Tech: mail servers other than Mailchimp

Subject: RE: Tech: mail servers other than Mailchimp
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 15 Apr 16 - 10:15 PM

I run 2 lists.

The oldest list (2005?) is on Yahoo, the newer one on google.

I have a template email with the Yahoo group as the To address & add new members in the BCC field. I was having a lot of trouble adding new addresses several years ago, so I gave up & now have 60 bcc addresses. Maybe it is easier today ...

We have been planning to move the list to mailchimp, but I'm glad nothing has happened so far.

The Google list is much easier to manage as I can Directly Add members.

sandra

Subject: RE: Tech: mail servers other than Mailchimp
From: FreddyHeadey
Date: 15 Apr 16 - 07:53 PM

I don't know anything about how it works....
Our walking group uses 'Google Groups'

https://support.google.com/groups/answer/46601?hl=en

Subject: RE: Tech: mail servers other than Mailchimp
From: Jack Campin
Date: 15 Apr 16 - 07:14 PM

I wouldn't be the list owner. I'm asking for a couple of less knowledgeable people, neither of whom will have the sort of system you could install PHPlist on.

The problem with redirect links is that they exist at all. A recipient has no way to tell the difference between harmless and malicious ones; getting people into the habit of clicking on links they don't understand is an absolutely terrible idea.

Subject: RE: Tech: mail servers other than Mailchimp
From: dick.hamlet
Date: 15 Apr 16 - 07:06 PM

The Portland (OR) Folklore Society has long used PHPlist, which
is a free open-source service. It's very good with bounces and
features, but I think it does route links through somewhere to
clock who uses them. That supports a feature where the list owners
can learn who opened the mail. Since you would be the list owner,
you don't have to make any pernicious use of this feature.

PHPlist has a database that we have integrated with our membership
and Singtime Frolics weekend registration -- this wouldn't be possible
with a proprietary service.

Subject: RE: Tech: mail servers other than Mailchimp
From: Jack Campin
Date: 14 Apr 16 - 08:02 PM

You need to have an account with a service that runs LISTSERV, though. If you're not at an academic institution that could be difficult. Same goes for majordomo, which is a bit more flexible.

Isn't there some tentacle of Google, Apple or Microsoft that supports this?

Subject: RE: Tech: mail servers other than Mailchimp
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Apr 16 - 07:57 PM

My university has the listserv software in place and we run most of our bulk mailings through that. I found it quite easy to use once I learned how to use it. After a reorganization someone else was given that part of my job and couldn't be bothered to learn how to use it. She switched to the for-fee "EMMA" software and a friend who has to use that now says it's a pain in the ass, at least for formatting. I don't notice it changing the URLs in links or mail.

Subject: Tech: mail servers other than Mailchimp
From: Jack Campin
Date: 14 Apr 16 - 06:57 PM

Quite a few music organizations use Mailchimp for their contact list.

It's foully antisocial. All URLs in the outgoing email are faked so that when you click on them, you don't go to the link you think you're going to - you get redirected through a tracking site. Understandably, many mail filtering services will diagnose emails like that as malicious (it's exactly what fake-Paypal phishing fraudsters do).

What mailing list managers are there that don't ever do that, or allow their users to do it?