[Mailman-Users] Sign up without password??

[Dan Wilder]

On Tue, Jan 08, 2002 at 03:40:58PM -0300, Daniel Abad wrote:
> Is it possible? Somebody knows where can I find some patch for it?? 
> I wanna all my users to submit without use passwords... only with e-mail
> address.
> 
> Tks all!
> 
> 
> Daniel
> 
> ------------------------------------------------------
> Mailman-Users maillist  -  Mailman-Users at python.org
> http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/mailman-users
> 

AFAIK Mailman presently requires no passwords to sign up.
A "subscribe" elicits an email containing a cookie, which
when returned to the list server elicits a signup.  At that
time a password is emailed to the user.

Nor does Mailman require users to use a password to submit
a posting.  Only for option change, including unsubscribe,
is a password required.

The sequence:

-- user sends "subscribe" email to listserver or signs up on 
   web page

-- listserver sends confirming email containing cookie to user

-- user returns confirming email to listserver

-- listserver enrolls user

is an example of what's called "double-opt-in".

Be aware that you open yourself up to (perhaps justified) spam 
complaints, if for example I can sign up helpless_victim at notme.com 
by merely sending a "subscribe" to your list containing a forgery 
of his email address in the "From:" header line of my email.

You'll also considerably increase your work as a list admin,
as people are very prone to entering incorrect email addresses
on web forms.  Bounces consume a disproportionate amount of
machine cycles on your MTA, and some will require hand resolution.

Passwords or not, you'd be well-advised to preserve double opt-in.

-- 
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 Dan Wilder <dan at ssc.com>   Technical Manager & Editor
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