I need to install a 'mailing list server' and I don't know wich one to use?
 

Hello,

I'm looking for a easy to maintain and easy to use 'mailing list server', which one do you use and what does it well and bad?

thanks.


mailman
sympa
majordomo
...

Nobody can assess for you what is easy and what is hard. Commonly used mailing list servers are Mailman, Majordomo, LISTSERV, etc. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_mailing_list for a list, check each link in the list to learn more about each.

Rather than ask other to spend time writing descriptions of the software, it would be better if you (determine and) described your list of requirements.

What I'm asking is not how does it works a mailing server, rather than that I was looking if it's a easy to use tool, on the user side. (i know, i have not explained myself as well as it is possible). Anyway, if somebody have installed and used on production more than one 'mailing server' , please, feel free to post what the users have said about it.


thanks.

Did you bother to read the links at Wikipedia that I referenced? You will get a summary list of what each mailing list service provides.

You asked for easy to maintain - this is an admin function, not a user's function.

Mailing lists by definition area pretty easy for users - they signup, and send email to the list.

The hardest part is the mailing list software administration.

I've use and have installed several mailing list servers. What is easy for me to maintain may not be what you find easy to maintain (I'm happy with command line, you might want eye candy).

I have used majordomo for over a decade. It's somewhat barren in terms of working features, although there are plans indicated in the configuration file. My needs for a mail list server are reducing, and rather than using all the subscriptions features, I find myself cheating on some of the lists, and just manually editing the mail distribution lists.

Also, when I went from Slackware 11.0 to 12.1, I found I could not get majordomo to work _and_ pass the ./wrapper configure-test. In the end, I simply got it to work. I may be a real dummy on it, but getting permissions right, combined with changes in sendmail (no group writes) seemed to cause problems.

listserv seems more robust, although I do not administer any listserv systems. I am simply a use on those systems.

Good luck sorting it out.

BTW for small groups, I just use alias, and create a distribution list on my system. Each change requires
a run of newaliases, though; and there is no mailloop protection.