The example below requires "Mailman" (a Python based mailing list application).
If you are using CPanel then your Hosting Providor should also have available Mailman
(comes with the default installation).
If not I would recommend using Web Hosting Canada .ORG
The mailing list is set up as an Opt In list and an email announcement list.
Meaning only the administrator can send emails to this list (see below for setting up
Mailman to be a distribution only).
The Opt in form
To get users to sign up, the form needs to make the form as simple as possible. (See below)
The url address tends to remain in the same path for CPanel installations
action="http://[domainname]/mailman/subscribe/[listname]_[domainname]"
In our case the domain name is "elouai.com" and the mailinglist name is called "smilies"
We pass along ONE attribute, "email"
Passwords are autogenerated since they were not specified.
The user can request the password be sent to his/her email account.
Setting Mailman as a Distribution list ONLY
The following settings ensures that ONLY the administrator can send out emails,
while the subscribers if they attempt to email the list will receive a generic message
notifying them that this is a ...
In your CPanel select under the Mail Menu section select "lists" and then "add list".
Then select the "edit" link of this newly created list.
The following entries are the minimum settings required to make it a distribution list ONLY.
Membership Management
Set everyone's moderation bit, including those members not currently visible. "On"
Non-digest options
Can subscribers choose to receive mail immediately, rather than in batched digests? "Yes"
Digest options
Can list members choose to receive list traffic bunched in digests? "No"
Privacy Options..Subscription rules
What steps are required for subscription? "Confirm"
Privacy Options.. Sender filters
By default, should new list member postings be moderated? "Yes"
Action to take when a moderated member posts to the list. "Reject"
Text to include in any rejection notice to be sent to moderated members who post to this list. "This is a distribution list only. No postings accepted."
Action to take for postings from non-members for which no explicit action is defined. "Reject"
Should messages from non-members, which are automatically discarded, be forwarded to the list moderator? "No"
Note: In case of errors:
If your mailman configuration does not work try the solution below, could save a few days :).
Our problem was a faulty installation of CPanel, the qrunner service (part of mailman) refused to
restart.
A quick fix, try re-imstalling the mailman program by running this script, it worked for us.
#:/scripts/reinstallmailman
(it essentially rebuilds and reinstalls mailman).
