Listservs: Internet Mailing Lists

People that share common interests are inclined to discuss their hobby or interest at every available opportunity. One modern way to aid in this exchange of information is by using a mailing list---usually an email address that redistributes all mail sent to it back out to a list of addresses. There are thousands of mailing lists on an incredible range of topics (current estimate is about 14,000 public lists and 30,000 local lists). To participate in a mailing list, all you need is a basic e-mail account and no special software is required to join a mailing list.

What is a Mailing List (listserv)?

Mailing List (Listserv) Software

Moderated vs. Unmoderated Mailing Lists

Two Types of Addresses for Mailing Lists

Listserv Basic skills

More Useful Listserv Commands

Example of Listserv Commands: h-Africa

Mailing List Etiquette

Listserv Links

What is a Mailing List (listserv)?(top)

Electronic mailing lists - often called "lists" for short - are group discussions or interest groups that use email. A mailing list is simply an e-mail address that redistributes the mail sent to it back out to a list of addresses. To join and participate in a mailing list, you subscribe (send an e-mail message to the computer program managing that list). By subscribing, your e-mail address and name are added to the list and you will then receive a copy of all messages posted to that list. Unlike a Usenet newsgroup, discussions in a mailing list arrive directly in your personal mailbox.

Mailing List (Listserv) Software(top)

Mailing list software handles the requests from the users/subscribers of the mailing list. There are three major mailing list management software programs on the market: Listserv, Listproc, Majordomo, ranging in cost. For example, Listserv (from the company L-Soft ) is currently offering a graduated-charge based on capacity so that, for example, a university might pay $500 per year for a modest system of lists.

Even though most of the real work of administering a list is automated, each mailing list has an administrator assigned to it. To be a list administrator, you will need to have an account on the server running the mailing list software.

Moderated vs. Unmoderated Mailing Lists(top)

Moderated lists have a person(s) who oversees the activity of the list. He/she controls the subscriptions and what messages are distributed to the other subscribers (the moderator may be the same person as the list administrator, or it may be another person). If you send a message to a moderated list, it goes to the moderator, not to everyone on the list. The moderated then forwards your message to the whole list if she/he thinks it is appropriate for the list. If you send a message to an unmoderated list, it goes automatically to everyone subscribed to that list. Some lists are moderated in order to make the subscription more exclusive (restricted to serious participants) and to protect the quality and integrity of a discussion group (moderators often do some basic editing and organizing of messages, as well as protecting the list from inappropriate or unnecessary mail).

Two Types of Addresses for Mailing Lists(top)

When working with mailing lists you will want to make note of the following information:

The name of the list

The name of Computer where the list resides

The type of mailing list program

This information will help you distinguish between the two basic types of addresses for mailing lists. Each mailing list has two addresses. It is important to note the difference between these two types of addresses when dealing with mailing lists. There is an address to which you send your "administrative" requests (to subscribe, unsubscribe, review list, etc.). The administrative address includes the name of the mailing list software program (i.e., Listserv) and the name of the computer where it is installed. 

And there is the address of the discussion itself (the address to use when posting messages to the ongoing group discussion). The address to which you post your e-mail messages includes the name of the list and the name of the computer.

Exercise caution when replying to a message sent by a mailing list. If you wish to respond to the author only, make sure that the only address you're replying to is that person, and not the entire list. Often messages of the sort ``Yes, I agree with you completely!'' will appear on a list, boring the daylights out of the other readers. Likewise, if you explicitly do want to send the message to the whole list, you'll save yourself some time by checking to make sure it's indeed headed to the whole list and not a single person.

Listserv Basic skills(top)

All major mailing lists are managed by a software program (such as Listserv or Majordomo). Each of these commercial programs have their own slightly different look and rules. However, the concept of the basic skills (subscribing, posting, unsubscribing) are similar. We will use Listserv as our example.

 S/unsubscribe

Listserv example: to subscribe to a Listserv list, you send an e-mail message to the administrative address for that list.. You do not have to fill in the Subject: line (Remember, you are not writing to an individual, only to an automated software program). You type a single line containing the word SUBSCRIBE, the name of the list, and your name.

Here is an example - Your name is Jacques Smith and you wish to subscribe to the Listserv list called catlover on the computer at msu.edu:

To: listserv@msu.edu

Subject:

Subscribe catlover Jacques Smith

to post messages

To post a message, you will address a piece of e-mail to the list address, as in the following example:

Subject: Catnip

More Useful Listserv Commands(top)

• Review [list name ]
• SET NO MAIL
• SET DIGESTHELP
• INFO

Example of Listserv Commands: h-Africa(top)

SUBSCRIBING TO H-AFRICA:

To subscribe to H-AFRICA, send a message with no subject and only this text to listserv@h-net.msu.edu:

SUBSCRIBE H-AFRICA Firstname Lastname Affiliation

You will receive a confirmation of your request and a questionnaire with further instructions that you must send back to the listserv. Your
subscription will begin after we process your completed questionnaire.

MANAGING THE MAIL YOU RECEIVE FROM H-AFRICA:

The listserv commands below will help you manage your mail. Those listed in (a), (b), and (c) should be sent to listserv@h-net.msu.edu.

(a) To end your subscription, send this command to listserv@h-net.msu.edu with no subject and only this text:

UNSUB H-AFRICA

Be sure to fill in the email address you are currently enrolled under. The listserv will not process your command if the address in this message does
not match your H-AFRICA subscription address. Please unsubscribe from H-AFRICA and all other mailing lists if you are terminating a particular
computer account.

(b) If you prefer to receive one daily digest of all posts to H-AFRICA instead of various individual posts, you can do so by sending this command
to listserv@h-net.msu.edu:

SET H-AFRICA DIGEST

To return to individual messages, send a message to the listserv with no subject and only this text:

SET H-AFRICA NODIGEST

Subscribers who print copies of messages or who forward individual messages to others may find that the NODIGEST option works best for
them.

(c) Depending upon the size of your mail box, even a few days of mail can make it too full to receive additional messages. This also creates a
number of error messages for the editors. To avoid this, you can temporarily stop receiving mail from H-AFRICA during periods when you will
not be able to read it. Do this by sending this command to listserv@h-net.msu.edu:

SET H-AFRICA NOMAIL

You can resume receiving mail by sending a message to the listserv with no subject and only this message:

SET H-AFRICA MAIL

(d) Note that mail designed for everyone to read is sent to:

H-AFRICA@H-NET.MSU.EDU

while mail regarding subscriptions is sent to:

LISTSERV@H-NET.MSU.EDU



Mailing List Etiquette(top)

When you first join a listserv, it is a good idea to lurk for a few weeks. A "lurker" is a common term used for a person who participates on a list without actively responding. By lurking, you can find out who are the key players, how people respond, and how people post queries. You may even find that you don't want to be on the list.

Although the normal rules of polite conversation apply to listservs, it is easy in the faceless world of email to make missteps. Often because of the brevity or haste of replies, they can appear rude and hostile (what is termed a flame). Sometimes a flame is inadvertent but sometimes it is not. The best way to handle a flame is either to ignore it or to respond with polite, rational discourse. Nothing stops a flamer more than being ignored.

To help you be a good listserv participant, you should use the following guidelines:

1) No ad hominem arguments. It is okay to be critical, but focus on ideas not on other people on the list and their personalities.

2) No bullying or aggressively derogatory messages.

3) No silliness, although wit is welcomed. Remember that some people need to pay for their online time.

4) No attacks on Moderators, the organization, etc. (Complaints about the list should be addressed directly to the list owner or moderator or editorial board; the complaint should be rational and reasonable.)

5) Avoid short meaningless replies. Again, some people pay for services often based on the amount of email.

6) Direct personal comments (support, encouragement, salutations and such) should be sent directly to the person and not to the list. If a person requests that you respond off list, do so.

7) Double-check your to: line (be sure you know where the email is going). Take care when submitting a post. People on listservs often make the mistake of sending personal messages to the whole list which can be a time waster and potentially embarrassing.

If you want the whole list to see your post, submit it to the listserv address. If you are submitting a command to the listserv, submit it to the command address. If you are submitting it to a person on the list, make sure the to: line has the person's personal email address.

8) Always save the listserv instructions you receive so you know how to use the list. Although most lists operate in a similar fashion some do have specific commands and rules. Having the instructions can thus come in handy when you want to unsubscribe, set to no mail, or to digest.

9) Many listservs allow you to set your options as Digest. By doing so, you often receive a single post each day (or each week) containing all of the posts for that day. This can be helpful on busy lists.

10) If you are not going to be checking your email for a while, it is a good idea to set your options as No Mail. Then when you return, you can reset your options to receive mail. If you let your box fill up, you could end up sending mail refusal back to the list which can cause problems for the listserv community.

11) The average display width for listserv screens is 65 characters. When you save a file for transmission or mail submission, force your word processor to save it in lines that are no wider than 65 characters. If you are using 1 inch margins and 10 characters per inch in your font choice, that will do the trick. Save in the ASCII file format (text only); do not expect to preserve underlining, italics, centering or the other amenities of personally printed documents. Don't forget to spell check.

12) Double-check your subject line. Many people will want to decide whether or not to read your message by the "Subject" line you enter as part of the "Header." Spend some time making this informative--rather than cute. Here are some examples of clear "Subject" entries:

Subject: "SWPCA Regional Meeting Announcement"

Subject: "Great new book on Sports and Culture"

Subject: Review of [Independence Day] A Mythic Approach

Subject: Response to Mike Marsden Article on PCAACA

Many subscribers are on multiple lists. Nobody reads all of the mail, so put up a good flag for your message if you want to have it read.

13) Supply a context for your response. Remind people exactly what you're referring to. You may preserve a short quote from a post or fill in the context as done in the following example: "As Johnathan Yoder reported on March 29, the current batch of CD-Roms is considered slow. HOWEVER, if you are only using them for text reading applications--as opposed to images and simulated video--they are adequate." All clues are helpful in sustaining a sense of continuity in discussion. Avoid long quotes and retaining other peoples messages when you reply.

14) If you are on a moderated list, the moderator has the right to edit your work. Don't let it get to you. Moderators must often deal with heavy loads so their editing is often done in haste.

Moderators reserve the right to send messages back with editorial suggestions. They also reserve the right to make small modifications in the texts submitted--for the sake of the net or to help beginners to look good. The Moderators will often NOT change ideas or style.

The Moderators reserve the right NOT to post messages that contravene the rules of the listserv. On some occasions, their decisions will be a matters of taste and judgment.

15) Do your homework before making a query. Check the listserv archives to see if your questions has been recently asked. Avoid being to general or looking for homework help. Do not write, for example,

"I have a term paper due in a few days on Hemingway. Can anyone help me?"

You might write instead,

"I am working on a paper about Hemingway's use of modern art to critique the problems of representation. I have collected well over 30 articles and several books, but I was wondering if those on the list could suggest what might be the best works in this area as well as your thoughts on his use of modern art."

You may be surprised. Writing a good query that shows you know what you are talking about can connect you with some of the best minds in the field.

16) Above all always remember to keep your tone FRIENDLY, KEEP IT PROFESSIONAL. Avoid all caps since it constitutes yelling on email.

Most people have heard of "flaming"--the information highway equivalent of the behavior of a mild-mannered person who becomes a menace when empowered by an automobile and surrounded by other drivers. The apparent anonymity of the information highway can lead to two big problems: --

Slash and burn communications such as below:

"Professor Jones is so ignorant that he has not heard of John Cawelti, a person who has written some of the basic books in our field. Nevertheless, I will take the time to explain some of the more obvious points..."

This writer is showing off and polluting the network for others. This kind of message drives off people and creates tension on the bulletin board. Talk to listserv participants as friends and colleagues--

Unintended injury, such as that below:

"You film people only study that kind of popular culture because you are too lazy to read."

This writer probably is joking, but the joke does not work because, as in public speaking, rhetorical irony often comes across as a simple negative statement. Watch out for this problem.