Miata Mailing List: November 1992, Message #25
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   From: (none)
Subject: New mailing list software
   Date: (none)

I finally got around to installing and configuring the Listserv software for
UNIX from Boston University on our machine, and I am moving all of my
mailing lists over to be managed by the Listserv.  This will have two
advantages: 

 - less work for me (people can subscribe and unsubscribe themselves)

 - new features for mailing list users (like automatic digests, etc)

What I will be doing is running the present system and the Listserv in
parallel for about a month.  Everyone who would like to stay on the list
should subscribe themselves to the Listserv list by sending a mail message
to "listserv@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu" containing "subscribe miata Your Name" in
the body of the message.  The Listserv will respond and tell you that you
are subscribed and included a little information on how to use the
listserv.  

There are a number of useful commands available by sending mail to the
Listserv - send it a "help" message to get an introduction to the available
commands.  Several people have requested the ability to receive digests once
a month instead of a constant flow of mail - you can do that now by sending
Listserv a "set miata mail digest" command (at the same time as your
"subscribe" command if you like).  Note that the Listserv will, by default,
subscribe you as "noack" - meaning that you will not see your own messages
come back to you.  If you would like to see your own messages, send Listserv
a "set miata mail ack" command too.

The Listserv will notify me of all subscriptions, so I will remove people
from the old list as they subscribe to the listserv list.  About a month
from now, I will remove the old list, leaving only the Listserv list.

I will be moving the mailing list archiuve into the Listserv archive area
soon, so that all old mailing list traffic will be available for retrieval
using the "index" and "get" commands to Listserv.

If anyone has trouble with Listserv, send mail to me or
"miata-owner@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu".

NOTE: despite the name, this Listserv software does not participate in the
BITNET Listserv stuff, so you cannot send commands to just any old BITNET
Listserv for this mailing list (like you could if it were a real VM
Listserv).  The software authors say that may be available in a future
release...

NOTE2: the Listserv sets up outgoing mail so that replies will, by default,
go back to the list.  If you want to reply only to the sender, make sure
that you explicitly direct your reply to them.

See y'all on those sunny winding roads...

-Andy (Miata mailing list maintainer)

Andy Poling                              Internet: andy@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu
UNIX Systems Programmer                  Bitnet: ANDY@JHUNIX
Homewood Academic Computing              Voice: (410)516-8096    
Johns Hopkins University                 UUCP: uunet!mimsy!aplcen!jhunix!andy