wikiSetup of Mailman in Debian
GNU Mailman is a software for administrating mailing lists for free. In this article, we describe how to setup Mailman on Debian Lenny (Debian 5.0). At Thomas-Krenn, we use Mailman for mailing lists of the IPMI Sensor Monitoring Plugin.
Install MTA
For the operation of mailing lists with Mailman, the MTA (Mail Transfer Agent) is required. During the subsequent installation of Postfix, select Internet Site as the 'General type of mail configuration'.
Further information on the installation of Postfix can be found in the article Setup of Postfix on Debian.
Install Mailman
The Mailman can be installed using apt-get:
apt-get install mailman
lists:~# apt-get install mailman Reading package lists... Done Building dependency tree Reading state information... Done The following extra packages will be installed: apache2 apache2-mpm-worker pwgen python-support ucf Suggested packages: spamassassin lynx listadmin The following NEW packages will be installed: apache2 apache2-mpm-worker mailman pwgen python-support ucf 0 upgraded, 6 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded. Need to get 9965kB of archives. After this operation, 45.7MB of additional disk space will be used. Do you want to continue [Y/n]? y Get:1 http://http.at.debian.org lenny/main python-support 0.8.4lenny1 [28.4kB] Get:2 http://http.at.debian.org lenny/main ucf 3.0016 [64.4kB] Get:3 http://security.debian.org lenny/updates/main apache2-mpm-worker 2.2.9-10+lenny7 [242kB] Get:4 http://http.at.debian.org lenny/main pwgen 2.06-1 [19.2kB] Get:5 http://http.at.debian.org lenny/main mailman 1:2.1.11-11 [9566kB] Get:6 http://security.debian.org lenny/updates/main apache2 2.2.9-10+lenny7 [45.4kB] Fetched 9965kB in 1s (5665kB/s) Preconfiguring packages ...
Package configuration
Supported language
The request on which language should be supported appears during installation:
Package configuration ┌────────────────────────────────────┤ Configuring mailman ├────────────────────────────────────┐ │ For each supported language, Mailman stores default language specific texts in │ │ /etc/mailman/LANG/ giving them conffile like treatment with the help of ucf. This means │ │ approximately 150kB for each supported language on the root file system. │ │ │ │ If you need a different set of languages at a later time, just run dpkg-reconfigure mailman. │ │ │ │ NOTE: Languages enabled on existing mailing lists are forcibly re-enabled when deselected │ │ and mailman needs at least one language for displaying its messages. │ │ │ │ Languages to support: │ │ │ │ [ ] ar (Arabic) │ │ [ ] ca (Catalan) │ │ [ ] cs (Czech) ▒ │ │ [ ] da (Danish) ▒ │ │ [*] de (German) ▒ │ │ [*] en (English) ▒ │ │ [ ] es (Spanish) ▒ │ │ [ ] et (Estonian) ▒ │ │ [ ] eu (Basque) │ │ │ │ │ │ <Ok> │ │ │ └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Default language
If you have choosen multiple languages, the default language can be determined:
Package configuration ┌────────────────────────────────────┤ Configuring mailman ├────────────────────────────────────┐ │ The web page will be shown in this language, and in general, Mailman will use this language │ │ to communicate with the user. │ │ │ │ Default language for Mailman: │ │ │ │ de (German) │ │ en (English) │ │ │ │ │ │ <Ok> │ │ │ └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Note on further configuration steps
Finally, here is a note regarding additional configuration steps that are required that must be performed manually after installation:
Package configuration ┌────────────────────────────────────┤ Configuring mailman ├────────────────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ Missing site list │ │ │ │ Mailman needs a so-called "site list", which is the list from which password reminders and │ │ such are sent out from. This list needs to be created before mailman will start. │ │ │ │ To create the list, run "newlist mailman" and follow the instructions on-screen. Note that │ │ you also need to start mailman after that, using /etc/init.d/mailman start. │ │ │ │ <Ok> │ │ │ └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Completion of installation
Selecting previously deselected package python-support. (Reading database ... 21572 files and directories currently installed.) Unpacking python-support (from .../python-support_0.8.4lenny1_all.deb) ... Selecting previously deselected package apache2-mpm-worker. Unpacking apache2-mpm-worker (from .../apache2-mpm-worker_2.2.9-10+lenny7_i386.deb) ... Selecting previously deselected package apache2. Unpacking apache2 (from .../apache2_2.2.9-10+lenny7_all.deb) ... Selecting previously deselected package ucf. Unpacking ucf (from .../archives/ucf_3.0016_all.deb) ... Moving old data out of the way Selecting previously deselected package pwgen. Unpacking pwgen (from .../archives/pwgen_2.06-1_i386.deb) ... Selecting previously deselected package mailman. Unpacking mailman (from .../mailman_1%3a2.1.11-11_i386.deb) ... Processing triggers for man-db ... Setting up python-support (0.8.4lenny1) ... Setting up apache2-mpm-worker (2.2.9-10+lenny7) ... Starting web server: apache2. Setting up apache2 (2.2.9-10+lenny7) ... Setting up ucf (3.0016) ... Setting up pwgen (2.06-1) ... Setting up mailman (1:2.1.11-11) ... Looking for enabled languages (this may take some time) ... done. Installing site language en ............................................ done. Configuring mailman for domain lists.wefi.net ... Upgrading from version 0x0 to 0x2010bf0 getting rid of old source files Site list for mailman missing (looking for list named 'mailman'). (warning). Please create it; until then, mailman will refuse to start. (warning). lists:~#
Further configuration
Verify configuration
The configuration file, /etc/mailman/mm_cfg.py, must be verified. It is important that all DEFAULT entries are correct:
lists:~# grep DEFAULT /etc/mailman/mm_cfg.py DEFAULT_MSG_FOOTER for an example.""" DEFAULT_URL_PATTERN = 'http://%s/cgi-bin/mailman/' DEFAULT_EMAIL_HOST = 'lists.wefi.net' DEFAULT_URL_HOST = 'lists.wefi.net' add_virtualhost(DEFAULT_URL_HOST, DEFAULT_EMAIL_HOST) DEFAULT_SERVER_LANGUAGE = 'en' DEFAULT_SEND_REMINDERS = 0 lists:~#
newlist mailman
The so-called 'site list' can be created using
newlist mailman.
One of your addresses must be stated here as email address:
lists:~# newlist mailman Enter the email of the person running the list: email@example.org Initial mailman password: To finish creating your mailing list, you must edit your /etc/aliases (or equivalent) file by adding the following lines, and possibly running the `newaliases' program: ## mailman mailing list mailman: "|/var/lib/mailman/mail/mailman post mailman" mailman-admin: "|/var/lib/mailman/mail/mailman admin mailman" mailman-bounces: "|/var/lib/mailman/mail/mailman bounces mailman" mailman-confirm: "|/var/lib/mailman/mail/mailman confirm mailman" mailman-join: "|/var/lib/mailman/mail/mailman join mailman" mailman-leave: "|/var/lib/mailman/mail/mailman leave mailman" mailman-owner: "|/var/lib/mailman/mail/mailman owner mailman" mailman-request: "|/var/lib/mailman/mail/mailman request mailman" mailman-subscribe: "|/var/lib/mailman/mail/mailman subscribe mailman" mailman-unsubscribe: "|/var/lib/mailman/mail/mailman unsubscribe mailman" Hit enter to notify mailman owner... lists:~#
Note: The message will not be sent to the specified email address until Mailman has been started.
Now, the entries in /etc/aliases must be added and the command postadmin /etc/aliases must be executed (if you use Postfix as here in the example):
lists:~# vi /etc/aliases lists:~# cat /etc/aliases # /etc/aliases mailer-daemon: postmaster postmaster: root nobody: root hostmaster: root usenet: root news: root webmaster: root www: root ftp: root abuse: root noc: root security: root ## mailman mailing list mailman: "|/var/lib/mailman/mail/mailman post mailman" mailman-admin: "|/var/lib/mailman/mail/mailman admin mailman" mailman-bounces: "|/var/lib/mailman/mail/mailman bounces mailman" mailman-confirm: "|/var/lib/mailman/mail/mailman confirm mailman" mailman-join: "|/var/lib/mailman/mail/mailman join mailman" mailman-leave: "|/var/lib/mailman/mail/mailman leave mailman" mailman-owner: "|/var/lib/mailman/mail/mailman owner mailman" mailman-request: "|/var/lib/mailman/mail/mailman request mailman" mailman-subscribe: "|/var/lib/mailman/mail/mailman subscribe mailman" mailman-unsubscribe: "|/var/lib/mailman/mail/mailman unsubscribe mailman" lists:~# postalias /etc/aliases lists:~#
Start Mailman
Now, start Mailman:
/etc/init.d/mailman start
Create mailing lists
Information on this topic can be found in the article Creation of mailing lists in Mailman.
More information
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Author: Werner Fischer Werner Fischer, working in the Knowledge Transfer team at Thomas-Krenn, completed his studies of Computer and Media Security at FH Hagenberg in Austria. He is a regular speaker at many conferences like LinuxTag, OSMC, OSDC, LinuxCon, and author for various IT magazines. In his spare time he enjoys playing the piano and training for a good result at the annual Linz marathon relay.
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Translator: Alina Ranzinger Alina has been working at Thomas-Krenn.AG since 2024. After her training as multilingual business assistant, she got her job as assistant of the Product Management and is responsible for the translation of texts and for the organisation of the department.
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