[Mailman-Users] How do I recompile python sources?

[Ron Jarrell]

>I need to disable the password confirmation on subscription. I've changed 
>the Defaults.py file to permit open subscription, and (I think) generated a 
>new .pyc file, but it has made no difference in the behavior of the 
>subscription - it still wants confirmation of the password. I've also made 
>a couple of other minor changes to other files in an attempt to accomplish 
>the same thing, but I seem to be missing some critical step in making the 
>changes "live". Can anyone give me a clue? I'm looking at documentation, 
>but I'm really in a hurry on this one and was hoping someone might have a 
>quick answer.

First of, right there in the file, and in the docs, it warns you in
large letters not to be doing those types of configurations in the
Defaults file.  Put the value you want to change in the mm_cfg.py file;
that's what it's for.  Every installation of mailman is going to
clobber that Defaults file; none of them will touch the mm_cfg file.

Second, there's two variable you need to change.  Set
ALLOW_OPEN_SUBSCRIBE to 1 to enable to ability to turn off password
confirmation.  Set DEFAULT_SUBSCRIBE_POLICY to 0 to make new lists by
default be non-password confirming (generally a bad move in this day of
practical jokers and hackers, but I'll assume you know what you're
doing)

Third, realize that paragraph two up there just sets defaults for
*future* lists.  Nothing in Defaults.py or mm_cfg.py affects the
settings in *existing* lists.  Once you have ALLOW_OPEN_SUBSCRIBE set
to 1, the privacy pages of your various lists should now list a 4th
option for subscriptions, "None" I believe is the keyword.  You have
to go through each list you want to have no confirmation, and no
admin approval, and turn it on.  (Or write the python code to
do it for you.  I dunno what the variable is, but perusing the
code should locate it for you; unless you have a buttload of lists,
it'd likely be faster to do it by hand.)