A mailing list is a discussion group that uses e-mail to communicate
- There are hundreds of mailing lists that cover a wide variety of topics from aromatherapy to Zeppelin.
- When you send a message to a mailing list, a copy of the message is sent to the mailbox of each person on the list.
Subscribe to a mailing list:
- Just as you would subscribe to a magazine, you must subscribe to a mailing list to join the discussion group. You can unsubscribe from a mailing list at any time.
- Each mailing list has two addresses. One address receives messages for the entire group and the other address is for administrative purposes. When you subscribe to a mailing list, make sure you send your request to the administrative address.
- When you go on vacation, make sure you unsubscribe from all your mailing lists. This will prevent your mailbox from overflowing with messages.
Moderated Mailing Lists:
- Some mailing lists are moderated. In a moderated mailing list, each message is read by a volunteer who decides if the message is appropriate for the group. If the message meets the guidelines for the group, it is sent to every person on the list.
- A moderated mailing list keeps discussions on-topic and removes messages that discuss the same idea.
- In an unmoderated mailing list, all messages are automatically sent to everyone in the group.
Digests:
- If you receive a lot of messages from a mailing list, check if the list is available as a digest. This groups individual messages together and sends them to you as one message.
Mailing List Etiquette:
- Read the messages in a mailing list for a week before submitting a message. This is a good way to learn how people in a mailing list communicate and prevents you from submitting information already used.
- You can reply to a message to answer a question or supply additional information.
- When you send a reply, make sure you include part of the original message. This is called quoting. Quoting helps readers indentify which message you are referring to.
- If your reply would not be of interest to others in a mailing list or you want to send a private response, send an e-mail message rather than to the entire list.
- Reply to a message only when you have something important to say. Submitting "Me too" or "I agree" is not very informative.
Manually Maintained Lists:
- A manually maintained mailing list is managed by an administrator who keeps track of every member.
- The e-mail address for a manually maintained list typically contains the word "request" (example: hang-gliding request@lists.utah.edu)
- Subscribe: To join a manually maintained mailing list, you simply send an e-mail message to the administrative address. Within a few days you will start receiving messages from the mailing list.
- Unsubscribe: To leave a manually maintained mailing list you simply send a message to the administrative address.
Automated Lists:
- An automated mailing list is managed by a program that keeps track of every member.
- The e-mail address for an automated list typically starts with the name of the program used to manage the list (example: listproc@chaos.taylored.com). There are three major programs - listproc, listserv and majordomo.
- Subscribe: To join a automated mailing list, you simply send an e-mail message to the administrative address. Within a few days you will start receiving messages from the mailing list.
- Unsubscribe: To leave a automated mailing list you simply send a message to the administrative address.
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