The Datafile PD-CD 3/PDCD_3.iso/internet/maillist/!MailList/MailServer/New-List/Format/text0000.txt

Text File | 1994-11-28 | 8.9 KB | 219 lines

NEW-LIST FORMAT                                              10/24/94

        The Suggested Format for New-List List Announcements

   This document contains the suggested format of contributions to the
NEW-LIST list (to [e-mail] or [e-mail]).
By following this format it makes the announcement more useful both to
the readers and to folks who incorporate the announcements in other
publications.

   The language of the new-list list itself is English.  We welcome
announcements of lists which will communicate in other languages but
we ask that the announcement itself be in English (or in English
followed by the native language copy).

   As with any edited document, the editor reserves the right to
make minor changes to the announcement to follow current conventions.

   The NEW-LIST announcements go out to about 9,500 people directly.
Many of these people are busy and we try very hard to minimize the
traffic on the list.  PLEASE be sure the list is well tested and
ready for new subscriptions before you send the announcement to new-list.
We will repeat an announcement or make corrections if absolutely
necessary but you must realize that by the time any correction is made
the announcement may have been passed on to many people.  Since we get
busy with other things you might want to run the announcement by someone
else before sending it to new-list.

   Due to the large number of recipients and "other duties" of the
editor, it may be several days before you announcement is issued to
new-list.  Please be patient but if you haven't seen the note after a
week please be sure to contact us (send a note to new-list).  We might
have lost the item or missed it in our mail.

   NEW-LIST also accepts "last resort" list searches.  These should
have the Subject: start with  SEARCH: and should ONLY be sent AFTER
exhaustive searching of current sources and queries on other discussion
lists such as:

    HELP-NET    HELP-NET@TEMPLEVM BITNET/CREN/INTERNET Help Resource.
        To subscribe send e-mail to [e-mail] or
        [e-mail] with the text
               SUB HELP-NET yourfirstname yourlastname

   If you have done the searching and submit a "SEARCH:" item, please
include a sentance or two describing the searching you have done and
contrasting the list from any existing similar lists.  Any items
without this may be returned.

   See the LISTSOF LISTS document for more information on how to find
existing lists.  To retrieve that document send e-mail to
[e-mail] or [e-mail] with the body
containing the command
   GET LISTSOF LISTS            (note the 2nd S in listSof)
           *

   For information on starting your own mailing list you may send
the command   GET NEW-LIST CREATE   as described above.

   Thank you for your help.

            Marty Hoag   new-list editor




Preferred format for LISTSERV List Descriptions
-----------------------------------------------


   It is helpful to include a Subject in the headers similar to this
for new lists:

Subject: NEW: listname - List Description (use significant words)

   Other items sent to the new-list list should have similar one-word
descriptions at the start of the Subject: in the headers:

   New Lists       Subject: NEW: listname - List Description
   Changed Lists   Subject: CHANGE: listname - List Description
   Search          Subject: SEARCH: List Description

   Using specific one-word topics will allow items to be categorized
more easily and allows LISTSERV software to subset the mail by topic
so subscribers can order just the types of announcements they want
(see the file NEW-LIST README for details).

   NOTE:  Please limit CHANGE: announcements to substantial changes
such as changes in subscription addresses, the removal of a list,
changes in news group mirrors/gateways, etc.  In other words - things
that will affect access to the list by new users.
   You must also include a description of the changes before the
corrected version of the announcement.  Many times the information
from NEW-LIST is changed to a different format out in the network.
Listing all the changes first helps compilers find the fields they
have to change in their lists.

   In the BODY of the mail the first line should have the list name.
For Eric Thomas LISTSERV or LISTEARN based servers:

listname on [e-mail]   optional short title
         or [e-mail]  (IF there is an Internet name)

   If the list is NOT on LISTSERV the format is similar but would
include the server address.  If subscriptions are done manually then
include that address after the word "via".   For example:

listname on [e-mail]      optional short title
   or
listname via [e-mail]    optional short title

   If there is more than one address list the preferred address first.

   Following the initial list name line(s) which should start in the
first column, the rest of the announcement text should be INDENTED
three spaces.  This is an old convention from the old "SRI-NIC" list
which helps when a program must parse the listings into various parts.

   Briefly describe the topic of the list.  This should be brief and
to-the-point.  For example, you might begin "The LISTNAME list was
formed in order to discuss the meaning of life.  Related topics might
include etc.  etc...." If you can't describe in 20 lines or less what
your list is about, then please try to edit the description to that
size.  If the description is too sketchy it may have to be edited by
the by people using it.  If it is too sketchy it may not be of value.

   You can use a little extra space if you have a Listserv FILELIST to
go along with your list.  For example: "Archives of LISTNAME and
related files are stored in the LISTNAME FILELIST.  To receive a list
of files send the command INDEX LISTNAME to LISTSERV@NODENAME."

   Be sure to include information on any mirrors or gateways to news
groups (ie. usenet news or netnews).

   After your description you should include instructions for
subscribing.  We suggest the following generic format for LISTSERV:

   To subscribe to LISTNAME, send the following command to LISTSERV@NODENAME
   or [e-mail] in the BODY of e-mail:
      SUBSCRIBE LISTNAME yourfirstname yourlastname

   For example:  SUBSCRIBE LISTNAME Joe Shmoe."

   If the server is called "listserv" and is NOT the L-Soft Revised
LISTSERV then please include information about that.  Include just
enough information to subscribe and perhaps a help command which
can be used to get more information.  Do NOT include a complete
reference to all commands...

   Include Owner and/or Moderator/Editor Names and e-mail addresses.
For example:

   Owner:  Fred Icky <[e-mail]>
                     <[e-mail]>
       --- Optional secondary owners and/or Editors ---


EXAMPLE ANNOUNCEMENT

   Putting all this together here is an example of an announcement.
No two announcements are exactly alike.  The trick is to have enough
information to either subscribe to the list or pass the announcement
on to someone who might be interested without getting too long-winded.


---------------------- Start of Example ------------------------------

... RFC822 headers ...
Subject: NEW: MONKEYS - Discussions of Monkeys
... RFC822 headers ...
         (be sure there is a BLANK LINE following the headers...)

MONKEYS on [e-mail] - Monkeys Discussion
        or [e-mail]

   MONKEYS is an open, unmoderated discussion list featuring
   monkeys.  Things such as how to care for a pet monkey, monkey
   diseases, monkey lore, endangered species of monkeys, and
   monkey psychology are likely to be discussed.  The list is
   NOT intended for monkey bashing.

   Archives of MONKEYS mail items are kept in monthly files.  You may
   obtain a list files in the archives by sending the command

      INDEX MONKEYS

   in the BODY of e-mail to LISTSERV@BITHOST on BITNET or to
   [e-mail] on the Internet.

   The MONKEYS list is bidirectionally gatewayed with the news group
   "alt.animals.monkeys".

   To subscribe, send the following command in the BODY of mail
   to LISTSERV@BITHOST on BITNET or [e-mail] on the Internet:

      SUB MONKEYS yourfirstname yourlastname

   For example:

      SUB MONKEYS Tar Zan

   Owner:  Charles Darwin  <[e-mail]>
                           <[e-mail]>

----------------------- End of Example -------------------------------

NOTE:  If you feel other information is essential, please put it AFTER
       the above format or explain briefly how to get it.  Separate
       any additional data from the basic list format.

-----------
Marty Hoag   NEW-LIST Editor/Owner
ND Higher Education Computer Network    US Mail: NDSU Info Tech Svcs
Phone: [phone]  Fax: [phone]       PO Box 5164
Bitnet:   nu021172@NDSUVM1    (NOTE 0 = ZERO)    Fargo, ND  58105
Internet: [e-mail]  (NOTE 1 = ONE)