Revision 1 as of 2008-05-27 13:23:46

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1.32. How do I administer Mailman using just the web interface (especially via a hosting service)?

Please keep in mind that Mailman was originally designed to be used in an environment where you have full privileged command-line access to the server where it's going to be running, and that machine is running Unix or a Unix-like operating system. A lot of the standard site administrative tasks and some of the list admin tasks (see <http://www.python.org/cgi-bin/faqw-mm.py?req=show&file=faq04.009.htp>, <http://www.python.org/cgi-bin/faqw-mm.py?req=show&file=faq03.061.htp>, and <http://www.python.org/cgi-bin/faqw-mm.py?req=show&file=faq03.014.htp>) are going to involve running a command-line program or a Python script, in order to do something to the data files stored on the server.

Therefore, if you're using a hosted service, all support questions should be directed to your provider.

If your hosting provider is not responsive to your needs, we may be able to answer some simple questions, but you may also want to consider getting a different hosting provider -- the problem is that neither you nor we have the necessary access and privileges required in order to do all the normal administration tasks, and without that level of access there are likely to be a lot of things you can't do and we can't help you with.

If you do want to look for an alternative provider, please see FAQ 1.17 at <http://www.python.org/cgi-bin/faqw-mm.py?req=show&file=faq01.017.htp>.

If your provider is using CPanel or Plesk (see <http://www.python.org/cgi-bin/faqw-mm.py?req=show&file=faq06.011.htp> and<http://www.python.org/cgi-bin/faqw-mm.py?req=show&file=faq06.015.htp>), or you are using the version of Mailman that Apple ships with Mac OS X Server (see <http://www.python.org/cgi-bin/faqw-mm.py?req=show&file=faq01.029.htp>), then we really won't be able to help you very much. The problem is that CPanel, Plesk, and Apple have all made modifications to the Mailman code and the Mailman administrative interface in order to integrate it into their environment, and they have not contributed those changes back to the Mailman project. Therefore, we are unable to provide a whole lot of support for their modified versions.

Conversely, if you are a web hosting provider and Mailman is one of the services you provide to your customers, then you had damn well better give them good support. Otherwise, they're likely to come to us for assistance in this area, and you are likely to get a bad reputation around here.

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