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Diffstat (limited to 'src/mailman/queue/docs/OVERVIEW.txt')
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diff --git a/src/mailman/queue/docs/OVERVIEW.txt b/src/mailman/queue/docs/OVERVIEW.txt new file mode 100644 index 000000000..643fa8a5c --- /dev/null +++ b/src/mailman/queue/docs/OVERVIEW.txt @@ -0,0 +1,78 @@ +Alias overview +============== + +A typical Mailman list exposes nine aliases which point to seven different +wrapped scripts. E.g. for a list named `mylist', you'd have: + + mylist-bounces -> bounces + mylist-confirm -> confirm + mylist-join -> join (-subscribe is an alias) + mylist-leave -> leave (-unsubscribe is an alias) + mylist-owner -> owner + mylist -> post + mylist-request -> request + +-request, -join, and -leave are a robot addresses; their sole purpose is to +process emailed commands, although the latter two are hardcoded to +subscription and unsubscription requests. -bounces is the automated bounce +processor, and all messages to list members have their return address set to +-bounces. If the bounce processor fails to extract a bouncing member address, +it can optionally forward the message on to the list owners. + +-owner is for reaching a human operator with minimal list interaction (i.e. no +bounce processing). -confirm is another robot address which processes replies +to VERP-like confirmation notices. + +So delivery flow of messages look like this: + + joerandom ---> mylist ---> list members + | | + | |[bounces] + | mylist-bounces <---+ <-------------------------------+ + | | | + | +--->[internal bounce processing] | + | ^ | | + | | | [bounce found] | + | [bounces *] +--->[register and discard] | + | | | | | + | | | |[*] | + | [list owners] |[no bounce found] | | + | ^ | | | + | | | | | + +-------> mylist-owner <--------+ | | + | | | + | data/owner-bounces.mbox <--[site list] <---+ | + | | + +-------> mylist-join--+ | + | | | + +------> mylist-leave--+ | + | | | + | v | + +-------> mylist-request | + | | | + | +---> [command processor] | + | | | + +-----> mylist-confirm ----> +---> joerandom | + | | + |[bounces] | + +----------------------+ + +A person can send an email to the list address (for posting), the -owner +address (to reach the human operator), or the -confirm, -join, -leave, and +-request mailbots. Message to the list address are then forwarded on to the +list membership, with bounces directed to the -bounces address. + +[*] Messages sent to the -owner address are forwarded on to the list +owner/moderators. All -owner destined messages have their bounces directed to +the site list -bounces address, regardless of whether a human sent the message +or the message was crafted internally. The intention here is that the site +owners want to be notified when one of their list owners' addresses starts +bouncing (yes, the will be automated in a future release). + +Any messages to site owners has their bounces directed to a special +"loop-killer" address, which just dumps the message into +data/owners-bounces.mbox. + +Finally, message to any of the mailbots causes the requested action to be +performed. Results notifications are sent to the author of the message, which +all bounces pointing back to the -bounces address. |