System setup

Add a new user called mailman. Typically this is added to your /etc/passwd file. If username mailman'is already in use, choose something else unique and see the --with-ownername flag below.
Add a new group called mailman. Typically this is added to your /etc/group file. The Mailman files will be installed under the mailman group, with the set-group-id bit. Mailman's security is based on group-ownership permissions, so it is important to get this step right. If groupname mailman is already in use, choose something else unique and see the --with-ownergroup below.
Create an installation directory (called $prefix in the documentation that follows). All of the Mailman files will be installed under $prefix. Run configure --help for ways to split the installation up based on read-only vs. read/write files.
The default installation directory for Mailman 2.1 is /usr/local/mailman. It used to be /home/mailman for all versions prior to Mailman 2.1alpha2. You can override the default by using the --prefix option to configure (see below). If you're upgrading from a version previous to Mailman2.1alpha2, you will need to use --prefix unless you move your mailing lists.
Watch out if your site does something like mount /usr/local with the nosuid option. This will break Mailman, which relies on set-gid programs for its security. If this describes your environment, simply install Mailman in a location that allows setgid programs.
Make sure the install directory is set to group mailman (or whatever you're going to specify as --with-ownergroup) and has the setgid bit set (but see README.BSD if you're on a BSD system). You probably also want to guarantee that this directory is readable and executable by everyone. For example, these shell commands will accomplish this:
```
% cd $prefix
% chgrp mailman .
% chmod a+rx,g+ws .
```
You are now ready to configure and install the Mailman software.