E-mail Discussion Lists
A One-Stop Guide to Subscribing, Unsubscribing, and Searching
© 2000 Walt Howe
(last revised May 27, 1998)
The following table lists some of the commands you can use with various types of automated email discussion lists. Some points to remember:
- In each case, they are sent to an address like listserv@address or majordomo@address.
They are never sent to listname@address, which is used to send messages, not commands.
In other words, to Unsubscribe from HELP-NET, you would send to listserv@vm.temple.edu,
not to HELP-NET@vm.temple.edu.
-
Leave the Subject blank and never add a signature block to the command you send.
The commands are sent to a computer, not a person. All the computer looks at is the body
of the message, and it may get confused if there is anything but a command there.
- The words in italics below should be replaced with the actual name indicated.
| Listserv | Listproc | Mailbase | Mailserv | Majordomo | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subscribe | SUBSCRIBE listname Your Name | SUBSCRIBE listname Your Name | JOIN listname YourID @address | SUBSCRIBE listname Your Name | SUBSCRIBE listname |
| Unsubscribe | SIGNOFF listname | UNSUB listname | LEAVE listname | UNSUB listname | UNSUB listname |
| Temporary Stop/ Restart | SET listname NOMAIL/ SET listname MAIL | SET listname MAIL POSTPONE/ SET listname MAIL ACK (or NOACK or DIGEST) | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| List Archives | INDEX listname | INDEX listname | INDEX listname | INDEX listname | INDEX listname |
| Retrieve File | GET listname filename | GET listname filename | SEND listname filename | SEND listname filename | GET listname filename |
| Search Archives | See instructions | SEARCH listname "keywords" | Visit the web site | Not available | Not available |
| Search Subscribers | REVIEW listname | REVIEW listname | SEND/LIST listname | WHO listname | |
| Get Help | HELP listname | HELP listname | HELP listname | HELP listname | |
| Get List Info | INFO listname | INFO listname | INFO listname | INFO listname |
Not all lists respond to computer commands. Lists that tell you to send a subscription to an address that ends with "-request" or "-owner" generally do not respond by computer. All subscribes, unsubscribes, and other functions in that case are handled by sending well-written, clearly defined e-mail requests to the list moderator, not to the list.
Related E-mail Discussion List Questions:
- What is a listserv or mailing list?
- How do I find e-mail discussion lists on a subject?
- Internet Mail Questions
- Navigating the Net Main Page
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