I followed the link in your signature and found my way from there to the
STLHE-L list archive page, and clicked on one of the archive content
links (month/year combinations) and the "Login Required" page appeared. 
The process is the same as yours, but fewer clicks once the list itself
has been found.  There doesn't seem to be any DIRECT way to provoke
LISTSERV(tm) into offering the login/get-password interface otherwise -
it just waits until you try some restricted function.

Recently I actually had someone take a screenshot of the login page and
email the image to me saying they could not find any way to get a
password for the site I administer.  I wrote back to point out that the
underlined phrase "get a new LISTSERV password" (clearly readable in the
image) is the link they need . . . perhaps the creation of an actual
"button" for that would make it easier for some.  And maybe one of the
LSOFT folks reading here will put that on the feature request queue.

>>> [log in to unmask] 9/13/2005 9:14:53 AM >>>
I have a new subscriber who wanted to search the archives, but needed a
password.  I couldn't figure out how she should get one -- and finally
wound up telling her to go to the main archive page, click on join or
leave the list, then go to login, and 
then click on the highlighted phrase in "If this is the first time you
see this dialog, or if you have forgotten your password, you will need
to _get a new LISTSERV password_ first."

Surely there must be a better way, but I didn't find it.

-- Russ


St. Thomas University
http://www.StThomasU.ca/~hunt/