Developers of Sympa

[Olivier Salaün - CRU <address@concealed>]

Hi Adam,

Very interesting... My comments on your modifications :
(I moved this discussion to sympa-dev ML)
(I assume you are able to send us individual patches for these modifications ; if not, let us know)

General functionality changes:

• wwsympa.fcgi, message_footer.tpl (new): Added default footer for new lists Gwenaelle Bouteille is currently working on moving every service message in templates. This feature could be added....
  
• wwsympa.fcgi, review.tpl: Added do_download() command to export subscriber list to file. Interesting feature ; please send a patch...
• wwsympa.fcgi, add_request.tpl: Added do_upload() command to import subscriber list from file. Interesting feature ; please send a patch...
• wwsympa.fcgi: Addition of "sort by title" (ie. description) to Filesharing. It appears that the description is no more printed in the list of documents ; it used too much space
  
• wwsympa.fcgi: Default access permissions on all files (not folders) overridden to "owner" -- admins can thus allow general file uploading but prevent mucking with other people's files unless explicitly allowed per-file. Can you send us this patch please....
  
• wwsympa.fcgi, templates: Addition of Invite function to WWSympa. I Think this had already been submitted in Mantis, but please send the patch again...
  
• List.pm, Commands.pm: Added customizable subject lines for confirmation and invitation messages, so they can be more human-readable. We're turning confirmation messages into templates ; we could integrate your customizations in it...
  
• wwsympa.fcgi, List.pm, wwslib.pm, Commands.pm,, textdigest.tpl: Added textdigest mode (but now integrated upstream from Chris Hastie) It has already been added in Sympa 5
  
• List.pm: Added "is_associated" condition to scenario processing, meaning "is_subscriber or is_editor or is_owner", so that a single condition could represent them, to enable inverse checking and separate handling of attachments. We could add this feature, but we'd rather name it 'is_priv'
  
• wwsympa.fcgi: Changed sub/unsub confirmations to use email reply only, from RiseUp's one-line patch. Please explain this change...
• wwsympa.fcgi: Add "enter full name" to subscription request page. Please explain this change...
• wwsympa.fcgi: Fixed do_send() to use gecos full name when posting from the Web (now integrated upstream). This has been integrated.
  
• Numerous bug fixes, some of which integrated upstream, others reported but never acted on, others not reported. Some for the ones we haven't acted on yet ;-)
  

User interface changes:

(Code mods)
We are currently working on a new web User Interface, based on CSS (no more tables). We'll send prototypes in the lists ASAP...

wwsympa.fcgi, which.tpl: Replacement of separate "Your lists" page with integrated box on main page wwsympa.fcgi, wwslib.pm, sympa.pl, NLS (us.msg), send.* scenari, no_posting.tpl, not_subscribed.tpl: Moved rejection message out of NLS and into templates, and split into two cases (no posting vs. not subscribed) Gwenaelle is moving everything into templates. We'll then allow scenarios to return error codes to make templates more adapted to the rejection reasons
NLS (us.msg): Many settings renamed. Please send the patch
wwsympa.fcgi,wwslib.pm, mime.types: Added Excel, PPT, PDF MIME types with icons so they display in Filesharing. Please send the patch
wwsympa.fcgi, help_editlist.tpl: Inline help changed from anchors within single page, to avoid IE's bug around displaying an anchor within a new window (ie. it always shows the top of the page) Never noticed this problem...
Commands.pm: Add "NPOGroups List Manager" in From: line in NLS, hardcode, and all templates I suppose the name of the robot should be customizeable in sympa.conf (similar to the service title in wwsympa.conf). Could you submit a feature request for this in Mantis ?
wwsympa.fcgi: Addition of subtitle to main page. PLease explain...
NLS (us.msg): Misspelling and translation fixes throughout, in templates and NLS. Our English is horrible ; please send us translation fixes...ANYTIME
NLS (us.msg): Changed administrative messages and scenario titles in scenario files, to be more obvious and helpful (but not nearly enough yet). PLease send us this patch
NLS (us.msg): Cookie times changed and extended to 1 year HTTP cookie tend to live during the navigator live only ; for security reasons.
mhonarc ressources: Changed MHonArc settings to black out email addresses, and display full name instead of email in archive listing. PLease send the patch

(Template-only mods)

Rearrangement of elements on all pages for clarity, compactness, visual appeal We might integrate your changes when we have turned into CSS
Addition of clarifying notes to many pages PLease send the patch
Addition of more stats in administrator's info box, with hyperlinks going directly to relevant list settings pages. Can you explain
Admin tools buttons (eg. Settings) always live links, for easier navigation OK
Rewrite of Help pages (help, help_admin, help_editfile, help_user_options) We could integrate these changes
Separation of buttons in top menu bar by whitespace, and reordering Search defaults changed on advanced archive search page We did you change ?
Addition of "reject silent" to moderation message This has been changed in the meanwhile
Elimination of some create_list_templates and changed settings in others Families tend to replace create_list templates
Removal of language selector from all templates (now available only on Prefs page), since mods are only in English Change default and available display page sizes on subscriber listings It is a good idea !
Add message date to listing in threaded archive view Good idea ; please send the patch
Admin menu changes: bounces moved down to subscribers page, buttons on subscribers page changed to look like a sub-menu (that really should be like edit_list sub-menu, which requires making all subscriber functions sub-functions of a "subscribers" command) In the new UI we will probably move list admin menu to the menu on the left hand side

Still to do:

• Add "save login" on login page to set cookie expiration PLease explain
  
• Set webcal password to owner's password, and change when they change?
• Virtualize list names (massive code changes, probably won't happen) What is ti ?
  
• Add group notification of shared file uploads We must add this feature. Add a feature request if you wish.
  
• Add separate privileges for WebCalendar, and solve "flaky cookie" problem, and fix with Safari -- all of which probably means switching to nice SOAP calls instead of my bastardized integration via cookies
• Re-do menus -- maybe replace some with HTML pull-downs or else _javascript_?
• Add "View all users in this domain" feature to Sympa Admin page, preferably with each user's subscriptions listed
• Make Export List use the selected filter/search terms?

For the FAQ/Troubleshooting:

1. Why formatting is lost -- Outlook rich text (bad) vs. HTML (good) PLease explain
   
2. How to create a multipart text/HTML newsletter That's obviously not Sympa's job !
   
3. How to retrieve list of subscribers PLease explain
   
4. How to synchronize with organizational database You can use 'include2' to extract members from a Database. Is it what you meant ?
   
5. How to add form to org's Web page for sub/unsub You could use SOAP...
   
6. How to collect/store add'l info (address, other demographics) from subscribers We think about allowing each list owner to define a set of user attributes, specific to his list. In the meanwhile you can use additional_xx ; check http://www.sympa.org/doc/html/node8.html#SECTION00870000000000000000
   
7. How to allow specific people to post but no one else In Sympa 5 you can define list owners or moderators as the result of an 'include_xxx' : http://www.sympa.org/doc/html/node19.html#SECTION001912000000000000000
   
8. Subscribers not recognized due to cut-and-paste from Access into Import List Please explain
   

Adam Bernstein wrote:

I've restored this piece of code as proposed.
    

This encourages me to try some other patches and tweaks that I've developed -- the more I can get you to integrate
with Sympa, the less work I'll have to do every time I upgrade!
[...]
I'll post it to the bug tracker.  Look for more soon -- and in fact if you want a partial and slightly outdated 
list of the available improvements, see<http://amberbug.org/sympa-changes.html>...
  

-- 
Olivier Salaün
Comité Réseau des Universités
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