I need a good piece of mailing list software to run on a Unix box. It
must have these features:

1. Easy to operate an annoucement-only list (not too hard to configure
as annoucement-only)
2. Intelligent handling of bounced messages
3. Totally easy web interface OR email-based interface-- a way for
admins to directly subscribe someone to the list, etc. It can be
email-based since I can write a PHP front-end to generate emails with
subscribe commands, etc to go to the software.
4. Not incredibly difficult to install or adminstrate.
5. Cheap or free (open source) - plenty of those out there!

I'm helping a client get this set up and they do not have tech-savvy
folks on staff. So once it's installed on their server, I don't want
to have to work with it again and they shouldn't need to fuss with it
much either.

thanks,
Eric

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Clarification of Question by pnoeric-ga on 11 Nov 2002 17:47 PST

Ah, one more important criteria: I'd like a way to have subgroups
within the master mailing list. For example, when people sign up, they
might choose "Text only" or "HTML" for email format, and then they
might say they're with group A, B and/or C. So I need a tool that will
let me say "I want to send a message to people in groups B and C who
can accept HTML emails." This may end up breaking down as a bunch of
different mailing lists, which would be ok, but a little complicated.
It's more like I need one master list with a "sub-list" option, for
subscribing and unsubscribing. I think Mailman has a feature to do
this called master/umbrella lists. Would that work for me?

I recommend GNU Mailman, based on direct experience. 
In response to your specific concerns:

> 1. Easy to operate an annoucement-only list (not too hard to configure
> as annoucement-only)

See the following message explaining a straightforward
way to set this up:

http://mail.python.org/pipermail/mailman-developers/1999-May/005637.html

> 2. Intelligent handling of bounced messages 

GNU mailman has built-in support for bounce handling, including the
ability to automatically disable mail to chronic bouncers. 

> 3. Totally easy web interface OR email-based interface-- a way for 
> admins to directly subscribe someone to the list, etc. It can be 
> email-based since I can write a PHP front-end to generate emails with 
> subscribe commands, etc to go to the software. 

Mailman sets up a straightforward web interface. The host creates lists
using a simple shell command, and specifies the address of the moderator
at that time. Moderators can then log into the web interface and
administer the list fully. I have been able to create lists for
third parties and pretty much forget about it.

> 4. Not incredibly difficult to install or adminstrate. 

I was able to install the software in about an hour. My experience
level is fairly high, but what is more significant is that I have
not had to touch it again since the initial installation.

> 5. Cheap or free (open source) - plenty of those out there!

GNU mailman is of course GPL (free and open source).

Thanks for the opportunity to answer your question! If you 
encounter any major bumps on the road feel free to request
clarification.

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Clarification of Answer by majortom-ga on 11 Nov 2002 18:24 PST

Regarding the issue of master/umbrella lists and subgroups of people:

One can create multiple mailing lists, and then create a list to which
the lists themselves are subscribed, for those situations in which
mail to all of the people *is* desired (the motivation for the request,
I'm sure). Mailman expedites this by providing an option to send
password reminders and the like to the moderators of the sub-lists 
rather than to the lists themselves. This is the necessary "glue"
to make such a setup work properly and securely.