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Net Know-How

Mailing lists
What's a mailing list?
What's the difference between a mailing list and a newsgroup?
What are the different kinds of mailing lists?
How do I tell if a mailing list is administered by a person or an automated program?
What is a moderated list?
How do I access and contribute to mailing lists?
Where do I find mailing lists?
Once I've found a list I like, how do I sign on?
How do I sign onto automated lists?
How do I sign onto mailing lists administered by a person?
How can I confirm that I'm actually signed up?
Can I automatically join any mailing list?
Can I expect a lot of mail from my list?
So how do I cut down on mailing list volume?
How do I get off a mailing list?
How do I post a message?
Is there an etiquette to mailing lists?
How do I access archived messages?
How do I start my own mailing list?

What's a mailing list?

Electronic mailing lists are the ultimate in online information, delivered to your door. Postings to a list are sent just like e-mail, except they go to every subscriber, all of whom are put right in the middle of the ongoing discussion. Subscribe to a mailing list on, say, the works of Anne Rice and you'll find the latest discussions of vampires lurking right there in your e-mail inbox. Given that there are tens of thousands of mailing lists in all, there's likely to be a mailing list for just about everyone. What's more, longtime subscribers to a given list get to know one another, moving in some small way toward the "virtual communities" we're always reading about.

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What's the difference between a mailing list and a newsgroup?

While newsgroups and mailing lists are both group conversations, mailing list posts arrive automatically in your mailbox. Newsgroups require you to check in and decide which messages you want to read.

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What are the different kinds of mailing lists?

There are two kinds: automated and manual. Automated lists--often called list servers or listserv--are managed by software robots such as listserv, majordomo, or listproc that automatically distribute the messages and process users' requests to subscribe or unsubscribe. Manual lists, which are less common, are managed by a person or persons--often volunteers.

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How do I tell if a mailing list is administered by a person or an automated program?

If a list doesn't present explicit subscription instructions, it's probably managed by a real live human being.

If the mailing list e-mail address begins with "listserv" or "majordomo," then it's administered by a software robot.

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What is a moderated list?

Unlike a free-form list, where everything received is posted to all subscribers, a moderated list is monitored by a person or persons who screen submissions and decide what information will be posted. This can help stop spamming, flame wars, overly long conversation threads, and messages that just aren't pertinent to the discussion.

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How do I access and contribute to mailing lists?

Messages are sent and received via e-mail. Any e-mail address will do, as long as you can use it to receive Internet e-mail and you don't get charged by the number or length of messages.

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Emoticons
Love 'em or hate 'em, emoticons--also called "smileys"--are a standard fixture in newsgroups, chat rooms, mailing lists, and just about anywhere people meet online. They're generally used to temper a remark, to convey humor or sarcasm, or even to flirt. There are infinite variations on this theme, but here are a few of the basic models. Just tilt your head left to look.

     
; ) or ;->     wink
: ) smile
: ( sad
:* kiss
@>,-'-,-'- a rose from me to you
or just what it says
very big grin
:-0 surprise or dismay
:-| grim
>:-( angry
>:-0 shouting
|-0 yawn
:'-( crying
:-P sticking out tongue
B-) sunglasses--I'm cool
#-) under the influence
:-! smoking
%-/ hangover

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Where do I find mailing lists?

In an ideal world, there'd be one place you could go to retrieve a compilation of every available mailing list--and there are tens of thousands of them out there. In reality, several superlists exist, and while they overlap to some degree, none is completely comprehensive. Here are a few:

The huge Liszt directory contains more than 50,000 automated and human-managed mailing lists on every conceivable topic, plus its own search engine, which works by subject. Once you find the list you want, subscribe right on the spot via an e-mail link.

Publicly Accessible Mailing Lists references lists by name and subject, and it includes a brief description as well as contact information.

You can also try Tile.net Lists, which groups automated listserv mailing lists by name, subject, description, sponsor, or host country. It also includes e-mail links and subscription instructions.

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Finding a list on
a particular topic

If you're looking for lists about, say, anthropology, send an e-mail to listserv@listserve.net, leave the subject line blank, and type list global / anthropology in the message. You'll receive an index of anthropology lists via e-mail with instructions on how to subscribe.

Once I've found a list I like, how do I sign on?

Mailing lists typically have two addresses: one for posting messages and one for subscribing, unsubscribing, and other housekeeping tasks. Don't confuse the two, or your subscription request will be posted for all to see--a classic newbie blunder.

Messages sent to the subscribing address go either to the person managing the list or to an automated computer program that responds to commands it receives via e-mail.

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Checking out a list
before you subscribe

review list (insert the actual name of the list) will bring you information about the list, and often a roster of subscribers. Some lists keep their subscribers private, some don't. You may want to know how large a list is before subscribing. This command may differ with some mailing lists, so be sure to check each list's instructions before you try.

How do I sign onto automated lists?

Let's say you want to subscribe to a literary mailing list called dickns-1, whose address is listed as dickns-1@ucsbvm.ucsb.edu. Remember, this entry is from a compilation of listserv lists, which means that housekeeping for dickns-1 is done by a kind of software robot. To subscribe, you simply send an e-mail message to listserv@ucsbvm.ucsb.edu. Leave the message subject field blank. Assuming your name is Timberlake Wertenbaker, the body of the message should read just as follows: subscribe dickns-1 Timberlake Wertenbaker.

That's it. Listservs all operate this way. Instructional messages are sent and the computer does whatever it's told in the body of the message.

Other automated programs, such as majordomo, require similar sign-up procedures. The steps vary according to the list you want to join, but they will likely involve addressing an e-mail like majordomo@ucsbvm.ucsb.edu with subscribe list your name (put the actual name of the list and your name here) in the body of the message.

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Watch those signature lines
If your e-mail has an automatic signature line, make sure you turn it off when you send housekeeping requests to automated mailing lists. The software program will try to interpret the signature text as a command and bounce your unfulfilled request back to you.

How do I sign onto mailing lists administered by a person?

Send a polite message with "subscription request" or the like in the subject line. In the body of the message, ask to subscribe and include your full name and e-mail address.

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How can I confirm that I'm actually signed up?

Even automated mailing lists generally respond to an administrative request (such as subscribe) with some kind of e-mail confirmation or a corrective telling you how to do it right the next time you try.

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Save that message
The first message you receive from your new mailing list administrator is the most important, so be sure to save a copy. This FAQ-style post tells you the commands to subscribe, unsubscribe, and post messages to this particular list, and do other housekeeping tasks. It also describes the mission of the list and the audience it intends to serve.
Can I automatically join any mailing list?

Not necessarily. Some mailing lists make you apply before you can subscribe. For instance, a scholarly discussion about molecular biology might be limited to academics in that particular field. Or an exclusive list promoting underground parties in San Francisco might be harder to get into than a trendy new nightclub. But it doesn't hurt to try.

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Can I expect a lot of mail from my list?

Maybe. Some lists generate dozens of messages daily. So many, in fact, that you can hardly sort out your personal e-mail from the pack. Just remember, be careful what you subscribe to; you may get far more of it than you ever imagined.

A related drawback is the tendency of some (often well-intentioned) loudmouths to dominate a list. This is why, though many lists are free-for-alls, some are moderated, meaning a real person decides whether your message to the group actually gets forwarded.

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So how do I cut down on mailing list volume?

Rather than receiving scads of separate messages each day from your mailing list, you can ask to receive them in digest form--a single e-mail containing all that day's or week's messages. Only automated lists can create a digest for you. It's usually as simple as typing digest or a similar command into an e-mail and sending it off to the list administrator. Check your list's instructions to see exactly how.

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Screening and sorting
your mail

Some e-mail programs have filters that can be set up to screen and sort your mail for you. Messages from different newsgroups can be filed into separate mailboxes, minimizing clutter and allowing you to read them at your leisure.
How do I get off a mailing list?

Signing off a list is accomplished by sending an e-mail message to the same address you've used to subscribe to the list--not the list's posting address. If it's an automated list, follow the instructions you were originally sent, which will likely ask you to type in signoff or unsubscribe, followed by the name of the group and your name, in the body of an e-mail message sent to the list administrator. If the list is run by a human moderator, send the same request in a brief note to his or her attention.

Avoid using a vacation robot for your mailing lists. This software will respond to each e-mail message it receives with a response noting you're on vacation. This could make you very unpopular with your mailing list administrator.

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Stopping your mail
on vacation

set list nomail (substituting the actual title of the list) is like putting home delivery of the newspaper on hold for a period of time. An overstuffed electronic mailbox can cause your messages to bounce back to the sender or even be deleted. Each mailing list has its own postpone or unsubscribe commands. Be sure to note them when you subscribe, and don't hesitate to use them when you are going away. Set list mail undoes the nomail command, resuming your subscription.
How do I post a message?

It's as easy as sending electronic mail. Just address your e-mail message to the posting address provided for your group and fire away.

Some lists let you post responses to messages posted in the list just by hitting your e-mail Return button--your e-mail will be posted to the list itself, not the individual.

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E-mail/Mailing list/Chat Room/Newsgroup Acronyms
Acronyms are a popular way to communicate phrases and ideas in electronic messages. Knowing some of the most common acronyms is essential if you're going to understand what's going onŠ
   
BRB be right back
BTW by the way
FAQ frequently asked questions
FOAF friend of a friend
F2F face to face
FWIW for what it's worth
FYI for your information
HTH hope this helps
IMO in my opinion
IMHO in my humble opinion
IMNSHO in my not so humble opinion
IOW in other words
IRL in real life
LOL laughing out loud
MOTOS member of the opposite sex
MOTSS member of the same sex
OTOH on the other hand
RL real life
ROTFL rolling on the floor laughing
RTFF read the f***ing manual
SO significant other
TIA thanks in advance
UL urban legend
WRT with respect to
WYSIWYG what you see is what you get
YMMV your mileage may vary
Is there an etiquette to mailing lists?

If you're new to a mailing list, make sure you read it for a while, that is, "lurk," to pick up its tenor before posting. Try to learn something before adding your two cents. This is good advice for most lists. Similarly, don't clutter up everyone's mailbox with lots of comments such as thanks or I totally agree, which can be sent to specific individuals by private e-mail.

Also keep in mind that conversational threads that end up being between you and one other person might be better taken to private e-mail. It's the same with situations where you end up involved in a heated argument. And try to remember the list's charter when you post--no one appreciates a participant who tries to hijack an established list to meet his or her own needs. If you really feel the need to do that, start your own mailing list.

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Stopping spamming
to your list

Just about anyone can hit an unmoderated mailing list with flurries of unwelcome messages. If your list is being bombarded by an ornery member, your best recourse is to complain to the postmaster at the spammer's domain. A good commercial service or service provider will usually pull the spammer's account or at least warn him or her to stop. If your mailing list has a human manager, he or she may be able to screen the offending e-mails with cancelbots, which are automated programs that can detect and cancel spams or unwelcome posts from particular addresses.
How do I access archived messages?

Many mailing lists have electronic archives, meaning that postings to the list are saved to the mailing list's system and not on your hard drive--thus avoiding clutter. Instructions for accessing and/or downloading material from these searchable archives are sent to you when you subscribe to the list. They generally involve sending an access command to the list administrator to retrieve the files you want or search the database for them. Be sure to pay attention to the download instructions, as they can be complicated.

Even if you're not a subscriber to them, you can search and access the archives of many automated lists at LISTWebber, which groups them by subject category.

Some mailing lists even have associated Web sites, which you can also use to access archived material.

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How do I start my own mailing list?

For lists of fewer than 50 names, you can often use your own e-mail program to create an alias, or name, for your mailing list. Once you've done that, enter the e-mail addresses of your list subscribers into the list's address storage area. Notify them via e-mail that the list has activated and ask them to send postings to your address. You might want to instruct your subscribers to include the name of the list in the subject line of any messages they send, so your e-mail program can filter these into a mailbox separate from your own. When you get messages that you want to distribute via the mailing list, just send them out to the list address.

Larger lists require that you have a mail server. Your Internet Service Provider may let you use its mail server, or you can pay a commercial mailing list service to host one for you.

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Written by Kathryn McGrail, with contributions from Daniel Akst and Judith H. Bernstein.

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