[Mailman-Users] Newbie requesting basic how-to

[Jon Roland]

Brad Knowles wrote:
> At 1:09 AM -0500 2004-09-22, Jon Roland wrote:
>> it seems like it would be useful to have an alternative of running a
>>  python GUI that does the same thing without having to run the web server
>>  when the use for it is so limited. Just a suggested item for the 
>> to-do list.
> 
>     I don't understand how you could possibly accomplish this.  Are you 
> proposing that the Python developers create an entire new Graphical User 
> Interface, to compete with X11R6/Gnome/KDE and the like, and then 
> somehow serve this remotely via the Internet?!?

Of course not. Just a simple GUI front end for installing and setting up a 
Mailman site, that would incorporate expert knowledge about various environments 
so that the user doesn't have to struggle with manually editing configuration 
files, finding needed program files, launching web servers and mailman daemons, 
establishing interfaces with the MTA, etc. Same kind of thing we do with all 
kinds of popular apps. But if you're running Suse 9.1 on a 400 MHz Pentium III 
with only 128MG of RAM, you don't want to run unnecessary background processes, 
like a web server, when all it is needed for is to set up a list locally. 
Remotely, sure. Using a web browser for that for a short time makes sense. But a 
lot of people have to do things on old, underpowered laptops.

But I'm more interested in a GUI for site setup. If it can start and stop the 
web server, running it long enough to create a list and add or delete recipients 
to or from it is acceptable, provided one doesn't forget to stop it when that is 
complete.

Wherever did you get the bizarre idea I was proposing some entire new desktop 
environment? Simple setup GUI, like the ones we use for setting up email clients 
and accounts for them. User just has to choose from among suggested options, and 
not have to type in much if anything. That doesn't seem like too much to ask for.

If Linux is going to displace MS Windows, major apps are going to have to enable 
users to use their tools without ever having to see the CLI. Point and click.

-- Jon

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