[Mailman-Users] sudden "group mismatch error"

[Ben Byrne]

Thanks. Fortunately I'm running a version of OS X server that predates  
Apple's inclusion of mailman, and I believe I've found the source  
directory used for the installation (I did not perform the install).

I have a stupid but quick question: will running

#make clean,
#configure --with-mail-gid=daemon
#make install

erase my existing lists, or will they be left untouched? If the former,  
is there a convenient way to backup and re-create the lists  
post-install?

Ben Byrne
Information Coordinator
Free Press
413.585.1533, x11

On Sep 2, 2004, at 3:18pm, Brad Knowles wrote:

> At 2:32 PM -0400 2004-09-02, Ben Byrne wrote:
>
>>  I've been running Mailman happily on our server (mac os x server on  
>> an
>>  xserve) for months. But suddenly today things have gone awry.
>
> 	Is this Mailman as provided by Apple with MacOS X Server?  If so,  
> then you need to take another look at  
> <http://www.python.org/cgi-bin/faqw-mm.py? 
> req=show&file=faq01.021.htp>.
>
> 	Specifically, the stuff at the bottom about Mailman on MacOS X Server.
>
>>  Specifically, I'm now getting this error when I try to post to a  
>> list:
>>
>>     ----- The following addresses had permanent fatal errors -----
>>  "|/usr/local/mailman/mail/mailman post staff"
>>      (reason: 2)
>>      (expanded from: <staff at freepress.net>)
>>
>>     ----- Transcript of session follows -----
>>  Group mismatch error.  Mailman expected the mail
>>  wrapper script to be executed as group "mailman", but
>>  the system's mail server executed the mail script as
>>  group "daemon".  Try tweaking the mail server to run the
>>  script as group "mailman", or re-run configure,
>>  providing the command line option `--with-mail-gid=daemon'.
>
> 	The standard answer to this question is at  
> <http://www.python.org/cgi-bin/faqw-mm.py? 
> req=show&file=faq01.004.htp>.
>
> 	Unfortunately, the standard answer tells you to reinstall Mailman  
> with the right group, which you can't do because Apple didn't give you  
> the source code to the version they shipped.  Moreover, they created  
> their own proprietary admin interface, so you can't upgrade the  
> version of Mailman you're running unless you completely rip out  
> everything Apple gave you with regards to Mailman under MacOS X Server  
> and install your own copy that is based directly on our source code.
>
>>  Like I said, I've been running mailman for several months without  
>> problems,
>>  and am very surprised to get this message. Yesterday I made a minor  
>> change
>>  to our sendmail configuration (activated a feature), so I'm  
>> wondering if
>>  something hasn't changed in sendmail?
>
> 	It's hard to say.  Apple ships that as a closed black box, so  
> virtually everything under the hood is hidden from view, even from  
> those people who would otherwise know what they're doing.
>
>>  Any help would be appreciated, I've got several live, active lists  
>> that
>>  are down as a result of this (!)
>
> 	With MacOS X Server, about the only thing we can recommend is that  
> you contact Apple to find out how to fix what they've shipped.
>
>
> 	I've recently gotten some more contacts inside Apple and I'm trying  
> to get contacts with the team that is responsible for creating MacOS X  
> Server.  So far, I'm not having any luck.
>
> -- 
> Brad Knowles, <brad at 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.
>
>