looking for mailing list manager recommendations

[Ed Wilts]

On Mon, Apr 19, 2004 at 08:22:59PM -0400, Jason Dixon wrote:

Jason addressed most points quite well, but I'll fill in a couple points
here and there.  You should also note that *this* message got to you via
mailman!

> On Apr 19, 2004, at 7:49 PM, Chris W. Parker wrote:
> 
> >Jason Dixon <mailto:jason at dixongroup.net>
> >    on Monday, April 19, 2004 4:32 PM said:
> >
> >>It helps to know what your requirements are.  I'm happy with Mailman
> >>on my Postfix server.  Requires a couple extra hoops for virtual
> >>domains, but works great.
> >
> >oh how i always forget to list these things...!
> 
> I've replied to each requirement below with a brief explanation of how 
> Mailman handles these.
> 
> >3. to know when each email address was added
> 
> Enable "Should administrator get notices of subscribes and 
> unsubscribes?" in the General options section of your list.

Also check ~mailman/logs/subscribe.  An example record is:
Dec 14 21:23:28 2003 (12924) whiteoak-board: deleted foo at ewilts.org;
bin/remove_members
This not only tells you when the user was deleted, but by which process.
You can tell if the user was removed via the command line utilities (in
my case above), or via the web.

> >4. to know if an email address bounced during the last mass mailing 
> >(and
> >why if possible)
> 
> You should get a bounce notification to your postmaster account (at 
> least, I do).

Also check ~mailman/logs/bounce.  The user will eventually be disabled
(but not removed) from the mailing list depending on the bounce
processing you've defined.
 
> >5. to have, for archival purposes, a copy of each mail that's been sent
> >to each list
> 
> Mailman saves list archives with the included pipermail.

There are other archivers available as well.  pipermail works for me
(and for Red Hat)
 
> >6. for the recipients of each mass mail to not be aware of the other
> >members. in other words, i don't want a mail sent out with 1000 email
> >addresses all in the cc field! :)
> 
> Mailman uses the standard aliases format.  Each email is re-written by 
> Mailman and an individual mail is sent out to each client.

Each user address will be hidden on the mailing, and you've also got the
option of personalizing every message going out.  Mailman was developed,
and is continuing to be developed, by people who really understand the
problem, how different mailers react, and how badly AOL wants to screw
mass mailers.  Mailman just works.

> >this will not be a public list such as the one we are communicating
> >through right now. it's just meant as a place for a company to store 
> >and
> >manage their customer mailing list with the purpose of sending out
> >product notices and event announcements every once in a while.

I've used this for cranking out a mailing to 40K+ users.  

For maintaining the mailing list, you've got several options from
something as simple as entering the e-mail addresses into a web form to
command line synchronization.  You can export your list from a database
and then tell mailman to synchronize it taking into account that users
that were already members but requested to be dropped from the list not
be readded (you'd leave them on but set them to nomail).

For sending mailings to customers these days, you need to be aware of
all the laws that now affect you.  If you know what you're doing, go
ahead, but if you're not, outsource your lists.

-- 
Ed Wilts, Mounds View, MN, USA
mailto:ewilts at ewilts.org
Member #1, Red Hat Community Ambassador Program