[Mailman-Users] [newbie] Database?

[J C Lawrence]

On Wed, 17 Apr 2002 09:53:55 +0100 
Adam Cripps <acripps at cfbt.com> wrote:

> As for my questions, does Mailman need a database?  

No.

> I'm sure I read last week that it did, but for the life of me cannot
> find the page that commented on that.  

v2.1 has a plugin model such that external databases could be used for
the membership roster, but natively it doesn't need a DB.

> From Linux's point for view, which is the easiest database to set up?
> I read about BerkelyDB (IIRC) - is that a standard installation on
> most linux distros?  If it is, how can I check if it's installed?

Seeing as Mailman wouldn't require this, I'll assume you don't need the
answers.

> Also, which is the easiest to get Mailman to work with - Postfix, Exim
> or sendmail? 

I'd start out by reading the FAQ:

  http://www.python.org/cgi-bin/faqw-mm.py

Exim and Postfix are probably equally easy.  My dismal views of Sendmail
have received enough press already.  Given what seems your relative
newness to Linux SysAdm and mail systems I'd probably recommend Exim for
its excellent documentation, sweet integration with mailman (as
documented by Nigel's HOWTO), and general good behaviour.  Postfix would
not necessarily be any more difficult, but the documentation is a bit
rougher, the learning curve a bit steeper, and the ease of integration
with Mailman is neat/slick ways (beyond just making it work) more
complicated.

> I know I have Postfix installed at home (and know nothing about it)
> but other people on my lug group have suggested Exim. I've tried
> installing Exim and it seems to need a load of other stuff. How does
> Postfix go with Mailman? Good or bad?

Postfix goes very easily, as does Exim.  Postfix would not be at all
difficult to set up, but the documentation tends to be heavier going
than the Exim docs, which is one of the reasons I recommended Exim over
the longer term.

Assuming you are running one of the more common Linux distributions,
there should be standard (or at least readily available) packages for
postfix, exim, etc,  Just find/grab and install those.  

Aside: I like, use, and run both Postfix and Exim here.  They are both
admirable MTAs.

-- 
J C Lawrence                
---------(*)                Satan, oscillate my metallic sonatas. 
claw at kanga.nu               He lived as a devil, eh?		  
http://www.kanga.nu/~claw/  Evil is a name of a foeman, as I live.