Re: What platform do you use for this community list server?

On Tue, Sep 5, 2023 at 9:16 PM steve capell <steve.capell@gmail.com> wrote:

> Slightly left field question.  I’m looking for a simple email list service
> where
>
>    - Anyone can apply to join the list without creating new accounts (so
>    not google groups)
>    - One or more moderates allow new list members.  They can have any
>    email address
>    - Anyone in the group can post to the group and can see the
>    conversations in the group.
>
> This seems surprisingly hard to find. All my searches come back with email
> marketing platforms like mail chimp which is a way to broadcast spam not a
> way for community members to collaborate as peers. I thought google groups
> would do nicely but, although it allows members to bring their own email
> address, they still have to create a google account - which is an
> unreasonable ask for someone that just wants to join a mailing list and not
> create new accounts on platforms.
>
> I’m old enough to remember the early days of the web when email list
> servers were everywhere.  Just like this CCG list manager….
>
> Any hints?
>

I’ve been hunting around for a while for the same, tried a few services and
some newer self-hosted tools. But no luck.

Unfortunately, as smtp has become re-centralized by the powers-that-be (in
particular Google, Apple, Microsoft) the self-hosted solutions are largely
dead. Basically any self-hosted lists will be over-filtered as spam unless
you regularly go through hoops (and again, and again). Sometimes your mails
aren’t even marked as spam, just silently filtered as “not important”.

Instead you need to find a paid service who will go through the hoops. As
you noted, even those are more focused on other business models
(newsletters and marketing) rather than community support. Or email is a
barely working feature of their web service.

We tried Google lists (which were decent for a while) and they have become
terrible even if you accept their requirements.

Let me know if you find something I missed.

— Christopher Allen

>