1 Overview
1.1 Introduction
FML is a package of mailing list server and utility programs. It
consists of perl scripts. It has been developed, tested and advanced
in Japan from 1993 to 1998. FML contains
distributer (filter program which passes articles to MTA to deliver)
command server for users
command interface for general user
command interface for remote administration
listserv/majordomo style interface (emulation)
digest server
CUI installer and configuration program
other utility programs
FML design policy is based on the degree of freedom, so that I respect
"each environment for each man/women".
I assume that ML is a private communication so that the default fml
policy is manual edit: "you add a new member in hand, only members can
post and use commands". If you want to use extended functions,
e.g. remote administration, you need to EXPLICITLY modify the ML
configuration file (config.ph). One configuration file controls one
ML, so each ML can have each policy. CUI "makefml" provides a method
to customize basic functions. Advanced configuration needs the manual
edit of config.ph.
1.2 Environment you need in installation of fml
FML fundamentally needs
a UNIX account
perl (4 or 5, at least after 4.019?)
MTA (e.g. sendmail,qmail,exim,...).
See INSTALL for more details on installation.
See INSTALL_on_NT4 for fml on Windows NT4.
See INSTALL_with_QMAIL when you use fml with qmail.
If you use an ISP service, you must require e.g. a shell account. You
should consult with ISP you use for details of computer environments.
ML is a filtering process, so it consists of
1 2
sender(post an article) -> MTA -> fml -> MTA (to deliver the article)
1. process receives an incoming mail and kicks a fml process off
2. delivery process which process understands SMTP
The delivery (MTA 2) and kick-off (MTA 1) processes can be essentially
different ones. FML runs on the host which receives mail submitted
to ML. MTA 2 (delivery system) can run on another hosts other than MTA
1. Plural MTA's for delivery are available to accelerate it.
1.3 Source codes and the latest information
[Sources]
You can obtain fml sources at the URL
ftp://ftp.iij.ad.jp/pub/IIJ/dist/fukachan/fml/
Please get the latest one, which is called fml-current. You'll find
fml-current, official released and other mail related sources at the
URL. The latest one is
ftp://ftp.iij.ad.jp/pub/IIJ/dist/fukachan/fml/fml-current.tar.gz
[Documents]
When you expand the fml source, you will find several documents under
doc/ and html documents under doc/html/.
The HOME PAGE of the Fml is
http://www.fml.org/
You can obtain the latest (fml-)current documents and sources here.
You could see the latest topics on fml-users mailing lists or fml home
pages. This site provides the search engine over fml distribution
documents.
1.4 FML Advisories
FML Advisories are a series of documents to advice some kinds of
current topics, for example, happy99, Melissa ...
http://www.fml.org/fml/advisories/
1.5 Mailing Lists
Despite of my efforts, errors are inevitable. (Especially documents
must have a lot of English translation errors ;-) Please send me or ML
your corrections, comments, and suggestions. I set up the following ML
for it
fml-users@ffs.fml.org (Language is English)
# FYI: fml-support@ffs.fml.org (Language is Japanese)
To join fml-users, send the following phrase in the mail body
subscribe your-name (e.g. subscribe Anne Shirley)
to the address <fml-users-ctl@ffs.fml.org>. You will receive a
confirmation of your will to join this. Please reply and send it back
to <fml-users-ctl@ffs.fml.org>. This confirmation is against
subscription spoofing attacks.
It must be useful to search documents if you have a question. Please
try to search documents under doc/ in the distribution package or try
to use http://www.fml.org/ search engine. It is the first step to
solve your questions.
If you ask me or mailing lists, please check and report your
environment following doc/CHECK_LIST.en before you ask me or mailing
lists.
If you want to contact only the author, please send e-mail to the
address <fml-bugs@ffs.fml.org>.
1.6 fml-FAQ project
1.6 fml FAQ
A project to create fml FAQ runs in JWNTUG ntfml-wg. If you have
questions or answers on some topics, please click here
http://www.jwntug.or.jp/wg/ntfml/faq/announce.html
[NEXT CHAPTER]
Copyright (C) 1993-1999 Ken'ichi Fukamachi
All rights of this page is reserved.
# This Document(html format) is automatically geneareted by fwix.pl.
# fwix (Formatter of WIX Language) is fml document formatter system
# designed to generate plaintext, html, texinfo and nroff from one file.
#
# Copyright (C) 1993-1999 Ken'ichi Fukamachi
# All rights reserved.
# 1993-1996 fukachan@phys.titech.ac.jp
# 1996-1999 fukachan@sapporo.iij.ad.jp
#
# FML is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
# it under the terms of GNU General Public License.
# See the file COPYING for more details.