Introduction
 -About Mailing Lists
 -Key Roles
 -Web Interface Main
  Page

Changing Mailing List Options
 -Basic Options
 -Advanced Options
 -Digest Options

Maintaining & Moderating a List
 -Approving Bounced
  Messages
 -Approving
  Subscription
  Requests

Other Types of Lists
 -Digest Lists
 -Silent Lists
 -Bboards

Frequently Asked Questions

Maintaining & Moderating a List

As mentioned earlier, the List Owner must handle the daily maintenance of the list. Depending on the list configuration, this might include:

• Approving bounced messages for a moderated list
• Approving subscribe/unsubscribe requests

Approving Bounced Messages

Bounced messages are forwarded to the Moderator or List Maintainer with BOUNCE in the subject line along with the list address. Message approvals are required on a moderated list but there are other instances where a message may bounce. A message may be bounced when it:

• Exceeds the maximum length configured for unapproved messages.
• Matches a string identified as taboo.
• Appears to be an administrative request sent to the Andrew Mailing List address rather than the majordomo address.

After reviewing a bounced message, you may decide it is alright to be posted to the list. The message can be sent back to the list address with the approve command at the top of the message body to allow the posting.

To manually approve the message:

1. Select the Forward option in your e-mail client to forward the bounced message.
   
   Note: If you have the Forward Prefix option setup to prefix each line of the forwarded message (usually with a > symbol), turn this feature off or delete the prefix from each line of the forwarded message.
   
   
2. Add the approved command and password to the first line of the BODY of the forwarded message.
   
   Approved: <password>
   
   
   • Do not leave a blank line between the approved command and the original message header.
   • You must use the approve_password as stored in the list configuration file. This may be different from the administrative password.
   • In the BODY of the forwarded message, delete all header information EXCEPT the following lines:
     
     Date
     From
     To
     Subject
     

3. Send the new message to the mailing list address. DO NOT send the message to the majordomo server (majordomo@lists.andrew.cmu.edu).
   
   Majordomo will now recognize the approved command in the header of the message and allow it to post to the mailing list if the correct password was given.

Approving Subscription Requests

The List Maintainer will receive a message with APPROVE in the subject line for all subscribe/unsubcribe requests that must be approved first. Subscription requests require approval when the subscribe/unsubscribe policy for a list is "closed".

The subscribe/unsubscribe request must be sent to the majordomo server with the approve command and password.

approve <passwd> subscribe <list> <e-mail address> 

Note: You must use the approve_password stored in the list configuration file. This may be different from the administrative password.

For example, to approve a subscription request sent by John Doe to subscribe to the test-list mailing list, the following command must be sent to the majordomo server (majordomo@lists.andrew.cmu.edu).

approve pass subscribe test-list
ju33++@andrew.cmu.edu

Last Updated 02/27/01