Mailman upgrades bring improvements to email list manager

A major overhaul to the email list manager Mailman makes it easier than ever for large groups to communicate about shared interests.

Mailman has been around for more than a decade, but it wasn’t always the easiest tool to use. Administrators, moderators, and subscribers needed to create separate login credentials for each email list they created and managed, and the user interface made it challenging to find many functions. Aggressive spam filters would sometimes block emails from the system or send them to junk folders where list subscribers missed them.

The new version includes numerous improvements, including a modern, streamlined user interface and the ability for Rutgers users to access all their email lists, settings, and archives with a single login using their NetID and password.

“This is a substantial upgrade, one that will make life easier for everyone who uses Mailman,” said Stan Kolasa, director of the Office of Information Technology’s Messaging and Collaboration Services.

With this new version of Mailman, Rutgers list owners and moderators will be able to log in with a NetID and password using the Central Authentication Service (CAS) to review settings, moderate messages, view archives, and perform other Mailman-related tasks for all lists from a single control center. These changes will make it far easier to manage email lists with Mailman and to find and use all of the features Mailman offers.

Other improvements, including options for technical admins to configure special settings and protocols for message deliverability, should ensure that fewer emails sent through Mailman will get blocked, bounced, or placed into spam folders.

List subscribers will also be able to log in to the new version of Mailman with a NetID and password to access all of their lists, making it easier for them to access lists settings and subscribe or unsubscribe from lists.

“We are excited to offer this new version of Mailman to Rutgers,” Kolasa said. “We think the improvements will make it easier than ever for the Rutgers community to connect around shared interests.”