Mailing List Digests at Pitt using Majordomo

All lists on list.pitt.edu can have -digest versions. We have yet to make a determination of exactly how much disk space we can devote to any particular list, or what to do when someone has exceeded that point.

There is no web form for digest requests at this time. Just request a digest version of your list by sending an email message to Postmaster.

Overview

Majordomo implements digests as separate lists for subscriptions purposes. That is, if you want to receive each message as it comes in, you subscribe to the "normal" list; if you want to receive a digest version (usually more than one message mailed to you per issue), you subscribe to the listname with "-digest" tacked onto the end. This only works, of course, if the owner(s) of the list has/have requested a digest version of the list:

To: Majordomo@list.pitt.edu

unsubscribe listname
subscribe listname-digest
end

All digest lists will end in -digest.

Currently, the recipients of the digest version of the list will receive the digest when the total size of the messages which have accumulated since the last digest went out reaches a certain number of characters (see "maxlength", below). We are investigating "add-on" mechanisms which might allow regularly-scheduled digests, perhaps each day or each month, etc.

If the List Owner wishes to send out a digest before the accumulated size reaches the "maxlength" threshold, the "mkindex" command will be quite handy:

To: Majordomo@list.pitt.edu

mkindex listname-digest passwd
end

Remember to specify the name of the digest list and its password in the mkindex command.

List Owner Options for Digests

All of these options are in the list configuration for the list, which you can use the config/newconfig commands to update. You don't need to edit any of these unless you wish to change the defaults. If you do want to change them, you must edit these options in the config for the -digest list, not the "normal" one.

digest_maxdays

digest_maxlines

digest_name

digest_volume

digest_issue

digest_volume

maxlength

characters

mkindex

Note that Majordomo uses this option in a different way for non-digest lists.

Majordomo's developers had some other options in mind, but they do not work, so don't try them. They are mentioned here only because it is likely that list owners will see them and want to try to use them. Don't, at least not at this time...

digest_archive

digest_rm_footer

digest_rm_fronter

digest_work_dir

Automatic Archiving of Digests

Majordomo's default digest mechanism makes each issue of each digest available using the index listname and get listname commands, so that the digests also make up a simple archive of your list. Once again, the "listname" referred to by these commands is the -digest list. See the Archive Hints document for more important information about access to your messages by non-subscribers.

Managed Mailing Lists at Pitt

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