[Mailman-Users] python 1.x and Mailman

[Richard Barrett]

On Saturday, August 16, 2003, at 09:14  pm, William Collins wrote:

> I have a website on a server running Redhat 7.3 with python 1.x.
>

If you are running Python earlier than 1.5.2 then neither of the most 
recent stable versions of MM 2.0.x or MM 2.1.x will run.

MM 2.0.13 INSTALL document says:

<quote>
0. Installation requirements

     You must have the Python interpreter installed somewhere on your
     system.  Currently Python 1.5.2 or later is required, but the
     latest stable releases of Python 2.1.3 and 2.2.1 are recommended.
     For information about obtaining Python source code, RPM packages,
     or pre-compiled binaries please see:

         http://www.python.org

     You must also have an ANSI C compiler in order to build the
     wrapper programs which are used for improved security.  The GNU C
     compiler gcc 2.8.1 or later is known to work well.  For more
     information about obtaining gcc, see

         http://www.gnu.org
</quote>

In practice, you could go for Py 2.2.3 for MM 2.0.13 but I have seen no 
reports of using Py 2.3 with it, which may not be OK.

MM 2.1.2 INSTALL document says:

<quote>
0. Installation requirements

     You must have a mail server (MTA) that you can send messages to,
     and a web server that supports the CGI/1.1 API.  Apache makes a
     fine choice for web server, and MTAs such as Postfix, Exim,
     Sendmail, and qmail should work just fine.

     You will need an ANSI C compiler to build Mailman's security
     wrappers.  The GNU C compiler gcc 2.8.1 or later is known to work
     well.  For more information about obtaining gcc, see

         http://www.gnu.org

     You must have the Python interpreter installed somewhere on your
     system.  Currently Python 2.1.3 or Python 2.2.1 is recommended.
     For information about obtaining Python source code, RPM packages,
     or pre-compiled binaries please see:

         http://www.python.org

     If you are building Python from source, you should be fine with
     the standard "./configure ; make install" for most Unix-like
     OSes.  If you run "make test", you'll see a bunch of tests skipped
     -- don't worry, you probably won't need them.  Mailman tries to
     stick to the basics that compile on most systems.

     If there is a README.<yourMTA> file that describes your mail
     server (MTA), read it now.  Some MTAs can be integrated more
     seamlessly with Mailman for support of some advanced features
     (like creation and removal of lists through-the-web).  Examples
     are Exim and Postfix.  Setup instructions for specific MTAs are
     contained in these README files.
</quote>

In practice, you should go for Py 2.2.3 for MM 2.1.1 or even Py 2.3, 
which some people have reprorted they are using OK.

If you have to install Python, which is not that hard from source code, 
then use the latest Python and MM release, again from source. You can 
readily install the later Python (in /usr/local/python for instance) 
without affecting your existing Python 1.x installation on the machine, 
which, given you are using Redhat, you probably need to leave in place 
because of other dependencies.

> Could you please advise me of which versioon of Mailman will run on 
> this
> server?
>
> Thanks
> Will Collins------------------------------------------------------
>
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Richard Barrett                               http://www.openinfo.co.uk