diff --git a/CODE-OF-CONDUCT.md b/CODE-OF-CONDUCT.md
index a9601a6..b7be330 100644
--- a/CODE-OF-CONDUCT.md
+++ b/CODE-OF-CONDUCT.md
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ Automated agents, bots, or autonomous AI systems _may not_ independently submit
 
 Contributors may use software tools, including AI-assisted tools, but the submitting contributor _must:_
 - Fully understand the contribution.
-- Be able to explain design and implementation decisions.
+- Be able to explain design and implementation decisions without the use of AI.
 - Accept responsibility for maintenance and correctness.
 
 Project maintainers retain _full discretion_ to accept or reject contributions for any reason consistent with the project's goals,
diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..46b749a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+# Contribution Guidelines for Amsterdam
+
+## Introduction
+
+This document explains how to contribute changes to the Amsterdam project.
+
+## Development Location
+
+While you may have found this project on GitHub or another site, the "source of truth" for the project will always
+reside on [the Erbosoft code hosting site](https://git.erbosoft.com/amy/amsterdam). Serious contributors should
+contact [Amy Bowersox](https://links.inclusiveladyship.com/@amy) for access.
+
+## AI Contribution Policy
+
+As per our [Code of Conduct](CODE-OF-CONDUCT.md), AI contributions are acceptable, but the submitting contributor _must:_
+* Fully understand the contribution.
+* Be able to explain design and implementation decisions without the use of AI.
+* Accept responsibility for maintenance and correctness.
+
+Contributors should indicate AI-generated content in issue and pull request descriptions and comments, specifying which model was used.
+
+Do _not_ use AI to reply to questions about your issue or pull request. The questions are for _you,_ the human, not an AI model.
+
+All project contributions must be submitted by _identifiable human participants_ who accept full responibility for their content.
+Automated agents, bots, or autonomous AI systems _may not_ independently submit issues, pull requests, or other contributions.
+
+Project maintainers retain _full discretion_ to close pull requests and issues that appear to be low-quality AI-generated content.
+While we welcome new contributors, we want to see those that will engage constructively with the review process, rather than deferring
+to AI.
diff --git a/MAINTAINERS b/MAINTAINERS
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..032fae1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/MAINTAINERS
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Amy G. Bowersox <amy@erbosoft.com> (amysox)
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 358297a..492e2d4 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ You will need a MySQL database to store Amsterdam data. Create a new empty datab
 MySQL server, use that.)
 
 Ensure a user in your database is granted SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, and DELETE privileges to all tables in your new database.
+This is the user that you will configure Amsterdam to use.
 
 The database may be specified to Amsterdam with the following command line options or environment variables:
 
@@ -84,3 +85,45 @@ Amsterdam also requires access to a local SMTP server, as it sends out E-mail me
 password reminders, subscribed posts, and messages from conference or community hosts.  It may be specified to Amsterdam
 with the following command line options or environment variables:
 
+* Host name: Command line options `-m` or `--mail-host`, or environment variable `AMSTERDAM_MAIL_HOST`
+* Port number: Command line options `-o` or `--mail-port`, or environment variable `AMSTERDAM_MAIL_PORT`
+* TLS option ("none" or "starttls"): `-S` or `--mail-tls`, or environment variable `AMSTERDAM_MAIL_TLS`
+* Authentication type ("none" or "plain"): `-a` or `--mail-authtype`, or environment variable `AMSTERDAM_MAIL_AUTHTYPE`
+* User name: Command line options `-U` or `--mail-user`, or environment variable `AMSTERDAM_MAIL_USER`
+* Password: Command line options `-W` or `--mail-password`, or environment variable `AMSTERDAM_MAIL_PASSWORD`
+
+All these options may also be specified via the configuration file (see below).
+
+By default, Amsterdam sends log messages to stdout. You can change the log level for Amsterdam with the `-L` or `--level`
+options on the command line, or the `AMSTERDAM_LOG_LEVEL` environment variable. Valid values are "trace" (most detailed),
+"debug", "info", "warn", "error", "fatal", and "panic" (least detailed).
+
+Connect to Amsterdam on port 1323 by default.  You can change this with the `-l` or `--listen` options on the
+command line, or with the `AMSTERDAM_LISTEN` environment variable.  Listening addresses are specified as "host:port",
+or just ":port" to listen on all interfaces.
+
+By default, Amsterdam runs in debug mode. You can put it in "production" mode by using the `-P` or `--production`
+options on the command line, or by setting the `AMSTERDAM_PROD` environment variable.
+
+### The Amsterdam Configuration File
+
+At startup, Amsterdam looks for the configuration file `amsterdam.yaml` in various directories by host OS:
+
+* Unix/Linux: `/usr/local/etc/amsterdam`, `/etc/amsterdam`, `/etc/xdg/amsterdam`
+* macOS: `/usr/local/etc/amsterdam`, `/Library/Application Support/Amsterdam`
+* Windows: `%PROGRAMDATA%\amsterdam`
+
+You can also specify Amsterdam's configuration file by using the `-C` or `--config` options on the command line,
+or with the `AMSTERDAM_CONFIG` environment variable.
+
+The exact format of the configuration file is shown in the `config/default.yaml` file. When creating an Amsterdam
+configuration file, you do not have to specify options for which you do not with to change the default.
+
+## Contributing
+
+See the [Contributors' Guide](CONTRIBUTING.md) for details.
+
+## License
+
+This project is licensed under [the Mozilla Public License, Version 2.0](LICENSE.md).
+
diff --git a/config/config.go b/config/config.go
index 4e20245..fa1b0fe 100644
--- a/config/config.go
+++ b/config/config.go
@@ -45,8 +45,14 @@ type AmCLI struct {
 	Debug            bool   `arg:"-D,--debug,env:AMSTERDAM_DEBUG" help:"Force Amsterdam to run in debug mode."`
 	LogLevel         string `arg:"-L,--level,--loglevel,env:AMSTERDAM_LOG_LEVEL" help:"Set the log level for the server."`
 	Production       bool   `arg:"-P,--production,env:AMSTERDAM_PROD" help:"Force Amsterdam to run in production mode."`
+	MailTLS          string `arg:"-S,--mail-tls,env:AMSTERDAM_MAIL_TLS" help:"The TLS setting for mail connections ('none' or 'starttls')"`
+	MailUser         string `arg:"-U,--mail-user,env:AMSTERDAM_MAIL_USER" help:"User name to use with the mail server"`
+	MailPassword     string `arg:"-W,--mail-password,env:AMSTERDAM_MAIL_PASSWORD" help:"Password to use with the mail server"`
+	MailAuthType     string `arg:"-a,--mail-authtype,env:AMSTERDAM_MAIL_AUTHTYPE" help:"The SMTP authentication type ('none' or 'plain')"`
 	DatabaseName     string `arg:"-d,--database-name,env:AMSTERDAM_DATABASE_NAME" help:"Database name to use on the database server."`
 	Listen           string `arg:"-l,--listen,env:AMSTERDAM_LISTEN" help:"The local address and port for Amsterdam to listen on."`
+	MailHost         string `arg:"-m,--mail-host,env:AMSTERDAM_MAIL_HOST" help:"The SMTP mail host to use to send messages."`
+	MailPort         int    `arg:"-o,--mail-port,env:AMSTERDAM_MAIL_PORT" help:"The SMTP port to connect to."`
 	DatabasePassword string `arg:"-p,--database-password,env:AMSTERDAM_DATABASE_PASSWORD" help:"Password for the database server."`
 	DatabaseHost     string `arg:"-t,--database-host,env:AMSTERDAM_DATABASE_HOST" help:"Hostname for the database server."`
 	DatabaseUser     string `arg:"-u,--database-user,env:AMSTERDAM_DATABASE_USER" help:"User name for the database server."`
@@ -201,6 +207,12 @@ type AmConfigComputed struct {
 	DatabaseUser     string          // user name for database
 	DatabasePassword string          // password for database
 	DatabaseName     string          // database name
+	MailHost         string          // SMTP host
+	MailPort         int             // SMTP port
+	MailTLS          string          // SMTP TLS setting
+	MailAuthType     string          // SMTP auth type
+	MailUser         string          // SMTP user name
+	MailPassword     string          // SMTP password
 	UploadMaxSize    int32           // maximum upload size in bytes
 	UploadNoCompress map[string]bool // which upload types are not compressed?
 }
@@ -377,6 +389,12 @@ func SetupConfig() {
 	GlobalComputedConfig.DatabaseUser = util.IIF(CommandLine.DatabaseUser != "", CommandLine.DatabaseUser, GlobalConfig.Database.User)
 	GlobalComputedConfig.DatabasePassword = util.IIF(CommandLine.DatabasePassword != "", CommandLine.DatabasePassword, GlobalConfig.Database.Password)
 	GlobalComputedConfig.DatabaseName = util.IIF(CommandLine.DatabaseName != "", CommandLine.DatabaseName, GlobalConfig.Database.DatabaseName)
+	GlobalComputedConfig.MailHost = util.IIF(CommandLine.MailHost != "", CommandLine.MailHost, GlobalConfig.Email.Host)
+	GlobalComputedConfig.MailPort = util.IIF(CommandLine.MailPort != 0, CommandLine.MailPort, GlobalConfig.Email.Port)
+	GlobalComputedConfig.MailTLS = util.IIF(CommandLine.MailTLS != "", CommandLine.MailTLS, GlobalConfig.Email.Tls)
+	GlobalComputedConfig.MailAuthType = util.IIF(CommandLine.MailAuthType != "", CommandLine.MailAuthType, GlobalConfig.Email.AuthType)
+	GlobalComputedConfig.MailUser = util.IIF(CommandLine.MailUser != "", CommandLine.MailUser, GlobalConfig.Email.User)
+	GlobalComputedConfig.MailPassword = util.IIF(CommandLine.MailPassword != "", CommandLine.MailPassword, GlobalConfig.Email.Password)
 	tmp, err := humanize.ParseBytes(GlobalConfig.Posting.Uploads.MaxSize)
 	if err != nil {
 		panic(err.Error())
diff --git a/email/sender.go b/email/sender.go
index 71b524d..7522ff0 100644
--- a/email/sender.go
+++ b/email/sender.go
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ func transmitMessage(m *amMessage, body []byte) {
 		defer cl.Close()
 		me, _ := os.Hostname()
 		if err = cl.Hello(me); err == nil {
-			if config.GlobalConfig.Email.Tls == "starttls" {
+			if config.GlobalComputedConfig.MailTLS == "starttls" {
 				if ok, _ := cl.Extension("STARTTLS"); ok {
 					err = cl.StartTLS(nil)
 				} else {
@@ -195,15 +195,15 @@ var sendChan chan *amMessage
 // SetupMailSender starts the mail-sending goroutine.
 func SetupMailSender() func() {
 	// Initialize mail host and authentication.
-	mailHost = fmt.Sprintf("%s:%d", config.GlobalConfig.Email.Host, config.GlobalConfig.Email.Port)
-	switch config.GlobalConfig.Email.AuthType {
+	mailHost = fmt.Sprintf("%s:%d", config.GlobalComputedConfig.MailHost, config.GlobalComputedConfig.MailPort)
+	switch config.GlobalComputedConfig.MailAuthType {
 	case "none":
 		auth = nil
 	case "plain":
-		auth = smtp.PlainAuth("", config.GlobalConfig.Email.User, config.GlobalConfig.Email.Password,
-			config.GlobalConfig.Email.Host)
+		auth = smtp.PlainAuth("", config.GlobalComputedConfig.MailUser, config.GlobalComputedConfig.MailPassword,
+			config.GlobalComputedConfig.MailHost)
 	default:
-		panic("Unknown auth type: " + config.GlobalConfig.Email.AuthType)
+		panic("Unknown auth type: " + config.GlobalComputedConfig.MailAuthType)
 	}
 
 	// Split the configured disclaimer and signature.