It also depends on whether or not the list has notebook archives enabled.
Generally if you want "all the messages", you probably want "all the
notebooks".  So you should send an "INDEX listname" command to the
LISTSERV host and see if the notebooks are available.  If they are,
you can GET them with the GET command.  If you're just looking for
specific topics, Pete's database suggestion would probably be better.
But either way, if Notebook= No then there won't be anything to get.
 
>>Is it possible to retrieve all the messages that have posted to a list?
>>Thanks for any help.
>
>Maybe.  There is a LISTSERV feature called DATABASE Search,
>and a list devoted to that topic: [log in to unmask]
>Please join that list and someone will no doubt answer your
>question in detail.  In the meantime, send the following
>one-line to any cooperating listserv site:
>
>INFO DATABASE
>