At one point (probably up to version 4.3) it seemed like the Message Board, when its mailing list / listserv feature was turned on, could receive emails directly, and then post them. So if a user subscribed to a message board category, he/she could reply to emails that were posts to the m.b., and then have those email replies become posts as well.
The m.b. didn't have to go check an email account on some other mail server. It seemed like they were created automatically by Liferay (using some kind of email account naming convention, maybe via a package called subetha where Liferay itself acted as an MTA of sorts, listening on port 25 or 48625). This seemed to be documented here:
http://www.liferay.com/web/guest/community/wiki/-/wiki/Main/Mailing+Functionality+in+Liferay+Message+Boards
As of 5.2, it seems like this functionality is gone. Although we might be mis-reading it, page 136 of the Liferay Portal Administrator's Guide (3rd ed. for 5.2) and our attempts to figure this out, seem to indicate that, currently, the message board acts more like an MUA. So the m.b. has to go out and check on a pre-existing email account on some separately running MTA (using POP or IMAP). Email messages that are received by that email account then get posted to the m.b.
This isn't as ideal as the functionality that seemed to have been there before because it seems like you have to set up an new email account by hand every time you set up a message board category with this mailing list feature.
1. Is our assessment of the current situation accurate?
2. Is there a particular reason the former functionality was removed (couldn't find the old release notes to check)?
3. Is it coming back?
Thanks very much for any help on this.
- Steve
