Custom Mailing Lists

The CSL uses Mailman to provide custom/configurable mailing lists for members of the Department. This page includes basic information on creating and using mailing lists.

Additional Mailman documentation is available online.

Joining CS Mailman Custom Mailing Lists

Via the Web:

1. Visit the subscribe page for the list at http://lists.cs.wisc.edu/mailman/listinfo/
2. Click on the URL or reply to the confirmation message you receive

Via Email:

1. Send a message to <listname>-subscribe@cs.wisc.edu
2. Click on the URL or reply to the confirmation message you receive

For example, if Katerina Witt wants to subscribe to the list olympians, she would send this mail message: To: olympians-subscribe@cs.wisc.edu Subject: blank or she could just go to http://lists.cs.wisc.edu/mailman/listinfo/olympians and fill in the subscription web form to subscribe.

Requesting a Mailing List

A webform is available for requesting a new mailing list at: https://www-auth.cs.wisc.edu/forms/listreq.cgi

Using Mailman Mailing Lists

Interactions with Mailman occur either via mail or via a web form.

Via the web

The following URLs are valid for mailman lists on our server:

• https://lists.cs.wisc.edu/mailman/admin/: List administration interface
• https://lists.cs.wisc.edu/mailman/admindb/: Bounce message administration (accept/reject filtered messages and subscribe/unsubscribe attempts)
• https://lists.cs.wisc.edu/mailman/confirm/: Used for confirming subscribe/unsubscribe requests
• https://lists.cs.wisc.edu/mailman/listinfo/: General list information and subscription info
• https://lists.cs.wisc.edu/mailman/options/: Subscription options (digest modes, etc.)
• https://lists.cs.wisc.edu/mailman/roster/: List of total subscribers (administrator password required)

Note: replace with your list name in the above URLs. Above URLs will not work as shown. Mailing list subscribers will mainly use the listinfo and options URLs. The other links are for list owners.

Via email

There are multiple e-mail aliases for each mailman list that can be used for different purposes:

• <listname>@cs.wisc.edu: posts to the list
• <listname>-admin@cs.wisc.edu: same as -bounces@cs.wisc.edu
• <listname>-confirm@cs.wisc.edu: Address for processing subscribe/unsubscribe confirmations
• <listname>-join@cs.wisc.edu: same as -subscribe@cs.wisc.edu
• <listname>-leave@cs.wisc.edu: same as -unsubscribe@cs.wisc.edu
• <listname>-owner@cs.wisc.edu: redirects to the list owner
• <listname>-request@cs.wisc.edu: address to handle various list subscription requests
• <listname>-subscribe@cs.wisc.edu: subscribe address
• <listname>-unsubscribe@cs.wisc.edu: unsubscribe address

The following commands can be sent to -request@cs.wisc.edu:

• confirm: Confirm an action. The confirmation-string is required and should be supplied by a mailback confirmation notice.
• end: Stop processing commands. Use this if your mail program automatically adds a signature file.
• help: Print this help message.
• info: Get information about this mailing list.
• lists: See a list of the public mailing lists on this GNU Mailman server.
• password [ ] [address=]: Retrieve or change your password. With no arguments, this returns your current password. With arguments and you can change your password. If you’re posting from an address other than your membership address, specify your membership address with address=. Note that in this case the response is always sent to the subscribed address.
• set [...]: Set or view your membership options. Use set help to get a more detailed list of the options you can change. Use set show to view your current option settings.
• subscribe [password] [digest|nodigest] [address=]: Subscribe to this mailing list. Your password must be given to unsubscribe or change your options, but if you omit the password, one will be generated for you. You may be periodically reminded of your password. The next argument may be either: nodigest or digest. If you wish to subscribe an address other than the address you sent this request from, you may specify address=
• unsubscribe [password] [address=]: Unsubscribe from the mailing list. If given, your password must match your current password. If omitted, a confirmation email will be sent to the unsubscribing address. If you wish to unsubscribe an address other than the address you sent this request from, you may specify address=
• who [password]: See everyone who is on this mailing list. The roster is limited to list administrators and moderators only; you must supply the list admin or moderator password to retrieve the roster.

See the Mailman documentation website for additional and up to date list usage and administration information.

Reporting problems with mailing lists

If you have problems with a mailing list, contact the list owner by sending mail to -owner@cs.wisc.edu. If you are a list owner, and are having problems with a list, send mail to lab@cs.wisc.edu.

List Archives

If you would like list archives, you need to configure your list to be archived through the list administration web page for your list. You also need to decide whether these archives should be public or private. If you do opt to use public archives, we strongly suggest you enable the address obscuring function (on by default for CS lists).

By default, all list archives will have a .htaccess file installed restricting access to be only available with a CS login name and password. This .htaccess file can be removed or modified upon request by emailing lab@cs.wisc.edu.

URLs of importance:

• https://www-auth.cs.wisc.edu/lists/: Authenticated access (requires CS login/password to use)
• https://lists.cs.wisc.edu/archive/: Public URL, for lists configured with public WWW access

Spam filtering on mailing lists

Newly created mailing lists have spam filtering enabled by default. Owners of existing lists can enable SpamAssassin filtering for their lists.

Spam filter and spam score threshold settings can be adjusted from the list administration page for each list under Privacy Options - Spam Filtering.

Specific addresses can be whitelisted or blacklisted through the Mailing List Spam Filtering Preferences webform . A link to this form is also provided near the spam filtering controls within the list administration pages.