Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!umich!samsung!brutus.cs.uiuc.edu!psuvax1!psuvm!KSUVM!BRETTW
From: BRETTW@KSUVM.BITNET (Brett Watson -KSU Libraries)
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.games-l
Subject: (no subject given)
Message-ID: <GAMES-L%90020910093699@BROWNVM.BITNET>
Date: 9 Feb 90 14:23:00 GMT
Sender: Computer Games List <GAMES-L@BROWNVM>
Reply-To: Brett Watson -KSU Libraries <BRETTW@KSUVM>
Lines: 39
Approved: NETNEWS@PSUVM Gateway
In-Reply-To:  Your message of Wed 7 Feb 90 20:01:32 -0900


  I am sending you this article, which originally appeared on
NEW-LIST@NDSUVM1 in response to your recent posting to GAMES-L.


----------------------original message--------------------------------

The Best Way to Subscribe to a List
(or, Please Don't Send LISTSERV Commands to the List Address)

by Ben Geer, BGEER@HAMPVMS


Ever since I've been using Bitnet, I've seen a lot of messages on various
lists (I'll use PSI-L as an example) that say something like "SUB PSI-L
Susan Smith," or "Please add me to this list," or "Please cancel my
subscription," or "How do I subscribe to this list?"  These messages clutter
up mailboxes and list archives, and may not get you subscribed.  LISTSERV
(the list server program that manages most Bitnet lists) can handle
subscription requests automatically, but not if you send them to the list
address.  You must send them to LISTSERV.  In the case of PSI-L, the address
to use is LISTSERV@RPIECS.  If you send a subscription request to the list
address (e.g. PSI-L@RPIECS), it will be sent to all the subscribers of the
list, but not to the list server; it may be ignored, and even if it isn't,
it will irritate the list owner and the other subscribers.  It's fine to
send subscription requests directly to the list owner (e.g. I'm the owner of
PSI-L, so you could send a request to BGEER@HAMPVMS), but it's simpler to
handle your own subscription.  Suppose you wanted to subscribe to PSI-L, and
your name is Susan Smith.  All you have to do is send this message to
LISTSERV@RPIECS (*not* PSI-L@RPIECS):

SUB PSI-L Susan Smith

LISTSERV will then send you a message to let you know that you've been added
to the list.  No muss, no fuss, and it gets the job done quickly and
reliably.

Ben Geer
BGEER@HAMPVMS