The "To Keep Up" Wiki

A collection of information we find useful

User Tools

Site Tools


switching_email_list_server_for_lctg

This is an old revision of the document!


Switching eMail List Server for LCTG

How it used to be, using Yahoo Groups

  • Yahoo Groups email list
  • Yahoo Groups maintained history of email messages
  • Yahoo Groups held posted presentation files

So why did we need to change away from Yahoo Groups?

  • They announced they'd stop providing many services late last year (2019)
  • No longer would email list be publicly viewable
  • No longer would they store email messages sent to the group
  • No longer would they retain presentation files
  • In fact, as of now, they have deleted presentation files and email list history

What Could We Do?

  • We formed committee to discuss alternatives
  • Groups.io and Steve's Mailman service & Wiki were considered
  • We perceived costs associated with switching to Groups.io
  • No costs other than sweat for switching to Steve's Mailman and Wiki, and Steve was willing to put in the sweat
  • Committee decided to give Steve's option a try, noting that we could switch to another option later, if it didn't work out

How was the transfer effected?

First...Just-In-Case actions

  • Steve grabbed a list of Yahoo Group emails and names
  • CharlyS grabbed the presentation files
  • Steve grabbed the entire group message history

Setting Up the Replacement Mail List

  • Created a domain LCTG.toku.us
    • actually it's a Subdomain of toku.us
    • Note that toku.us is a domain owned by Steve, toku is short for “TO Keep Up” (maybe?)
  • Created an email list, LCTG@lists.toku.us
  • Configured the email list settings
  • Converted the email addresses CSV file to a list consisting of name person@email.com
  • Did a bulk add of all emails using this converted file

At this point, the email list was operational.
After it was deployed (used), Steve made tweaks to the configuration to handle issues and improve it

  • Removed bounce processing
  • Changed email header line to [Lex Computer & Tech Group/LCTG]
  • Moderators are Steve, CharlyS, and JohnR
    • For non-list-members, posts must be moderated (prevents spam)
    • Process/approve (or not) requests to join the list

Preserving Files from Older Presentations

  • Uploaded presentation files from 2007 to 2018 to the Wiki
  • Created a Wiki page, showing all of the files by year, and linking to each
  • Linked to this page of older presentation files to the LCTG main page on the Wiki
  • Note that recent presentation files are on the Wiki

LCTG Information Page -- the Wiki http://LCTG.toku.us

  • Nearly 2 years ago, Steve created a Wiki page holding information:
    • About the computer group (LCTG)
    • Upcoming meetings
    • Past meetings with link to video recording and presentation slides and other materials
  • Over time he has enhanced this Wiki:
    • Adding info on how to join the group
    • How to see past email messages
    • How to access past presentations

Using the New Technology

Using the current (new) system

  • Email list
    • Send to the list – send email (from a subscribed email address) to LCTG@toku.us or LCTG@lists.toku.us
    • Reply to messages – go to sender of message only
    • Reply to message going to everyone – Reply All
    • Sign up for the email list – send email to LCTG-subscribe@toku.us with your full name, town where you live, brief intro and why you're interested in the group, and topics you might present to the group
    • Get off the email list – send email to LCTG-unsubscribe@toku.us from the email account you want to unsubscribe
    • Change your subscription
      • see link to your list options, at bottom of emails sent to you
      • For example: http://lists.toku.us/options.cgi/lctg-toku.us/SuperWhiz@gmail.com (if you are subscribed as SuperWhiz@gmail.com)
      • On this, your membership page, you can
        • get your list password
        • change your list password
        • change your email address
        • turn on/off batch (digest) mode
        • turn on/off message delivery
        • get an acknowledgement when you send to the list

Behind The Curtains

The email list CSV format (names changed but format retained)

"Display Name",Email,Status,Delivery,Posting,Joined
johndoe,JohnnieDoe@yahoo.com,Member,"Individual Emails",Allowed,"August 31, 2011"
Albert Einstein,SuperWhiz@gmail.com,Member,"Individual Emails",Allowed,"November 13, 1938"

What it was changed to for entry to the new system

johndoe <JohnnieDoe@yahoo.com>
Albert Einstein <SuperWhiz@gmail.com>

Wiki page extract

^ Date^ Topic^
|Jan 1, 2020|//New Year's Day -- no meeting//\\ Your homework this week is to pray (to whichever deity you prefer) for health, wealth, and happiness in the new year.|
|Jan 8, 2020| **Ig Nobel 2019 Awards** //awards for dubious inventions// (Peter Albin)  [[https://youtu.be/mfzs8ZIPVIA|presentation]] [[https://www.improbable.com/}|link to Improbable Research page]]|

How Mailman is Administered?

  • General Options
    • Group name, administrators, descriptions of group, etc
  • Membership management
    • List management (unsubscribe, set moderation, don't sent messages to, etc)
    • Subscribing, Removing, and changing email address
  • Archiving options (they are archived, available only to members, new volume each month)

Opening PDFs

A How-To, from Gary Patrick

  • Click on the 3-dot “Customize Chrome” icon near the upper right corner of any Chrome page.
  • Select “settings” and open the “Advanced” portion at the very bottom.
  • In “Privacy and Security,” scroll down to and click on “PDF documents.”
  • Slide the “Download PDF files . . ” button to “Off.”
switching_email_list_server_for_lctg.1578865658.txt.gz · Last modified: 2021.12.22 14:21 (external edit)