[klug] Mailing list software upgrade - please read

[Nic Bellamy]

1. Overview
-----------

Hi all, Nic Bellamy here - server admin for linux.net.nz, among other
hats.

The KLUG list was previously running on a pre-new-millennium version of
Majordomo, which, to put it plainly, sucked.

I've just converted the list over to Mailman (http://www.list.org/)
giving access to many more useful features. See #2 for how to get your
password and log in so you can discover what they are.

2. Subscriber passwords
-----------------------

Mailman uses passwords to access the subscriber functions; these will be
mailed to you every month (which also helps to remind you what lists
you're on).

If you want your password before the normal monthly mail-out, go to:

http://www.linux.net.nz/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/klug

and look at the very bottom of the page - if you enter your email
address, you can get it to send it to you now.


3. VERP and "Who am I?"
-----------------------

If you're not sure what address you're subscribed under, it's now a tad
easier to find out, as the envelope sender address has it encoded in it,
and this will generally show up in a Return-Path header, ie.

Return-path: <klug-bounces+nic=bellamy.co.nz at linux.net.nz>

Spot me?

This is called VERP (variable envelope return path), and is primarily
useful for list management - it saves the list admin tearing their hair
out when someones borked mail server bounces messages without giving any
indication who the message was for.


4. Mail filtering - procmail/whatever
-------------------------------------

If you're filtering list traffic into a different mailbox or other
location, the best header to filter it on is the List-Id header, which
will contain as part of the value "<klug.linux.net.nz>".

Procmail example:

        :0:
        * ^List-Id:\ .*<klug\.linux\.net\.nz>
        /path/to/mailbox

*** SUBTLE CHANGE WARNING ***

The List-Id previously contained <klug at linux.net.nz>. It no longer has
the '@' sign in it.


8. Archives:
------------

The web archives of the list have moved:

From: http://www.linux.net.nz/lists/KLUG/
To: http://www.linux.net.nz/pipermail/klug/

There's also better anti-spamming measures in there now.

Cheers,
	Nic.

-- 
Nic Bellamy <nic at bellamy.co.nz>
Bellamy Consulting -- Software & Security -- http://www.bellamy.co.nz/
Phone: +64-6-377-4957   Fax: +64-6-377-0505   Mobile: +64-21-251-8954