Working with macTALK using
automated email commands...

Besides using the website for changing your macTALK options, certain things can also be done via an automated process of email commands.

As this involves you writing emails to the robot which runs macTALK, and it acting on what you tell it, you can imagine that only certain commands are understandable by the software and that syntax is pretty important! Below is a list of what can be done, and how to do it. Just about everything here can also be done via the website, so don't think you have to learn all this stuff!

Note: In the following commands, the words between square brackets are optional, and the words between chevrons are to be replaced by your input (for example: enter your email address in place of the word <ADDRESS> but do not type either the brackets or the chevrons. Where words are separated by a hyphen, this denotes an alternative option (for example: <digest-nodigest> is where you may choose to elect to subscribe to the digest version, or to the ordinary email version, and you should enter only the one option.
 

Subscribe to macTALK...

Email to:
macTALK-request@mactalk.org.uk

Subject:
subscribe [<PASSWORD>] [digest-nodigest] [address=<ADDRESS>]

Message:
(No message is necessary)

If you do not enter a password, one will be generated for you, as is advisable, and you only really need to enter your email address if you are emailing from a different address from the one you wish to subscribe.

Alternatively, you can also subscribe by simply sending a blank email to:
macTALK-subscribe@mactalk.org.uk  or
macTALK-join@mactalk.org.uk

In either case, you will need to reply to the confirmation email which will be sent to you before the process can complete.

Unsubscribe from macTALK...

Email to:
macTALK-request@mactalk.org.uk

Subject:
unsubscribe [<PASSWORD>] [address=<ADDRESS>]

Message:
(No message is necessary)

If you enter a password, it must match your macTALK password for immediate unsubscription. If you do not enter one, an email will be sent to you for confirmation which you must reply to. You only really need to enter your email address if you are emailing from a different address from the one you wish to unsubscribe.

Alternatively, you can also unsubscribe by simply sending a blank email to:
macTALK-unsubscribe@mactalk.org.uk  or
macTALK-leave@mactalk.org.uk

In this case, you will need to reply to the confirmation email which will be sent to you before the process can complete.

Password reminder for macTALK...

Email to:
macTALK-request@mactalk.org.uk

Subject:
password [address=<ADDRESS>]

Message:
(No message is necessary)

You only really need to enter your email address if you are emailing from a different address from the one at which you are subscribed.

Change your macTALK password...

Email to:
macTALK-request@mactalk.org.uk

Subject:
password <OLDPASSWORD> <NEWPASSWORD> [address=<ADDRESS>]

Message:
(No message is necessary)

You only really need to enter your email address if you are emailing from a different address from the one at which you are subscribed.

Who is on the macTALK mailing list?...

Email to:
macTALK-request@mactalk.org.uk

Subject:
who <PASSWORD> [address=<ADDRESS>]

Message:
(No message is necessary)

You MUST supply your password, as the list of subscribers is only available to other macTALK members. You only really need to enter your email address if you are emailing from a different address from the one at which you are subscribed.

See a list of your current macTALK option settings...

Email to:
macTALK-request@mactalk.org.uk

Subject:
set show [address=<ADDRESS>]

Message:
(No message is necessary)

You only really need to enter your email address if you are emailing from a different address from the one at which you are subscribed, but the list will be emailed ONLY to the subscribed address.

Help with changing your macTALK option settings...

Email to:
macTALK-request@mactalk.org.uk

Subject:
set help

Message:
(No message is necessary)

You will receive a help message describing the email commands needed to change the various option settings (as detailed here).

To change any of your macTALK option settings...

Email to:
macTALK-request@mactalk.org.uk

Subject:
(No message is necessary)

Message:
set authenticate <PASSWORD> [address=<ADDRESS>]
set <OPTIONSETTING>

These commands have more than one line of 'arguments', so they MUST be carried in the message, rather than the subject line. The first line must ALWAYS be password verification (the "set authenticate" line) and your password MUST be entered. You only really need to enter your email address if you are emailing from a different address from the one at which you are subscribed, but the list will be emailed ONLY to the subscribed address.

The string <OPTIONSETTING> is replaced by the relevant option setting change(s) taken from the following list, without the chevrons...

To receive or cancel an acknowledgement message whenever you post to the macTALK list:
set ack on
set ack off

To change your digest settings (the first one sets digest to "on"):
set digest plain
set digest off

To suspend or resume delivery of macTALK messages (during a holiday, for example):
set delivery off
set delivery on

To receive or not receive your own posts to the macTALK list (no effect on them being included in digest):
set myposts on
set myposts off

To receive or not receive duplicated messages (when your name is explicitly mentioned in the To: or Cc: fields of macTALK messages):
set duplicates on
set duplicates off

To receive or not receive the monthly reminders of your password:
set reminders on
set reminders off

Note that you can change several options at once, using a separate line for each one, and you can check that all the changes have been done by sending another set show email.