[Mailman-Users] Removing archives query.

[Brian Carpenter]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: mailman-users-bounces+brian=emwd.com at python.org [mailto:mailman-
> users-bounces+brian=emwd.com at python.org] On Behalf Of Stephen J.
> Turnbull
> Sent: Friday, January 08, 2010 9:33 PM
> To: John Fitzsimons
> Cc: mailman-users at python.org
> Subject: [Mailman-Users] Removing archives query.
> 
> John Fitzsimons writes:
> 
>  > If it is then are there any plans for us CPanel users to be able to
>  > remove archives in a future Mailman release please ?
> 
> John, it's not called "free software" because you pay nothing for it.
> It's call "free software" because you, and I, and the general public
> are licensed to do almost anything with the software.  The only
> condition in this license that matters is that if we redistribute any
> form of Mailman, we must provide the *recipient* with the source code
> of the program.  (Note: *not* "the public"; that's important.)
> 
> The company that provides cPanel has taken advantage of this license
> offered to *all* in the public to incorporate GNU Mailman in their
> hosting product.  This relationship is entirely one-sided: they take
> the Mailman code, but have *never* provided any input to development
> or support of Mailman users that I know of.
> 
> Yes, CPanel has its conveniences.  It also has its inconveniences, and
> *those are entirely your problem* because we have no claim at all on
> cPanel's attention, by the *vendor's* choice.  Please stop posting
> about cPanel here, and take responsibility for *your* choice.
> 
> If you want to help, including helping yourself, you can
> 
> (1) Go talk to your service provider, and see if you can get them to
>     give you a copy of the cPanel version of Mailman.  Make a diff and
>     post it online, and to the mailman-developers at python.org mailing
>     list.  According to the Mailman license, if you can get somebody
>     to voluntarily give you a copy of a legitimately received copy,
>     you do have the right to do that.  In the future, if you have a
>     problem (bug) with cPanel Mailman, you can point the developers to
>     that copy, and (if they have time), you may get some help.
> 
>     Missing features are still your problem, whether they are
>     something that cPanel has subtracted or something that Mailman
>     could do but doesn't.  You might get some sympathy for the latter,
>     of course.
> 
> (2) Talk to the cPanel people, find out what their plans are, and post
>     the answers here.  If they ask you *not* to do that, post simply
>     that fact.  Better yet, add either kind of answer to the FAQ on
>     cPanel.
> 
> These are not things Mailman developers can do *for* you.  These
> companies talk only to their customers (if they even do that).
> 
> Alteratively, you could bite the bullet, and ask for help in
> installing your own Mailman, and have access to all the facilities, as
> well as receiving much more detailed (not to mention enthusiastic)
> help on this list and (often) in private.
> 
> It's called "free software" because *the choice is yours*.

Wow! That is a harsh reply.

I think all John was trying to find out was how to remove their archives
without having direct access to the backend of mailman. Unfortunately there
is not. However John's hosting company should be able to assist him in doing
that. We have when requested by our own clients.

He is really not posting about cPanel here. He is simply trying to get some
assistance with Mailman which he is using via his cPanel hosting account. He
may be perhaps confused about the relationship between cPanel and Mailman
which is understandable.

On a positive note, cPanel has introduce a large number of folks to Mailman
who would have otherwise been ignorant of its existence.

Brian
EMWD.com