Hi, I have some bugs to report -- not really bugs, exactly, but problems with the Mailman interface (especially the web/email interface as it pertains to list subscribers) and the inflexibility of some of the templates. Basically, in the version of Mailman I'm using, the program interface does not support some important features of the software -- that is, there are contradictions between the interface and some of the admin features that seem impossible to resolve.
It might be possible for a single-license user to modify the templates referenced below so that they support that user's preferred admin options, but for a service provider using one template for many admins/customers, there are some significant problems. I'm wondering if you've fixed any of these problems in a version of MailMan more recent than the one used by my service provider. Here are three reports I sent today to my current list hosting service: 1) Is it possible to edit the welcome message that is sent to new subscribers? I see that I can pre-pend a message to the standard welcome text, but I'd like to compose the entire welcome message. The reason I want to do this is that much of the information included in the welcome message does not apply to my list. For example, the welcome message provides instructions on posting to the list, but my list is announce-only. I don't want to confuse my new subscribers and make them think they've signed up for a list that they can post to. I can always disable the welcome message, if need be, but I'd rather provide a welcome message to give new subscribers confirmation that everything was processed successfully. 2) Speaking of bad planning, when a subscriber confirms their subscription through the web interface (rather than by replying to the confirmation email) they end up on a page that asks them to click a "subscribe" button. When they click that button, they're taken to a page that says this... Subscription request confirmed You have successfully confirmed your subscription request for "[EMAIL PROTECTED]" to the Emsupdates mailing list. A separate confirmation message will be sent to your email address, along with your password, and other useful information and links. ...unfortunately, the "separate confirmation message" is actually the welcome message, and that message will be disabled by some admins (such as myself) because it contains info that isn't relevant to my list. So basically, users are being told by this template page that they should expect a second confirmation message when none may be forthcoming. Maybe it would be possible, in this case, for you to remove the second sentence from this particular template, the sentence that says "A separate confirmation message will be sent to your email address, along with your password, and other useful information and links." The welcome message is explicit enough, all by itself. I don't think it would confuse subscribers to receive the welcome message (for lists that use the welcome message) without first reading that second sentence on the "Subscription request confirmed" page. 3) After experimenting with the Mailman admin options a bit more, I've decided I'll need to isolate my subscribers from the web interface entirely by switching to moderator approval of new subscriptions and entering new subscriptions manually. I can't use the "confirm" option under "privacy options" because it generates a second email to subscribers once they "confirm" and there's no option in Mailman for disabling that second confirmation message. That second confirmation message won't make sense for my users for reasons not worth describing here. In other words, no need to consider modifying that template I mentioned in my other email, because my users won't see the web interace at any point. Thanks very much, Ryan ---------------- Ryan Walker Website Editor Environmental Media Services http://www.ems.org ph: 202-463-6670 -----Original Message----- From: pairList Support [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, August 04, 2003 2:12 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [K3M9O2K] Your new mailing list: emsupdates Hello Ryan, Unfortunately, I can't really say when the beta-testing will be over, what the pricing scheme will be, or when the current issues will be fixed. Our site does mention that pairList is still in testing at http://www.pair.com/pair/pairlist/. If you're not satisfied with the current mailing list solution you can still cancel your account and get a full refund under the the 30-day money back guarantee. http://www.pair.com/pair/moneybackguarantee.html Regards, Sean --------------------------------------------------------------------------- pair Networks, Inc. [EMAIL PROTECTED] ---------------- Ryan Walker Website Editor Environmental Media Services http://www.ems.org ph: 202-463-6670 ------------------------------------------------------ Mailman-Users mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/mailman-users Mailman FAQ: http://www.python.org/cgi-bin/faqw-mm.py Searchable Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/mailman-users%40python.org/ This message was sent to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe or change your options at http://mail.python.org/mailman/options/mailman-users/archive%40jab.org
