ...
I started from a slightly different problem, of people who would, say,
type in a new password, then scroll down admoring all the other options
and click the save button at the bottom, the one for their 'subscription
options'. I don't have access to the server so tackled this (to a degree,
you may debate how effective it is) by edits to the list info and personal
options HTML. In case it matters, this host is still running MailMan 2.1.9
:-(
<URL:http://www.weald.org.uk/mm-info.txt> gives this appearance to the list info page <URL:http://www.weald.org.uk/mm-info.png>
The main benefit is to be able to point people to the numbered sections!
<URL:http://www.weald.org.uk/mm-options.txt> give this appearance to the list options page <URL:http://www.weald.org.uk/mm-options-top.png> <URL:http://www.weald.org.uk/mm-options-bottom.png>
I think(hope) the table frames prompt people to use the various <form>s on
the page separately and avoid the perception of a single set of choices
with multiple save buttons.
regards, Malcolm.
-- Using Opera's revolutionary e-mail client: http://www.opera.com/mail/
Malcolm,
Thanks for your input and your examples.
My users don't normally have a problem with the listinfo page. They either put in their email address or don't. If they don't, the Options login page does ask for it. Likewise, if they get to the User Options page where they can change their options, there is no problem.
The problem occurs on the Options login page. When the users see the password field on that page, they completely forget about reading any other part of the page. They just plow ahead and become frustrated (their own fault for not reading) and then I get email about unsubscribing. I did a capture of the page and a bit of obscuring of the Options login page (with my addition).
<URL:http://it.scu.edu/images/options.png>
Hopefully, that little addition will help my users (the ones that don't read before acting). If it helps others who face the same problem, great.
Malcolm, I have also done some separation of tasks which does help. I split the Unsubscribe and Edit options from one section into two different sections. It was another confusing aspect for the users trying to unsubscribe. Now, I tell them and my documentation says to look for the Unsubscribe section, put your password in the field provided, and click the unsubscribe button. The next page was the one tripping them up.
Thanks for the input, Chris
On 5/3/2011 3:43 AM, Malcolm Austen wrote:
On Mon, 02 May 2011 22:30:55 +0100, C Nulk <CNulk@scu.edu> wrote:
Don't know if this small addition would be useful to anyone else but I will pass it along.
A little explanation first. It seems our users have some difficulty in unsubscribing from the lists they are on. I know it is simple, yet I get a lot of email complaining the process is to difficult. The biggest issue I see is when the user puts in their email address then clicks the "unsubscribe or edit options" button and the user lands on the Options page. Apparently, the users see the password field and try a password and then find out it is not the correct one. The users just don't seem to read the page first which even tells the users to click the unsubscribe button if they are trying to unsubscribe. Well, they don't read, have problems, then email me that they have tried "everything" and it doesn't work.
My solution was to modify the Mailman/Cgi/options.py file ...
I started from a slightly different problem, of people who would, say, type in a new password, then scroll down admoring all the other options and click the save button at the bottom, the one for their 'subscription options'. I don't have access to the server so tackled this (to a degree, you may debate how effective it is) by edits to the list info and personal options HTML. In case it matters, this host is still running MailMan 2.1.9 :-(
<URL:http://www.weald.org.uk/mm-info.txt> gives this appearance to the list info page <URL:http://www.weald.org.uk/mm-info.png>
The main benefit is to be able to point people to the numbered sections!
<URL:http://www.weald.org.uk/mm-options.txt> give this appearance to the list options page <URL:http://www.weald.org.uk/mm-options-top.png> <URL:http://www.weald.org.uk/mm-options-bottom.png>
I think(hope) the table frames prompt people to use the various <form>s on the page separately and avoid the perception of a single set of choices with multiple save buttons.
regards, Malcolm.
-- Using Opera's revolutionary e-mail client: http://www.opera.com/mail/
Mailman-Users mailing list Mailman-Users@python.org http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/mailman-users Mailman FAQ: http://wiki.list.org/x/AgA3 Security Policy: http://wiki.list.org/x/QIA9 Searchable Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/mailman-users%40python.org/ Unsubscribe: http://mail.python.org/mailman/options/mailman-users/cnulk%40scu.edu
On Tue, 03 May 2011 15:46:47 +0100, C Nulk <CNulk@scu.edu> wrote:
Thanks for your input and your examples.
And yours Chris.
The problem occurs on the Options login page. When the users see the password field on that page, they completely forget about reading any other part of the page. They just plow ahead and become frustrated (their own fault for not reading) and then I get email about unsubscribing. I did a capture of the page and a bit of obscuring of the Options login page (with my addition).
I have not encountered too many troubles with that page, maybe my users
all put their email in before reaching that page. I ought to tackle it
because it is confusing - if you get there without entering an email
address, it presents three separate sections without making it obvious
that the lower two require an email address entered in the top one.
Hopefully, that little addition will help my users (the ones that don't read before acting). If it helps others who face the same problem,
great.
I think I would lift the email box up to the top so that it does not
appear to 'belong' to any particular section ... ?
Malcolm, I have also done some separation of tasks which does help. I split the Unsubscribe and Edit options from one section into two different sections. It was another confusing aspect for the users trying to unsubscribe. Now, I tell them and my documentation says to look for the Unsubscribe section, put your password in the field provided, and click the unsubscribe button. The next page was the one tripping them up.
Thanks for the input,
And for your input, it's given me food for though on making further
improvements to my list pages. Most often the problems aren't 'obvious'
until a user explains why they could not understand the page :-)
Ta, Malcolm.
-- Using Opera's revolutionary e-mail client: http://www.opera.com/mail/
You have definitely given me food for thought, Malcolm. I think I will look at what needs to be done to reorder the Options login page. My view would be the main header as it exists, followed by email field, then an Edit Options section (with password field), then Unsubscribe section, then the Password Reminder section. I may even switch the order of the Edit Options and Unsubscribe sections.
Definitely something to think about.
Thanks, Chris
On 5/3/2011 8:16 AM, Malcolm Austen wrote:
On Tue, 03 May 2011 15:46:47 +0100, C Nulk <CNulk@scu.edu> wrote:
Thanks for your input and your examples.
And yours Chris.
The problem occurs on the Options login page. When the users see the password field on that page, they completely forget about reading any other part of the page. They just plow ahead and become frustrated (their own fault for not reading) and then I get email about unsubscribing. I did a capture of the page and a bit of obscuring of the Options login page (with my addition).
I have not encountered too many troubles with that page, maybe my users all put their email in before reaching that page. I ought to tackle it because it is confusing - if you get there without entering an email address, it presents three separate sections without making it obvious that the lower two require an email address entered in the top one.
Hopefully, that little addition will help my users (the ones that don't read before acting). If it helps others who face the same problem, great.
I think I would lift the email box up to the top so that it does not appear to 'belong' to any particular section ... ?
Malcolm, I have also done some separation of tasks which does help. I split the Unsubscribe and Edit options from one section into two different sections. It was another confusing aspect for the users trying to unsubscribe. Now, I tell them and my documentation says to look for the Unsubscribe section, put your password in the field provided, and click the unsubscribe button. The next page was the one tripping them up.
Thanks for the input,
And for your input, it's given me food for though on making further improvements to my list pages. Most often the problems aren't 'obvious' until a user explains why they could not understand the page :-)
Ta, Malcolm.
-- Using Opera's revolutionary e-mail client: http://www.opera.com/mail/
Mailman-Users mailing list Mailman-Users@python.org http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/mailman-users Mailman FAQ: http://wiki.list.org/x/AgA3 Security Policy: http://wiki.list.org/x/QIA9 Searchable Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/mailman-users%40python.org/ Unsubscribe: http://mail.python.org/mailman/options/mailman-users/cnulk%40scu.edu
participants (2)
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C Nulk -
Malcolm Austen