Paul Hoffman writes

> If you're interested, Eric, I have some experience with Mailman (though 
> not with Listserv) and would be happy if I can -- I have some scripts to 
> do bulk operations (add or remove subscribers, etc.) and could also help 
> to migrate the list archive.

  I find that this is the most important contribution I have seen here
  in this thread.

  I have run Mailman over ten years for NEP

http://nep.repec.org

  I am also running it for NYLUG

http://mail.nylug.org/mailman/listinfo

  It's not just a case of running a box that has Mailman on it.  It's
  also important to have an infrastructure that sends bulk email and
  that is not landing up in spam filters. And it's a matter of
  spam filtering on the list email sending box. The NEP server has a
  sender score

https://www.senderscore.org/

  score of 99/100 last time I looked but you don't get there instantaneously.

  You also need a hoster that is email friendly.

  So the list of tasks as I see it is

1. Find a sponsor for a dedicated root server, have them pay for the
   server.  You can get a server for about $50 a month.

2. Decide on a domain and set up access for server admin
   to domain records, including SPF and DKIM.

3. Set up the server with linux.

4. Set email software (exim or postfix or ...) and mailman or sympa, as
   well as say spam assassin. 

5. Migrate members and email archives.

  For somebody who knows what (s)he is doing 2-4 is not a big deal
  but it needs a few hours of work and a commitment to some maintenance.
  5 is the job that dwarfs everything else. But if Paul is volunteering
  (or could be sponsored) to lead that forward then you have a realistic
  case to run it on a community and open-source base. 

-- 

  Cheers,

  Thomas Krichel                  http://openlib.org/home/krichel
                                              skype:thomaskrichel