You can administer your ListMailPRO lists and emails from nearly any computer that has web access.
- Operating System – The system can be running Windows, Mac, or a Linux GUI.
- FTP Client – A program to connect to your web host and transfer files. (required)
- Text Editor – A program, like Notepad, to edit simple text files. (required)
- Internet Explorer or FireFox (highly recommended)
Web Host Requirements
ListMailPRO doesn't need much more than a reliable, supportive, web host to run properly. It will run on both shared and dedicated servers. The following are the minimum and recommended requirements for installing and running ListMailPRO.
- Operating System – Linux is recommended but ListMailPRO will also run on a Windows or Mac host, providing they support PHP and MySQL.
- PHP/MySQL – Your web hosting plan should specifically indicate whether or not your site supports PHP scripting and MySQL databases. (required)
- SMTP Server – Your host should allow you to connect to and send email from their server. (highly recommended)
- "Cron" Task Scheduler – Scheduled programs set to run (linux-only). If these are not available, or you are on a Windows-based system, you can run a task from your admin system. (highly recommended)
- Email Aliases – Required to forward email to CGI scripts for on-the-fly bounced message processing and signup by blank email. (highly recommended)
Windows Servers
Although ListMailPRO runs best on linux-based servers, it can run on Windows as long as your server has PHP and MySQL. There are some limitations, however. The scheduled task must be executed from your own computer. The bounced message processing via CGI script will likely not be possible and, similarily, blank email subscribe will not be possible. This is because ListMailPRO makes use of a command-line utility to grab web pages (/usr/bin/wget). Also, backups of the database must be done manually with PhpMyAdmin, as the backup process uses the MySQL command-line utilities only found on linux servers.
Additional Notes
There is no limit to the number of users you can have for a list, however server performance starts becoming an issue when you have extremely large numbers of users. Sometimes, tweaks are necessary to get things running smoothly. If you have a smaller list, under 30,000, you should have few performance problems even in a shared hosting environment. If you have a list with more users it is recommended to obtain a dedicated server.
It is *always* recommended that you ask your host if they have limitations on the amount of email you can send. Some hosts restrict the number of emails you can send on a per hour or per day basis, which is not at all optimal for ListMailPRO. You need a host with no limitations on email.
Need a Web Host?
View our list of email web hosts and server providers.
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