List Migration FAQ’s

Introduction:

This page contains common questions and answers about the move of the mailing lists to the new list management system, Mailman. Answers to other commonly asked questions can be found in archives of the ListOwners list:

http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/Listowners/

If you haven’t already, please review the Mailman Admin tutorial to learn about the new list tools and settings:

http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/mailman_admin_tutorial.pdf (PDF version)
http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/mailman_admin_tutorial.pdf (HTML version)

These FAQ’s will be updated periodically, so please check back for new questions and answers.

Mailman Admin Tutorial Questions:

I opened the tutorial and all I see is a blank page. What is happening?

The Tutorial is in .pdf format and it may take a little bit of time to download completely. Wait for a few minutes and it should begin to appear.

List Admin Tools Questions:

How can I view all subscribers to my list?

To view all list subscribers, please click on the “Membership Management” link located in the upper-left of your Admin Tools pages.

Why can’t I see all list subscribers at once?

If your list has more than 100 subscribers, the subscriber’s addresses will be broken down alphabetically by first letter of the email address. Use the linked alphabet to navigate the list. Additionally, you can search for a full or partial email address using the “Find Member” search box. Please see pgs. 8-11 of the tutorial for more details.

Message Board / Mailing List Gateway Questions:

Why are gatewayed message board messages going to my Pending Requests area?

Until the updated message boards launch, gatewayed messages will be sent to the “pending requests’ area for admin review. To send them on to the list select “Accept” and click the “Submit All Data” button at the bottom of the page. If the message board post is spam, select “Discard” and click the “Submit All Data” button to delete it.

What will happen to the Gateway after the updated message boards launch?

After the updated message boards launch, gatewayed messages will come from the email address boards@ancestry.com instead of gc-gateway@rootsweb.com. The new email address will be added to a global “accept” list that will automatically allow any message from that address to be posted to the list. You will not need to take any special action for board messages to be delivered to the list.

Digest Delivery Questions:

What is the difference between “MIME” and “Plain” digests?

Plain digests are sent to users with all posts listed in one long email. For most subscribers, MIME digests will appear with all posts as individual attachments. The default digest delivery is Plain.

One of my list subscribers wants their digest to appear with all posts as individual attachments. What should I do?

If a list subscriber emails you and requests that their digest be delivered with all posts appearing as individual attachments, they most likely want to be switched from “Plain” digest delivery (the default) to MIME digest delivery.

To do this, find their name in Membership Management and uncheck the “Plain” box next to their email address.