E-Mail List Management Tips

E-mail list management consists of two functions: (1) configuring the list's header to control behavior; and (2) adding, removing or modifying subscriber e-mail addresses and names.

NERDC's list server page includes references for on-line ListServ documentation and a link used to request creation of new lists.

The "Mailing list management interface (list owners only)" link references an easy-to-use software application. List owners can use this program to change a list's behavior by modifying the header. Adding, editing or removing member's e-mail addresses is also performed with this application.

Follow these cookbook-style instructions as an introduction to NERDC's easy-to-use List Management application

(Note: An alternative version of these instructions with screen images, is available as an Acrobat PDF file.)

Subscriber e-mail address management

Successfully maintaining an error-free e-mail list requires an effort consisting of one part detective work, one part communication skills and three parts persistence.

The address management tips page describes a few common list errors and describes potential actions to be taken to resolve address-related problems.

List Header Configuration

Additional information describing header configuration options and their effects commonly used by the IT Center is presented as an aid for other list owners. This document presents various settings and explains each setting's effect on the list's behavior.

When they are no longer needed, removal of established NERDC lists may be accomplished by sending (from your list owner e-mail address) a message containing the names of lists to be terminated to listmaster@lists.ufl.edu.

General List Managment Tips for List Owners

• Include a person's name with their membership e-mail address. Considered optional by the list server, including a name has proven to be a consistently advantageous management strategy.
 
• Avoid over dependence on a single person's e-mail address by establishing a list name to be used for managing several lists. The IT Center populated itclmgt-l@lists.ufl.edu with e-mail addresses of several IT Center staff members for this purpose. This list name is specified as an owner and editor (e.g., Owner=(ITCLMGT-L) and Editor=(ITCLMGT-L) - note the required use of parentheses) which allows any member of the ITCLMGT-L list to make changes and ensures that errors are received by everyone. Very helpful.
 
• Using one list to refer to other lists (i.e., Sub-lists=listname) can be extremely useful because the list server automatically suppresses delivery to the same e-mail address contained in two or more sub-lists. That is, an individual will receive only one copy of a message even if their address appears in several referenced lists. However, only NERDC's list administrators can add, modify or delete the sub-lists parameter. In addition to list creation and removal, so far as we know, this is the only function that explicitly requires action by a member of the listmaster@lists.ufl.edu group.
 
• Web-based list archives for NERDC lists are available at no charge. Though archives may not be suitable for every list, it's a nice feature to have whenever a need exists to keep track of events or to document important notifications.
 
• Find out what lists are owned by your address. Send the command lists owned to listserv@lists.ufl.edu. This can be especially useful because NERDC's web-based list management application only populates the drop-down list of names if fewer than 50 lists are owned.
 
• Noted differences between NERDC lists and lists formerly hosted on a Maiser list server 

  When an individual sent a message to a Maiser-based list, a copy of the message was automatically sent to their e-mail address if they were a member of that list. NERDC's ListServ server does not automatically behave this way. The simplist way to receive a confirmation copy of a note sent to any list, is for the sender to include their own e-mail address in the cc: field of their message.

   

  Alternatively, a list owner can add the command line default-options=repro to the list's header. If the list already exists when this change is applied as an update, the list owner must send a message to listserv@lists.ufl.edu containing the command quiet set listname repro for *@* (without a signature block). These changes will ensure list members who successfully send a message to the list will receive a copy of their own message.

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