[Mailman-Users] configuring Mailman

[Barry A. Warsaw]

>>>>> "JH" == Jim Hodson <jimhodson at jenniferonsunday.com> writes:

    JH> Hello, I am working on setting up a Mailman mailing list for
    JH> our web site at http://www.jenniferonsunday.com.  We are a
    JH> band and already have many people on an exisiting list (done
    JH> manually), which we want to migrate to Mailman.  Our site is
    JH> hosted by Webanimotion, and they have Mailman on their server
    JH> for us.

Jim, I've been going through some back email, and I came across this
message.  Talk about interesting coincidences:

You guys are from the DC area, and if I'm not mistaken, recently did
some work at Recording Arts w/ Marco Delmar?  I saw your flier on the
wall there a week or so ago, if I'm not mistaken.  I've worked with
Marco on two projects now, one with the Nancy Dougherty Band, and
another just recently with Billy Coulter.  Awesome producer, and great
guy.

Another weird coincidence -- my main band is the Cravin' Dogs, whose
last record was called Root Rock Paper Scissors. :)  You're also
playing many of our haunts.  Dang, I see I missed your CD release
party at IOTA.  Great venue, huh?  Hope the show went well.

We should definitely hook up musically some time.

Okay, back to Mailman...

As to your mailing list questions, well, I run the Dog's list and
Nancy's list off my own servers, on Mailman of course.  So it can
definitely be done.  Here are some hopefully useful answers.

    JH> We want a very simple mailing list system, and Mailman can do
    JH> a lot more than we need.  I'm trying to find out how to best
    JH> configure Mailman for our needs.  Here is what we want to do:
    JH> 1. Send e-mail news updates to our list.  We do not want users
    JH> to be able to send to the list.

Yep, that's how we do it.
    
    JH> 2. Users subscribe from our
    JH> website.  Currently they enter their e-mail address on the
    JH> site, and click "Join", which sends the appropriate e-mail.

Yep, although most of the joining we see is still us entering email
addresses gathered from gigs.

    JH> 3. Users UNsubscribe as well.

Yep.

    JH> The problem I've run into seems to revolve around the
    JH> password, and the Welcome E-mail.  The Welcome E-mail has a
    JH> lot more information in it than we need.  For instance, that
    JH> e-mail tells users that they can post to the list, which I do
    JH> not want them to be able to do. I know I can turn off the
    JH> feature about sending them the Welcome E-mail, but then they
    JH> won't have their password.

In Mailman 2.1.x the way to customize the welcome message is to create
a directory lists/<yourlist>/en (assuming English :) and copy
templates/subscribeack.txt to this directory.  Then edit the file for
your specific wording.  Mailman will always this specialized template
for the English welcome messages.

    JH> Also, when I migrate our current users to our Mailman list, I
    JH> don't want them to know about the migration.  However, if they
    JH> don't get a Welcome E-mail, they also will not have a
    JH> password, and will be unable to unsubscribe automatically.

In that case, I'd turn on personalization.  For the Cravin' Dogs
lists, I've disabled monthly password reminders, but I've turned on
personalization, so at least people get a message with their options
page in every footer.  It's probably still a good idea to manually run
the reminders once in a while if just to help cull the dead addresses.

    JH> Is there a way to modify the Welcome E-mail (besides just the
    JH> introduction to it)?  Is there a way to avoid having to use a
    JH> password to unsubscribe?

While not totally avoiding the use of a password, most unsubs won't
need them.  The easiest instructions are to send a message to
<yourlist>-leave at dom.ain, and then simply reply to the confirmation
message.  They never need to know their password.

    JH> Thanks for any help you can provide.  We really just want a
    JH> simple mailing list to get information to our fans.

Hope that helps,
-Barry