Unit 3-3 Listserv

After completing this unit, you will be able to:

• Describe how listserv mailing lists work through e-mail protocols.
• Find out the names of listserv mailing lists in your discipline or any other subject that interests you.
• Subscribe to a listserv mailing list.
• Know when to lurk on a listserv mailing list.
• Respond to messages received from a listserv.
• Send new messages to a listserv mailing list.
• File messages received from a listserv.
• Unsubscribe from a listserv mailing list.
• Set up your own listserv mailing list on the Internet..

Reading

Read chapter 7 of the Internet Literacy textbook to study the concepts covered by this unit.

Online Activities

Now that you know how to send and receive electronic mail, you are ready to take advantage of the powerful capabilities of listserv, which is an Internet resource that uses e-mail protocols to distribute messages to lists of users. The messages get served to everyone whose name is on the list. Hence the name listserv.

• Since it uses e-mail protocols that virtually every user of the Internet already knows, listserv is easy to learn and use. To join a listserv, you send its host computer an e-mail message saying that you want to subscribe. To learn how, follow the steps in Table 7-1.
• To respond to a listserv message, simply press your Reply button, and enter your response just like you would send an ordinary e-mail message. Remember that your reply will be sent to lots of people, however, so make sure that what you write pertains to the purpose of the listserv. If you want to respond only to the individual who sent the message, rather than the whole list, remember to edit the To field so the reply will go to the sender instead of everyone on the list. It can be embarrassing when a private message intended for an individual gets copied to an entire list full of people.
• You send messages to a listserv with your e-mail client. When you join a listserv mailing list, you will be told how to address new messages that you want to send to the list. Since listserv addresses can be technical and hard to remember, it is a good idea to enter this address in your e-mail client’s Address Book, so you will not forget it. To send a new message to the listserv, you send e-mail to this address, just as if you were sending mail to an individual user. Once again, please remember that your message will be sent to lots of people; make sure it is a proper use of the listserv.
• Your textbook tells you how to send commands that can pause a listserv, find out who belongs to it, and get various kinds of information about the list. See Table 7-3 for a list of these commands and an explanation of what they do.

Assignment

After you complete this unit, you will be ready to complete the assignment that asks you to perform the following task:

• Using one of the listserv search tools listed in Table 7-2, find an unmoderated listserv mailing list that interests you, and subscribe to it. Lurk for a while until you get used to the conversation, then try sending your own message to the listserv. Make sure your message fits the stated purpose of the listserv. If it makes sense in the context of the conversation, ask a question in your message, and see whether anyone responds with the information you are seeking. Which listserv did you join? Describe briefly the conversation you joined and tell how you contributed.