Kavi Help CenterKavi Mailing List Manager Help
| Appendix M. Configuring Lists for Common Use Cases | ||
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Part VII. Appendix | |
Table of Contents
- Default list type
The name of the default list type. List type names are based on the use case the list type was created to serve.
- Audience
Who will the subscribers be? Who will be allowed to post? Most of your configuration settings will be based on the answers to these two questions.
- Purpose
For instance, is the list used for a discussion group, to distribute announcements or for a newsletter? Is the list generally meant to serve a private group or help represent the organization to the public?
- Subscriptions
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There are several options that work together to determine how subscriptions can be added for a list. Options set in the list type control user's ability to subscribe via ezmlm email address commands. An option set at the list level controls who can view and subscribe to the list through the UI.
Options
At the list type level, the 'Public subscription and admin requests' option controls whether lists based on this type will accept ezmlm email address commands from unknown (i.e., public) senders. When this option is set to 'No', it means that the public isn't singled out for exclusion from subscribing or retrieving raw archives, but you'll have to look at the settings in the 'Subscription model' and 'List Archives' settings to see what restrictions they impose.
At the list type level, the 'Subscription model' option controls whether anyone will be able to subscribe via ezmlm email address commands or not. If set to 'No', mailing lists of this type will not accept subscription requests from anyone, and users will have to be subscribed through Web site pages.
At the list level, the 'List Availability' restricts which levels of users are able to subscribe themselves. At its most restrictive setting, 'Administrators only', subscribers cannot subscribe themselves directly, but must be added by administrators.
Here are some more examples of how these options interact.
When the closed subscription model is selected, subscribers can only be added through the UI, so the 'List Availability' option determines who can add subscriptions.
When the open subscription model is selected, users are able to subscribe through email as well as through the UI, although there may be restrictions on what level a list user must be in order to subscribe through each of these paths.
When the open subscription model is selected, the 'Public subscription requests' option determines whether the list will accept email subscription requests from the public or not.
As with the closed subscription model, the 'List Availability' option controls the ability to subscribe through the UI when the open subscription model is selected. This setting usually parallels the 'Public subscription requests' setting, so that if the public is allowed to subscribe via email they are also allowed to subscribe through the UI.
- List availability
This determines which level of access someone will need to visit Web site pages that display this list and tools for subscribing to the list. It may be visible to the public, to members only, to subscribers only or to administrators only. This last setting makes the list effectively invisible to other users.
- Posting
Posting access is determined by the 'Who can post to the list?' option, which is set in the list type. These settings are documented in the Appendix in Posting Access Tables.
- List archives
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The 'List Archives' option is set at the list type level. Raw archives are retrievable by ezmlm email address commands, assuming the list type is configured to allow it. Public list types are usually configured to accept archive retrieval requests from the public, whereas private default list types do not. Most private lists do accept requests from subscriber addresses, but the most private list types are configured to reject all emailed administrative requests except for moderation requests. Under this setting, administrators will be able to view the raw archives via URL, but other users will have to content themselves with the web archives (providing they exist and the user has access permissions).
Access to raw archives is usually more restricted than access to Web archives because the raw archives may contain content that has been expunged or obfusticated in the Web archives, such as such as users' email addresses.
- Web archives
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The 'Web Archive Visibility' option, which is set at the list level, should be based on who is allowed to subscribe. Since subscribers already have permission to receive list content via email, the archives are usually available to subscribers, the question is: who else should be allowed to view the Web archives, if anyone. To hide Web archives temporarily, select the 'Administrators Only' setting, then reset the option to the correct list user level when you want to make the archives available again.
A minimum level of restriction is enforced by the Kavi Mailing List Manager, which displays an error if you attempt to set this option at an inappropriately low level of access.
If the public is allowed to subscribe, then the Web archives are usually set to 'public' so they will be publicly viewable.
If all members are allowed to subscribe, then the web archives can reflect this and be set to 'Members'.
If the list is private and shouldn't be viewable by the general membership, this option should be set to 'List Subscribers'.
If you use the 'Administrators Only' setting, the web archives will be hidden to everyone except administrators.
Setting this option to 'NO Web Archives' will disable web archiving and any existing web archives will be immediately deleted (although they can be recreated later from the raw archives by resetting this option).
Table M.1. Standard configuration for Announcements
| Announce Only | |
|---|---|
| Audience | Announcements are usually distributed to a subgroup of the organization or a select set of subscribers, as opposed to newsletters aimed at the general public. This type of list is often used for announcements that the organization is required to make by its own bylaws or policies, or an external entity such as a standards development organization if the organization seeks accreditation. Kavi® Members uses the Announce Only list type as the basis for its Members list. |
| Purpose | One-way distribution of content to a restricted audience. |
| Subscriptions | This is a private list type, so users aren't allowed to subscribe via email and all subscriptions must be added through Web pages. If the 'List Availability' setting is set to 'Members', members will be able to subscribe through Member pages after logging in. If it is set to 'Administrators only', all subscriptions will have to be added by administrators, making this an "invitation-only" list. |
| List availability | If all members are allowed to subscribe, select 'Members Only'. If subscribers are to be added only by administrators, but are allowed to unsubscribe themselves, select 'Subscribers Only'. Select 'Administrators only' if you want administrators to control the subscription process. |
| Posting | This list type uses the most restrictive setting: all posts are moderated, only moderators can post. |
| Raw archives | This list type is configured to reject all ezmlm email address commands, including archive retrieval commands. |
| Web archives | If information published through the list should only be available to subscribers, set this option to 'List Subscribers'. If all members are eligible to subscribe, 'Members Only' can be selected to give non-subscribing members the opportunity to view list content. |
Table M.2. Standard configuration for Closed Private Discussion Groups
| Closed Private Discussion Group | |
|---|---|
| Audience | Serves a private discussion group. This group may be so private that it is kept essentially invisible to anyone outside the group, or it may allow anyone who is logged in to subscribe. |
| Purpose | Non-public discussion group forum. |
| Subscriptions | This list type uses the closed subscription model, so lists based on this list type reject all email subscription requests. Subscriptions can only be added according to the level of restriction set in the 'List Availability' option. |
| List availability | If this is set to 'Members', members will be able to subscribe themselves through Member pages after logging in. If subscribers are to be initially added by administrators, but are then allowed to unsubscribe themselves, select 'Subscribers Only'. If this option is set to 'Administrators only', this an "invitation-only" list, and administrators control the subscription process. |
| Posting | Subscribers can post directly, and posts from others are rejected outright. Lists of this type do not accept posts from subscribers using alternate addresses or anyone who is not a member of the discussion group unless they are a moderator or have been added to the Poster List. |
| Raw archives | This list type doesn't accept emailed archive retrieval commands. |
| Web archives | Since this is a private discussion group, this option is usually set to 'List Subscribers'. If all members are eligible to be subscribed to the list, it can be set to 'Members Only' so that non-subscribing members can view list content through the Web archives. |
Table M.3. Standard configuration for Moderated Private Discussion Groups
| Moderated Private Discussion Group | |
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| Audience | Audience is a private discussion group. The difference between a moderated and a closed private discussion group is that the moderated version has more control over list content, both in the sense of allowing people non-subscribers to post by submitting messages for moderation, as well as preventing authorized users from posting inappropriate content. |
| Purpose | Discussion group forum. |
| Subscriptions | This list type uses the closed subscription model, so lists based on this list type reject all email subscription requests. Subscriptions can only be added according to the level of restriction set in the 'List Availability' option. |
| List availability | If this is set to 'Members', members will be able to subscribe themselves through Member pages after logging in. If subscribers are to be initially added by administrators, but are then allowed to unsubscribe themselves, select 'Subscribers Only'. If this option is set to 'Administrators only', this an "invitation-only" list, and administrators control the subscription process. |
| Posting | This list type is configured so anyone can submit posts for moderator approval, but in practice, most of the posts that are approved will be from senders who are known and trusted by list moderators. |
| Raw archives | This list type doesn't accept emailed archive retrieval commands. |
| Web archives | Since this is a private discussion group, this option is usually set to 'List Subscribers'. If all members are eligible to be subscribed to the list, it can be set to 'Members Only' so that non-subscribing members can view list content through the Web archives. |
Table M.4. Standard configuration for Moderated Public Discussion Groups
| Moderated Public Discussion Group | |
|---|---|
| Audience | This audience includes the public, however the discussion is mostly between members of the organization and nonmembers who are known to the moderators. |
| Purpose | Public discussion group forum. |
| Subscriptions | People can subscribe themselves ezmlm email address commands. |
| List availability | Public lists should be available on public pages, so set this option to 'Public'. |
| Posting | Anyone can submit posts for moderator approval, but most of the posts that are approved will be from senders who are known and trusted by list moderators. |
| Raw archives | Raw archives of public lists are usually set to be publicly retrievable via ezmlm email address commands. |
| Web archives | Web archives of public lists are usually set to be publicly viewable. |
Table M.5. Standard configuration for Newsletters
| Newsletter | |
|---|---|
| Audience | The general public. |
| Purpose | One-way distribution of content to a public audience. May accept contributions of content from outside the organization. Content is controlled via moderation. |
| Subscriptions | People can subscribe themselves via ezmlm email address commands. |
| List availability | Public lists should be available on public pages, so set this option to 'Public'. |
| Posting | All posts, even posts submitted by moderators are sent to the moderation queue. Even though anyone can submit posts for moderator approval, most of the posts that are approved will be from senders who are known and trusted by list moderators. |
| Raw archives | The list type is configured so that raw archives are publicly retrievable via ezmlm email address commands. |
| Web archives | This is usually set to 'Public'. |
Table M.6. Standard configuration for Public Discussion Groups
| Public Discussion Group | |
|---|---|
| Audience | Everyone associated with an organization, including interested members of the general public. |
| Purpose | A wide-open forum for the public and organization representatives to discuss organization projects and related topics. A public forum provides an avenue for public input and involvement in the organization. |
| Subscriptions | People can subscribe directly via ezmlm email address commands. |
| List availability | Public lists should be available on public pages, so set this option to 'Public'. |
| Posting | Everyone is allowed to post directly. Lists of this type will include some spam, since spam filters aren't infallible. |
| Raw archives | Raw archives are publicly retrievable via ezmlm email address commands. |
| Web archives | This is usually set to 'Public'. |
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| Appendix L. Subscriber Types |  |