Listserv: The best way to e-mail large groups
Nov 19, 2002
The Internet brings us yet another benefit: the ability to keep in touch with large groups of people using e-mail lists
By Francis Sembuya
The Internet brings us yet another benefit: the ability to keep in touch with large groups of people using e-mail lists.
This enables you to stay in touch with groups of friends, family and business customers, or to have discussions with a number of people on social or political issues.
There are many different discussion groups often referred to as listservs, after the revered server-based programme Listserv.
These groups are popular because they are so easy to use that anyone with an e-mail account can use them.
To send a message to everyone on a listserv, just send one e-mail to a mailbox. From there the message will automatically be distributed to everyone else on the list.
In the same way, you are able to receive messages that everyone on the list sends.
There are two ways to create your own list. You can either run listserv software on your personal computer or have a third party run the software and manage the list for you.
Running a listserv on your computer may not be wise, as it ties up a lot of your computer’s resources. You are better off with the second option as several companies offer listserv management free of charge.
After you have figured out the purpose of your listserv, you must then determine the kind you want to create.
There are generally three types of listserv: moderated, unmoderated and broadcast.
The moderated listserv allows you to read all the messages posted to the list and to decide which to post (send) and which to reject.
In the unmoderated listserv, every message sent to the list goes out to every person on the list automatically, without your intervention. This takes the least amount of time but opens up your list to ‘spam’(junk mail) and abuse.
The Broadcast option is for one-way communication. Only you can send messages to the people on your list. Those on the list however, cannot send messages to each other. This option is more or less like an e-mail newsletter.
The next step is to find a service to host your listserv. Some of these are Coollist(www.coolist.com) Topica (www.topica.com) and Yahoo Groups (www.yahoogroups.com).
Coollist and Yahoo Groups are free so you get messages including advertisements over which you have no control.
Once you have chosen the service, register with the site and enter the name of your list, a brief description of it and its category. Choose a name that is easy to remember and is descriptive of your discussion group.
Choose an e-mail address that people will use to contribute to the discussion group.
If the list is a private one, keep it out for the directories so people outside the group cannot search and join in.
When creating your list, you are asked to designate categories under which to add your list, do not choose any. Your list will be private.
Each service has a management page that lets you change your settings at any time. Use this page to begin adding the e-mail addresses of the people you want on your list.
Anyone wishing to subscribe can sign in by sending an e-message to your listserv address.
The Internet brings us yet another benefit: the ability to keep in touch with large groups of people using e-mail lists.
This enables you to stay in touch with groups of friends, family and business customers, or to have discussions with a number of people on social or political issues.
There are many different discussion groups often referred to as listservs, after the revered server-based programme Listserv.
These groups are popular because they are so easy to use that anyone with an e-mail account can use them.
To send a message to everyone on a listserv, just send one e-mail to a mailbox. From there the message will automatically be distributed to everyone else on the list.
In the same way, you are able to receive messages that everyone on the list sends.
There are two ways to create your own list. You can either run listserv software on your personal computer or have a third party run the software and manage the list for you.
Running a listserv on your computer may not be wise, as it ties up a lot of your computer’s resources. You are better off with the second option as several companies offer listserv management free of charge.
After you have figured out the purpose of your listserv, you must then determine the kind you want to create.
There are generally three types of listserv: moderated, unmoderated and broadcast.
The moderated listserv allows you to read all the messages posted to the list and to decide which to post (send) and which to reject.
In the unmoderated listserv, every message sent to the list goes out to every person on the list automatically, without your intervention. This takes the least amount of time but opens up your list to ‘spam’(junk mail) and abuse.
The Broadcast option is for one-way communication. Only you can send messages to the people on your list. Those on the list however, cannot send messages to each other. This option is more or less like an e-mail newsletter.
The next step is to find a service to host your listserv. Some of these are Coollist(www.coolist.com) Topica (www.topica.com) and Yahoo Groups (www.yahoogroups.com).
Coollist and Yahoo Groups are free so you get messages including advertisements over which you have no control.
Once you have chosen the service, register with the site and enter the name of your list, a brief description of it and its category. Choose a name that is easy to remember and is descriptive of your discussion group.
Choose an e-mail address that people will use to contribute to the discussion group.
If the list is a private one, keep it out for the directories so people outside the group cannot search and join in.
When creating your list, you are asked to designate categories under which to add your list, do not choose any. Your list will be private.
Each service has a management page that lets you change your settings at any time. Use this page to begin adding the e-mail addresses of the people you want on your list.
Anyone wishing to subscribe can sign in by sending an e-message to your listserv address.