diff options
author | bwarsaw <> | 2004-12-14 04:27:49 +0000 |
---|---|---|
committer | bwarsaw <> | 2004-12-14 04:27:49 +0000 |
commit | 7fd3afbe2480275fe41fa0169ed72abd1f425048 (patch) | |
tree | aa1f078e792f2f221b650b9ebb2749df42abb2e8 /admin/www/mailman-member.txt | |
parent | f7c56e34ea25695bafa11ed28e0384671a309ac3 (diff) | |
download | mailman2-7fd3afbe2480275fe41fa0169ed72abd1f425048.tar.gz mailman2-7fd3afbe2480275fe41fa0169ed72abd1f425048.tar.xz mailman2-7fd3afbe2480275fe41fa0169ed72abd1f425048.zip |
Committing lots of documentation updates, including linking up to the new
mailman-installation guide, and filling out the other formats that seemed to
be missing.
Diffstat (limited to 'admin/www/mailman-member.txt')
-rw-r--r-- | admin/www/mailman-member.txt | 445 |
1 files changed, 194 insertions, 251 deletions
diff --git a/admin/www/mailman-member.txt b/admin/www/mailman-member.txt index 78c29e53..9d73f137 100644 --- a/admin/www/mailman-member.txt +++ b/admin/www/mailman-member.txt @@ -1,18 +1,17 @@ + #GNU Mailman - List Member Manual Contents About this document... + About this document... - #first Contents - - GNU Mailman - List Member Manual + Previous Page Up One Level Next Page GNU Mailman - List Member Manual _________________________________________________________________ - GNU Mailman - List Member Manual - - Terri Oda +GNU Mailman - List Member Manual - terri(at)zone12.com + Terri Oda - Release 2.1 - October 2, 2004 + terri(at)zone12.com + Release 2.1 + December 13, 2004 Front Matter @@ -26,7 +25,7 @@ Contents - * Front Matter + * + 1 Introduction o 1.1 Acknowledgements o 1.2 What is a mailing list? @@ -79,7 +78,6 @@ Contents unsolicited bulk email (spam)? + 1 Email commands quick reference + 2 Member options quick reference - * About this document ... 1 Introduction @@ -103,10 +101,10 @@ Contents the message) and web sites (eg: drop-down box, button) or can look them up. We also assume that the reader can already use his or her email program and web browser well enough that instructions such as - ``send email to this address'' or ``visit this web page'' or ``fill in - the form provided'' are clear. If you are not familiar with these - actions, you may want to consult other documentation to learn how to - do these things with your particular setup. + "send email to this address" or "visit this web page" or "fill in the + form provided" are clear. If you are not familiar with these actions, + you may want to consult other documentation to learn how to do these + things with your particular setup. 1.1 Acknowledgements @@ -122,11 +120,7 @@ Contents artificial life spam detector, and is actually more of a programmer than technical writer. - Thanks to Margaret McCarthy, Jason Walton and Barry Warsaw for their - help in proofreading and otherwise improving this manual. - - Thanks also to Ikeda Soji, who made the Japanese translation of this - document, and Pablo Chamorro C., who made the Spanish translation. + Proofreading thanks go to Margaret McCarthy and Jason Walton. 1.2 What is a mailing list? @@ -140,34 +134,34 @@ Contents Two common types of email mailing lists are announcement lists and discussion lists. - Announcement lists are used so that one person or group can send + Announcement lists are are used so that one person or group can send announcements to a group of people, much like a magazine publisher's mailing list is used to send out magazines. For example, a band may - use an announcement mailing list to let their fan base know about - their upcoming concerts. - - A discussion list allows a group of people to discuss topics amongst - themselves, with everyone able to send mail to the list and have it - distributed to everyone in the group. This discussion may also be - moderated, so only selected posts are sent on to the group as a whole, - or only certain people are allowed to send to the group. For example, - a group of model plane enthusiasts might use a discussion mailing list + use a mailing list to let their fan base know about their upcoming + concerts. + + A discussion list is used to allow a group of people to discuss topics + amongst themselves, with everyone able to send mail to the list and + have it distributed to everyone in the group. This discussion may also + be moderated, so only selected posts are sent on to the group as a + whole, or only certain people are allowed to send to the group. For + example, a group of model plane enthusiasts might use a mailing list to share tips about model construction and flying. Some common terms: - * A ``post'' typically denotes a message sent to a mailing list. + * A "post" typically denotes a message sent to a mailing list. (Think of posting a message on a bulletin board.) * People who are part of an electronic mailing list are usually - called the list's ``members'' or ``subscribers.'' - * ``List administrators'' are the people in charge of maintaining - that one list. Lists may have one or more administrators. + called the list's "members" or "subscribers." + * "List administrators" are the people in charge of maintaining that + one list. Lists may have one or more administrators. * A list may also have people in charge of reading posts and deciding if they should be sent on to all subscribers. These people are called list moderators. * Often more than one electronic mailing list will be run using the same piece of software. The person who maintains the software - which runs the lists is called the ``site administrator.'' Often - the site administrator also administrates individual lists. + which runs the lists is called the "site administrator." Often the + site administrator also administrates individual lists. 1.3 GNU Mailman @@ -236,12 +230,12 @@ Contents web interface provides instructions as you go, but there are times when people may prefer the email interface, so both are provided. - 3.1 The web interface - The web interface of Mailman is its selling point for many people, - since it makes it much easier for subscribers and administrators to - see which options are available, and what these options do. + The web interface of Mailman is its selling point for many + administrators, since it makes it much easier for subscribers and + administrators to see which options are available, and what these + options do. Every mailing list is also accessible by a number of web pages. Note that the exact URLs are configurable by the site administrator, so @@ -268,8 +262,8 @@ Contents m) + This page can also be accessed by going to the listinfo page and entering your email address into the box beside the - button marked ``Unsubscribe or Edit Options'' (this is near - the bottom of the page). + button marked "Unsubscribe or Edit Options" (this is near the + bottom of the page). + The member options page allows you to log in/out and change your list settings, as well as unsubscribe or get a copy of your password mailed to you. @@ -286,7 +280,7 @@ Contents + Usually found at http://WEBSERVER/pipermail/LISTNAME if the list is publicly archived, and http://WEBSERVER/mailman/private/LISTNAME if the list is - privately archived. (For example, + privately archives. (For example, http://lists.example.com/pipermail/mylist or http://lists.example.com/mailman/private/mylist) + The list archive pages have copies of the posts sent to the @@ -299,7 +293,6 @@ Contents subscribed email address and your password to log in. (See Section 6.1 for more information on getting your password.) - 3.2 The email interface Every mailing list has a set of email addresses to which messages can @@ -326,11 +319,17 @@ Contents which processes email commands that can be used to set member subscription options, as well as process other commands. A list of members' email commands is provided in Appendix A. - * mylist-bounces@example.com - This address is used in Mailman's - automatic bounce processing. - * mylist-confirm@example.com - This address is used for processing - confirmation messages for subscription and unsubscription - requests. + * mylist-bounces@example.com - This address receives bounces from + members whose addresses have become either temporarily or + permanently inactive. The -bounces address is also a mail robot + that processes bounces and automatically disables or removes + members as configured in the bounce processing settings. Any + bounce messages that are either unrecognized, or do not seem to + contain member addresses, are forwarded to the list + administrators. + * mylist-confirm@example.com - This address is another email robot, + which processes confirmation messages for subscription and + unsubscription requests. There's also an -admin address which also reaches the list administrators, but this address only exists for compatibility with @@ -342,11 +341,11 @@ Contents Commands can appear in the subject line or the body of the message. Each command should be on a separate line. If your mail program automatically appends a signature to your messages, you may want to - put the word ``end'' (without the quotes) on a separate line after - your other commands. The end command tells Mailman not to process the - email after that point. + put the word "end" (without the quotes) on a separate line after your + other commands. The end command tells Mailman not to process the email + after that point. - The most important command is probably the ``help'' command, since it + The most important command is probably the "help" command, since it makes Mailman return a message full of useful information about the email commands and directions to the web interface. @@ -354,7 +353,6 @@ Contents Appendices A and B. (These have been slightly adapted from the output of the help command.) - 4 I need to talk to a human! If you have any trouble with any of these commands, you can always @@ -380,7 +378,6 @@ Contents often the only things a list member needs to know, these can both be done without requiring you to know a password. - 5.1 How do I join a list? (subscribe) There are two common ways you can subscribe to a Mailman mailing list. @@ -389,23 +386,20 @@ Contents 1. Go to the list information page for the list you want to join. (This will probably be something like http://WEBSERVER/mailman/listinfo/LISTNAME) - 2. Look for the section marked ``Subscribing to LISTNAME'' and fill - in the boxes. You can fill in the following: + 2. Look for the section marked "Subscribing to LISTNAME" and fill in + the boxes. You can fill in the following: + You must enter your email address. + You may choose to supply your real name. + You may choose a password. If you do not choose one, Mailman will generate one for you. Warning: Do NOT use a valuable password, since this password - may occasionally be mailed to you in plain text. + may be mailed to you in plain text. + If the list supports more than one language, you may be able to choose your preferred language. Note: This setting does - not affect posts to the list, only Mailman texts that come - from the list software, such as your member options page. + not affect posts to the list, only pre-prepared Mailman texts + such as your member options page. 3. Press the subscribe button. A new page should appear telling you - that your subscription request has been received. This page will - provide you with further instructions, such as the need to wait - for and reply to a confirmation messages, depending on the list's - subscription policies. + that your request has been sent. Using the email interface: 1. Open a mail program which sends mail from the address you want to @@ -423,7 +417,7 @@ Contents Follow the instructions given in the message to confirm your wish to be subscribed. * A moderator may also need to confirm your subscription if you are - subscribing to a closed list. + subscribing to a limited list. * Or you may have to wait for a moderator and follow the instructions in the confirmation mail. @@ -435,7 +429,6 @@ Contents Note: Subscribing can be done in other ways as well. See Appendix A for more advanced email subscribing commands. - 5.2 How do I leave a list? (unsubscribe) Don't want to be on a list any more? If you're just going on vacation @@ -453,12 +446,12 @@ Contents 1. Go to the list information page for the list you want to leave. (This will probably be something like http://WEBSERVER/mailman/listinfo/LISTNAME) - 2. Look for the section marked ``LISTNAME subscribers'' (usually - found near the bottom of the page). - 3. There should be a button marked ``Unsubscribe or Edit Options.'' + 2. Look for the section marked "LISTNAME subscribers" (usually found + near the bottom of the page). + 3. There should be a button marked "Unsubscribe or Edit Options." Enter your email address in the box beside this button and press the button. - 4. You should be brought to a new page which has an ``Unsubscribe'' + 4. You should be brought to a new page which has an "Unsubscribe" button. Press it to unsubscribe and follow the instructions given. Using the email interface: @@ -473,7 +466,6 @@ Contents instructions given in that mail to complete the unsubscription. This is to stop people from unsubscribing you without your permission. In addition, a moderator may need to approve your unsubscription. - (Administrator-approved unsubscriptions are uncommon.) If you do not receive this confirmation mail with instructions, make sure that you typed your email address correctly (if you were using @@ -497,7 +489,6 @@ Contents unsubscription commands). See Section 6.1 for more information on getting your password. - 6 Passwords Your password was either set by you or generated by Mailman when you @@ -510,7 +501,6 @@ Contents Warning: Do NOT use a valuable password for Mailman, since it can be sent in plain text to you. - 6.1 How do I get my password? If you've forgotten your password and haven't saved the welcome @@ -520,14 +510,14 @@ Contents 1. Go to the list information page for the list from which you wish to get your password (This will probably be something like http://WEBSERVER/mailman/listinfo/LISTNAME) - 2. Look for the section marked ``LISTNAME subscribers'' (this section + 2. Look for the section marked "LISTNAME subscribers" (this section is usually found near the bottom of the page). - 3. There should be a button marked ``Unsubscribe or Edit Options.'' + 3. There should be a button marked "Unsubscribe or Edit Options." Enter your email address in the box beside this button and press the button. - 4. You should be brought to a new page which has an ``Password - Reminder'' section. Press the ``Remind'' button to have your - password emailed to you. + 4. You should be brought to a new page which has an "Password + Reminder" section. Press the "Remind" button to have your password + emailed to you. If you do not receive the password reminder email after doing this, make sure that you typed your email address correctly and that the @@ -557,7 +547,7 @@ Contents instructions on how to do this.) 2. Look for the password changing boxes on the right-hand side of the page and enter your new password in the appropriate boxes, then - press the button marked ``Change My Password.'' + press the button marked "Change My Password." This can also be changed for multiple lists at the same time if you are subscribed to more than one list on the same domain. See @@ -588,8 +578,8 @@ Contents Using the web interface: 1. Log in to your member options page. (See Section 3.1 for instructions on how to do this.) - 2. Look for the section marked ``Get password reminder email for this - list?'' and change the value accordingly. + 2. Look for the section marked "Get password reminder email for this + list?" and change the value accordingly. This can also be changed for multiple lists at the same time if you are subscribed to more than one list on the same domain. See @@ -601,12 +591,11 @@ Contents Commands can appear in either the body or the subject of the message. (See Section 3.2 for more information about sending mail commands.) - 2. Set it to ``on'' to receive reminders, and ``off'' to stop - receiving reminders. + 2. Set it to "on" to receive reminders, and "off" to stop receiving + reminders. 7 Changing mail delivery - 7.1 How do I turn mail delivery on or off? (delivery option) You may wish to temporarily stop getting messages from the list @@ -628,8 +617,8 @@ Contents To disable/enable mail delivery using the web interface: 1. Log in to your options page. (See Section 3.1 for instructions.) - 2. Go down to the section marked ``Mail delivery'' and select - ``Disabled'' to stop receiving mail, and ``Enabled'' to start + 2. Go down to the section marked "Mail delivery" and select + "Disabled" to stop receiving mail, and "Enabled" to start receiving mail. This can also be changed for multiple lists at the same time if you @@ -642,29 +631,24 @@ Contents Commands can appear in either the body or the subject of the message. (See Section 3.2 for more information about sending mail commands.) - 2. Set it to ``off'' to stop receiving posts, and ``on'' to start + 2. Set it to "off" to stop receiving posts, and "on" to start receiving them again. - 7.2 How can I avoid getting duplicate messages? (duplicates option) Mailman can't completely stop you from getting duplicate messages, but it can help. One common reason people get multiple copies of a mail is - that the sender has used a ``group reply'' function to send mail to - both the list and some number of individuals. If you want to avoid - getting these messages, Mailman can be set to check and see if you are - in the To: or CC: lines of the message. If your address appears there, - then Mailman can be told not to deliver another copy to you. This - means you get only the copy sent by the original sender, and not a - copy which been altered by Mailman (to include headers and footers, - strip attachments, etc.). + that the sender has used a "group reply" function to send mail to both + the list and some number of individuals. If you want to avoid getting + these messages, Mailman can be set to check and see if you are in the + To: or CC: lines of the message. If your address appears there, then + Mailman can be told not to deliver another copy to you. To turn this on or off using the web interface: 1. Log in to your member options page. (See Section 3.1 for more details on how to do this.) - 2. Scroll down to the bottom of the page to the section marked - ``Avoid duplicate copies of messages?'' and change the value - accordingly. + 2. Scroll down to the bottom of the page to the section marked "Avoid + duplicate copies of messages?" and change the value accordingly. This can also be changed for multiple lists at the same time if you are subscribed to more than one list on the same domain. See @@ -676,33 +660,27 @@ Contents Commands can appear in either the body or the subject of the message. (See Section 3.2 for more information about sending mail commands.) - 2. Set it to ``on'' to receive list copies of messages already sent - to you, set it to ``off'' to avoid receiving these duplicates. - + 2. Set it to "on" to receive list copies of messages already sent to + you, set it to "off" to avoid receiving these duplicates. 7.3 How do I change my subscription address? To change your subscription address, 1. Log in to your member options page. (See Section 3.1 for more details on how to do this.) - 2. In the section marked ``Changing your LISTNAME membership - information,'' enter your new address. + 2. In the section marked "Changing your LISTNAME membership + information," enter your new address. 3. If you wish to change your address for all subscriptions using the - old address, select the ``Change globally'' box. If you have + old address, select the "Change globally" box. If you have subscriptions under another address or for lists on a different domain, these will have to be done separately. See Section 10.1 for more information about changing settings globally. - A confirmation message will be sent to your new address, and the - change will not happen until you confirm the change by following the - instructions in that message. - There is no special way to do this from the email interface, but you can subscribe and unsubscribe for more or less the same effect. (See Sections 5.1 and 5.2 for more information on subscribing and unsubscribing.) - 7.4 How do I stop or start getting copies of my own posts? (myposts option) By default in Mailman, you get a copy of every post you send to the @@ -719,9 +697,9 @@ Contents To set this using the web interface: 1. Log in to your member options page. (See Section 3.1 for more details on how to do this.) - 2. Look for the section marked ``Receive your own posts to the - list?'' Set it to ``Yes'' to receive copies of your own posts, and - ``No'' to avoid receiving them. + 2. Look for the section marked "Receive your own posts to the list?" + Set it to "Yes" to receive copies of your own posts, and "No" to + avoid receiving them. To set this using the email interface: 1. Send a mail to LISTNAME-request@DOMAIN with the command @@ -729,9 +707,8 @@ Contents Commands can appear in either the body or the subject of the message. (See Section 3.2 for more information about sending mail commands.) - 2. Set it to ``on'' to receive copies of your own posts, and ``off'' - to avoid receiving them. - + 2. Set it to "on" to receive copies of your own posts, and "off" to + avoid receiving them. 7.5 How can I get Mailman to tell me when my post has been received by the list? (ack option) @@ -751,10 +728,10 @@ list? (ack option) To set this using the web interface: 1. Log in to your member options page. (See Section 3.1 for more details on how to do this.) - 2. Look for the section marked ``Receive acknowledgement mail when - you send mail to the list?'' Set it to ``Yes'' to receive a mail - letting you know your post has been received, and ``No'' to avoid - receiving such an acknowledgement. + 2. Look for the section marked "Receive acknowledgement mail when you + send mail to the list?" Set it to "Yes" to receive a mail letting + you know your post has been received, and "No" to avoid receiving + such an acknowledgement. To set this using the email interface: 1. Send a mail to LISTNAME-request@DOMAIN with the command set ack on @@ -762,8 +739,8 @@ list? (ack option) Commands can appear in either the body or the subject of the message. (See Section 3.2 for more information about sending mail commands.) - 2. Set it to ``on'' if you wish to receive mail letting you know your - post has been received, and ``off'' to avoid receiving such an + 2. Set it to "on" if you wish to receive mail letting you know your + post has been received, and "off" to avoid receiving such an acknowledgement. 7.6 I don't seem to be getting mail from the lists. What should I do? @@ -784,11 +761,11 @@ list? (ack option) (LISTNAME-owner@DOMAIN) to ask if the list is working. * You were bouncing mail and have had mail delivery (temporarily) disabled by the list software. - If your mail provider ``bounces'' too many messages (that is, it + If your mail provider "bounces" too many messages (that is, it tells Mailman that the message could not be delivered) Mailman eventually stops trying to send you mail. This feature allows Mailman to gracefully handle addresses which no longer exist (for - example, the subscriber has found a new Internet service provider + example, the subscriber has found a new internet service provider and forgot to unsubscribe the old address), as well as addresses which are temporarily out-of-service (for example, the subscriber has used up all of the allotted space for his or her email @@ -803,14 +780,10 @@ list? (ack option) working. To check if this may be the reason you are not receiving messages, log in to the your options page (See Section 3.1 for more details - on how to do this) and look at your options. If your subscription - has been disabled or Mailman has received bounces from your email - address, there will be a big banner at the top of this page. - To re-enable mail delivery, look for an option marked ``Mail - Delivery'' and set it to ``Enabled'' to start receiving mail - again. To get rid of your bounce score, you can disable and then - re-enable delivery. For more instructions on disabling or enabling - mail delivery, see Section 7.1. + on how to do this) and look at your options. There should be one + marked "Mail Delivery" - if it is set to "Disabled," set it to + "Enabled" to start receiving mail again. (For more instructions on + disabling or enabling mail delivery, see Section 7.1.) Note: Even if you have not been disabled at the time you check, you could be bouncing messages and not have reached the threshold for your subscription to be disabled. You may need to check again. @@ -826,23 +799,21 @@ list? (ack option) (Instructions on how to do this varies from platform to platform, so you may want to use a search engine to find those appropriate for you.) - * The mail server or Mailman might not be functioning properly. This - can happen if the system is overloaded with viruses or spam and - the mail system that hosts Mailman has trouble keeping up. + * The Mailman installation on the list server is not functioning or + not functioning properly. To test if this is a case, try visiting the list's web interface and try sending a message to LISTNAME-request@DOMAIN with the - command ``help'' (without the quotes) in the Subject:. If neither - of these works after a reasonable length of time, this may be the + command "help" (without the quotes) in the Subject:. If neither of + these works after a reasonable length of time, this may be the problem. You may wish to contact either the list or site administrator(s). 8 Digests - 8.1 How can I start or stop getting the list posts grouped into one big email? (digest option) - Groups of posts are called ``digests'' in Mailman. Rather than get + Groups of posts are called "digests" in Mailman. Rather than get messages one at a time, you can get messages grouped together. On a moderately busy list, this typically means you get one email per day, although it may be more or less frequent depending upon the list. @@ -853,9 +824,9 @@ list? (ack option) To turn digest mode on or off using the web interface, 1. Log in to your member options page. (See Section 3.1 for more details on how to do this.) - 2. Look for the section marked ``Set Digest Mode.'' - Set it to ``On'' to receive messages bundled together in digests. - Set it to ``Off'' to receive posts separately. + 2. Look for the section marked "Set Digest Mode." + Set it to "On" to receive messages bundled together in digests. + Set it to "Off" to receive posts separately. To turn digest mode on or off using the email interface, 1. Send a mail to LISTNAME-request@DOMAIN with the command @@ -863,12 +834,11 @@ list? (ack option) Commands can appear in either the body or the subject of the message. (See Section 3.2 for more information about sending mail commands.) - 2. Set it to ``off'' if you wish to receive individual posts - separately, and to ``plain'' or ``mime'' to receive posts grouped - into one large mail. See Section 8.2 for more information on plain + 2. Set it to "off" if you wish to receive individual posts + separately, and to "plain" or "mime" to receive posts grouped into + one large mail. See Section 8.2 for more information on plain versus MIME digests. - 8.2 What are MIME and Plain Text Digests? How do I change which one I get? (digest option) @@ -894,9 +864,9 @@ list? (ack option) To set your digest type using the web interface: 1. Log in to your member options page. (See Section 3.1 for more details on how to do this.) - 2. Look for the section marked ``Get MIME or Plain Text Digests?.'' - Set it to ``MIME'' to receive digests in MIME format, or ``Plain - text'' to receive digests in plain text format. + 2. Look for the section marked "Get MIME or Plain Text Digests?." + Set it to "MIME" to receive digests in MIME format, or "Plain + text" to receive digests in plain text format. This can also be changed for multiple lists at the same time if you are subscribed to more than one list on the same domain. See @@ -908,9 +878,8 @@ list? (ack option) Commands can appear in either the body or the subject of the message. (See Section 3.2 for more information about sending mail commands.) - 2. Set it to ``plain'' to get posts bundled into a plain text digest, - or ``mime'' to get posts bundled together into a MIME digest. - + 2. Set it to "plain" to get posts bundled into a plain text digest, + or "mime" to get posts bundled together into a MIME digest. 9 Mailing list topics @@ -918,44 +887,37 @@ list? (ack option) For example, the courses list on Linuxchix.org is a discussion list for courses being run by linuxchix members, and often there are several courses being run at the same time. (eg: Networking for - beginners, C programming, LATEX document mark up.) Each of the courses - being run is associated with a separate topic on the list so that - people can choose only to receive the course they want to take. + beginners, C programming, LaTeX document mark up.) Each of the courses + being run is a separate topic on the list so that people can choose + only to receive the course they want to take. These topics must be configured by the list administrator, but it is the responsibility of each poster to make sure that their post is put - with the correct topic. Usually, this means adding a word or tag of - some type to the subject line (eg: [Networking] What type of cables do - I need?) or making sure the Keywords: line has the right information. - (By default, you can put a Keywords: section in the beginning of the - body of your message, but this can be configured by your list + with the correct topic. Usually, this means adding a tag of some type + to the subject line (eg: [Networking] What type of cables do I need?) + or making sure the Keywords: line has the right information. (By + default, you can put a Keywords: section in the beginning of the body + of your message, but this can be configured by your list administrator.) Note that these tags are case-insensitive. - 9.1 How do I make sure that my post has the right topic? When a list administrator defines a topic, he or she sets three things: * a topic name - * a regular expression (regexp.) + * a regular expression (regexp) * a description You can view this information by logging in to your member options page. (See Section 3.1 for more details on how to do this.) and - clicking on the ``details'' link for any topic that interests you. + clicking on the "details" link for any topic that interests you. To post on a given topic, you need to make sure that the Keywords: or Subject: headers in a message match the regular expression for that - topic. A regular expression is a pattern which may match more than one - thing. Regular expressions can actually be fairly complex, so you may + topic. Regular expressions can actually be fairly complex, so you may want to just ask the list administrator if you don't know how to make heads or tails of the expression given. - If you really want to know more about regular expressions, read on, - but for the most part, your list administrator should include in the - topic description what you need to add to your Keywords or Subject - line to match the topic pattern. - Most Mailman topic expressions will be fairly simple regular expressions, so in this document we will simply give you some common examples. Regular expressions are a bit too complex to teach in a few @@ -967,31 +929,30 @@ list? (ack option) Here are some examples of possible regular expressions and matching lines: - Regular expression Matching lines - zuff Keywords: zuff - zuff Keywords: ZUFF - zuff Keywords: Zuff - zuff Keywords: amaryllis, zuff, applesauce - zuff Subject: [zuff] Do you have the right stuff for zuff? - zuff Subject: Do you have the right stuff for zuff? - zuff Subject: What is zuff? - \[zuff\] Keywords: [zuff] - \[zuff\] Subject: [zuff] Do you have the right stuff? + Regular expression Matching lines + zuff Keywords: zuff + zuff Keywords: ZUFF + zuff Keywords: Zuff + zuff Keywords: amaryllis, zuff, applesauce + zuff Subject: [zuff] Do you have the right stuff for zuff? + zuff Subject: Do you have the right stuff for zuff? + zuff Subject: What is zuff? + \[zuff\] Keywords: [zuff] + \[zuff\] Subject: [zuff] Do you have the right stuff? \[zuff\] Subject: Online zuff tutorials (was Re: [zuff] What is zuff?) A few notes: * The matching is case-insensitive, so if zuff matches, so will ZUFF, zuFF, and any other variations in capitalization. * Some characters have special meaning in a regular expression, so - to match those characters specifically, they must be ``escaped'' + to match those characters specifically, they must be "escaped" with a backslash (\). As you can see in the above example, [ and ] - are such characters. (Others include ``.'', ``?'', and ``*''). The + are such characters. (Others include ".", "?", and "*"). The backslash is also used for other things (I wasn't kidding about regular expressions being complex: consult other documentation for details about other uses of the backslash character), but this is the most likely use in a topic expression. - 9.2 How do I subscribe to all or only some topics on a list? If topics have been set up by your mailing list administrator, you can @@ -1003,8 +964,8 @@ list? (ack option) 1. Log in to your member options page. (See Section 3.1 for more details on how to do this.) - 2. Look for the section marked ``Which topic categories would you - like to subscribe to?'' + 2. Look for the section marked "Which topic categories would you like + to subscribe to?" If any topics are defined, you can select those you wish. If you do not select any topics of interest, you will receive all posts sent to the list. @@ -1012,13 +973,10 @@ list? (ack option) You probably also want to look at Section 9.3 which discusses changing your settings for messages where no topic is set. - 9.3 How do I get or avoid getting messages with no topic set? - Some messages will not match any predefined topic pattern. You can - choose to receive or ignore such non-matching messages. If you wish to - get all messages sent to the list, make sure you are not subscribed to - any specific topic. (See Section 9.2.) + If you wish to get all messages sent to the list, make sure you are + not subscribed to any specific topic. (See Section 9.2.) If you are only subscribed to some topics, you can either choose to either receive or not receive messages with no topic set, much the way @@ -1027,34 +985,32 @@ list? (ack option) To change this setting, 1. Log in to your member options page. (See Section 3.1 for more details on how to do this.) - 2. Look for the section marked ``Do you want to receive message that - do not match any topic filter?'' - If you wish to receive messages with no topic set, select ``Yes.'' - If you do not wish to receive such messages, choose ``No.'' + 2. Look for the section marked "Do you want to receive message that + do not match any topic filter?" + If you wish to receive messages with no topic set, select "Yes." + If you do not wish to receive such messages, choose "No." This setting has no effect if you are not subscribed to any topics. 10 Setting other options - 10.1 Change Globally? Set Globally? What does that mean? For some of the options given in your member options page, there is a - checkbox which says ``Change Globally'' or ``Set Globally.'' This - means that if you change this option, you can also have the change - made for all your other subscriptions on the same domain. This can be - handy if, for example, you want to make sure all your passwords are - the same, or you are going on vacation and want to turn off mail - delivery from all the lists. - + tick-box which says "Change Globally" or "Set Globally." This means + that if you change this option, you can also have the change made for + all your other list subscriptions with the same address to lists on + the same domain. This can be handy if, for example, you want to make + sure all your passwords are the same, or you are going on vacation and + want to turn off mail delivery from all the lists. 10.2 How do I change my name as Mailman knows it? To change your subscription name, 1. Log in to your member options page. (See Section 3.1 for more details on how to do this.) - 2. In the section marked ``Changing your LISTNAME membership - information,'' enter your new name in the appropriate box. + 2. In the section marked "Changing your LISTNAME membership + information," enter your new name in the appropriate box. This can also be changed for multiple lists at the same time if you are subscribed to more than one list on the same domain. See @@ -1064,12 +1020,10 @@ list? (ack option) 10.3 How do I set my preferred language? - Mailman is multi-lingual, meaning its interface has been translated to - many different languages. Your list administrator can enable various - languages for their use when interacting with Mailman. (For a complete - listing of the languages see http://www.list.org/i18n.html.) If your - list has other languages enabled, you may be able to have the web - interface, etc. in a language of your choice. + Mailman is available with many different languages. (For a complete + listing see http://mailman.sourceforge.net/i18n.html.) This means + that, if your list has other languages enabled, you may be able to + have the web interface, etc. in a language of your choice. Note: This does NOT necessarily mean that all the posts sent to the list will be in the language you selected. Only the pre-prepared texts @@ -1082,10 +1036,10 @@ list? (ack option) To change your preferred language in Mailman, 1. Log in to your member options page. (See Section 3.1 for instructions on how to do this.) - 2. Go to the section marked ``What language do you prefer?'' and - choose the appropriate language from the drop-down list. If there - is no drop-down list of languages, the list you are on probably - only supports one language. + 2. Go to the section marked "What language do you prefer?" and choose + the appropriate language from the drop-down list. If there is no + drop-down list of languages, the list you are on probably only + supports one language. If your list does not support the language you would prefer to use, you may contact the list administrator (LISTNAME-owner@DOMAIN) to see @@ -1097,15 +1051,10 @@ list? (ack option) exists for Mailman, please consider volunteering your time as a translator. For more information you may want to consult the mailman-i18n mailing list at - http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/mailman-i18n. The current - status of internationalization efforts is available at - http://www.list.org/i18n.html. - - Note: i18n is a common short-hand for ``internationalization'' because - the word starts with an i, ends with an n, and has 18 letters in - between. If you mumble a bit, i18n even sounds a bit like - ``internationalization.'' - + http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/mailman-i18n. (i18n is a + common short-hand for "internationalization" because the word starts + with an i, ends with an n, and has 18 letters in between. If you + mumble a bit, i18n even sounds a bit like "internationalization.") 10.4 How do I avoid having my name appear on the subscribers list? (the hide option) @@ -1116,18 +1065,17 @@ option) Common reasons for doing this include avoiding unsolicited bulk email (spam). By default, the subscribers list is obscured to hinder spam harvesters, but if you feel this is insufficient it's easy enough to - remove your address from the subscriber list given in the information - pages or by email request. (Note that this does not conceal your - address from the list administrators.) You may wish to see - Section 11.2 for more information on what Mailman can do to help avoid - spam. + remove address from the subscriber list given in the information pages + or by email request. (Note that this does not conceal your address + from the list administrators.) You may wish to see Section 11.2 for + more information on what Mailman can do to help avoid spam. To change this setting using the web interface: 1. Log in to your member options page. (See Section 3.1 for instructions on how to do this.) - 2. Go to the section marked ``Conceal yourself from subscriber - list?'' and choose ``Yes'' to hide your name from the list, or - ``No'' to allow your name to appear on the list. + 2. Go to the section marked "Conceal yourself from subscriber list?" + and choose "Yes" to hide your name from the list, or "No" to allow + your name to appear on the list. To change this setting using the email interface: 1. Send a mail to LISTNAME-request@DOMAIN with the command @@ -1135,20 +1083,20 @@ option) Commands can appear in either the body or the subject of the message. (See Section 3.2 for more information about sending mail commands.) - 2. Set it to ``on'' to conceal your email address from the membership - list, or ``off'' to stop concealing your address. + 2. Set it to "on" to conceal your email address from the membership + list, or "off" to stop concealing your address. 11 Other common questions 11.1 How do I view the list archives? - If the list is being archived, previously posted messages can be - viewed by going to the archive's web pages, a link to which can be - found on the list information page and in the List-Archive: header of - every posted message (unless your list administrator has disabled such - headers). Many mail programs hide the List-Archive: mail header, so - you may have to tell your mail program to allow you to view full - headers before you will be able to see it. + If the list has archives, they can be viewed by going to a web page + address. This address usually linked from the list information page + and can be found in the List-Archive: of every list message unless + your list administrator has disabled these headers. (Many mail + programs hide the List-Archive: mail header, so you may have to tell + your mail program to allow you to view full headers before you will be + able to see it.) Public archives usually have addresses of the form http://WEBSERVER/pipermail/LISTNAME/ and private archives usually have @@ -1157,7 +1105,6 @@ option) See Section 3.1 for more information on finding the addresses of a list. - 11.2 What does Mailman do to help protect me from unsolicited bulk email (spam)? @@ -1172,8 +1119,8 @@ option) To make a range of options available to list administrators, Mailman allows a variety of configurations to help protect email addresses. Many of these settings are optional to the list administrator, so your - particular list may be set up in different ways. List administrators - must walk a fine line between protecting subscribers and making it + particular list may be set up in many ways. List administrators must + walk a fine line between protecting subscribers and making it difficult for people to get in touch. * Subscriber lists @@ -1197,9 +1144,7 @@ option) available and can do different levels of obfuscation to make addresses less readable. + If you wish to be more sure, you can set the mail header - ``X-No-archive: yes'' and Mailman will not archive your - posts. Similarly, you can set the mail header ``X-Archive: - no'' to disable archiving. + X-no-archive: and Mailman will not archive your posts. Warning: This does not stop other members from quoting your posts, possibly even including your email address. * Limited posting to the lists @@ -1222,7 +1167,6 @@ option) determined people, so be aware that the protections used may not be enough. - 1 Email commands quick reference * confirm $<$ CONFIRMATION-STRING $>$ @@ -1276,7 +1220,6 @@ option) membership address with `address= $<$ ADDRESS $>$ ' (no brackets around the email address, and no quotes!) - 2 Member options quick reference * set help @@ -1334,7 +1277,7 @@ option) About this document ... - GNU Mailman - List Member Manual, October 2, 2004, Release 2.1 + GNU Mailman - List Member Manual, December 13, 2004, Release 2.1 This document was generated using the LaTeX2HTML translator. @@ -1348,7 +1291,7 @@ option) contributed by Christopher Petrilli. _________________________________________________________________ - GNU Mailman - List Member Manual + Previous Page Up One Level Next Page GNU Mailman - List Member Manual _________________________________________________________________ - Release 2.1, documentation updated on October 2, 2004. + Release 2.1, documentation updated on December 13, 2004. |