LISTSERV LISTSERV is a registered trademark (™) licensed exclusively to L-Soft international, Inc., as the name of its mailing list processor product. The name is often used to generically describe Mailing Lists.

Mailing Lists A mailing list provides a means for grouping addresses. A message can be sent to the “list”, and it will be distributed to every address in the list When your address is on a list, you receive all the message sent to the list. The messages sent to your inbox, where you read them like any other message.

LISTSERV and Mailing Lists We will refer to two types of mailing lists: Traditional LISTSERV mailing lists All use the same software, so they all use the same commands. Web based mailing lists May or may not be based on the LISTSERV software. (As with any web page, they can have any structure.)

LISTSERV addresses Each LISTSERV mailing list has a “list address” which is used for sending commands to LISTSERV. All LISTSERV commands are sent to this address by . Commands are processed by the list software so they must be exact. There is a second address for sending, or posting, messages to the list (if the list allows subscribers to post).

Public vs. Private (Open vs. Closed) A public list is totally open—anyone can join, post messages, or send commands. These usually attract a lot of subscribers and generate a lot of traffic. A private list has some type of access control. Usually, you apply for access to the list owner, and only list subscribers may post messages. When you post to the list, it goes to a human being, called a moderator, who decides what to do with it There are other possibilities such as lists that require you to apply for membership but are still called “public” because subscribers can post directly to the list.

Join or “Subscribe” to a list Web based mailing lists There is a Web page form where you sign up by filling out your name and address. Traditional To join a LISTSERV mailing list, send the command: SUBSCRIBE listname in an message to the list address, where listname is the name of the list. The subject line of the should be blank. There should be no attachments and no other text in the body of the message.

Pause a LISTSERV mailing list For Traditional LISTSERV mailing lists: Send the command: SET NOMAIL To resume, send the command: SET MAIL Your name remains on the list but you will not receive any mail from the list

Leave or “Unsubscribe” from a LISTSERV mailing list To remove yourself from the list you need to unsubscribe. Instructions for this can be found in the message you receive when you subscribe. Many mailing lists, both traditional and web-based, write unsubscribe instructions at the bottom of every message.

Finding Out Who Belongs to a LISTSERV mailing list To find out who is getting a copy of the messages posted to a LISTSERV mailing list, send the following command to the list: REVIEW listname If that does not work, try: WHO listname

LISTSERV mailing list Archives Many LISTSERV mailing lists have archives in which the messages previously posted to the list are filed. You can read, and in many cases search, the archives online.

LISTSERV mailing list Command Summary SUBSCRIBE listname full_name Subscribes you to the list, or changes the name under which you were previously subscribed; replace full_name with your name. SUBSCRIBE listname ANONYMOUS Subscribes you to the list anonymously, if the LISTSERV allows that for this list. REVIEW listname Get information about a list, including who owns it and who belongs to it.

LISTSERV mailing list Command Summary SET NOMAIL Make the LISTSERV stop sending you messages To resume, send the command SET MAIL. RELEASE Find out information about the LISTSERV software being used to run this LISTSERV, and who maintains the server. SIGNOFF listname Unsubscribes you from the list. SET listname CONCEAL Hide yourself from REVIEW.

LISTSERV mailing list Command Summary SET listname NOCONCEAL Let yourself be listed by REVIEW. SHOW STATS Show statistics about the LISTSERV. SEARCH listname keyword1 keyword2 etc. Search the LISTSERV archives For more search options, send the LISTSERV REFCARD command. QUERY listname Queries your set of options on the LISTSERV; use SET to change them.

LISTSERV mailing list Command Summary LISTSERV REFCARD Makes the LISTSERV you a reference card listing commands users can send the LISTSERV.