>What is the address of the listserv you got this ... thanks :-)
 
I have a database file with all this information -- I build it from
information Eric culls together with a program he wrote.
 
I should have mentioned that those statistics don't include ANY
confidential (hidden) lists -- they reflect lists normal
people can join.
 
I'd be glad to post the parsed database file in whatever format
people like.  It can be Dbase, Comma-Quote, Paradox, whatever.
 
Here is the second draft of the letter to list owners with open
lists but private notebooks.  Hopefully this one repairs some of
the problems pointed out in the previous draft, without creating
too many new ones.
 
John Buckman
 
 
Dear LISTSERV list owner,
 
My name is John Buckman, and my company is developing graphical
software to make LISTSERV easier to use.  It is called "InfoMagnet"
and will be available in August.
 
I am writing to you because your LISTSERV list is set up with
Subscription=Open, but Notebooks=Private (or notebooks=<blank>,
which means they are private).  I'd like to state my argument for
making your Notebooks public.
 
You may be not be aware that non-subscribed users receive the message
"access control violation" if they try to search your list archives.
Since your list subscription appears to be open, a user must join
your list to send the search.
 
This problem came up recently because of some features in our
software which take advantage of LISTSERV searches.
 
For instance, our software lets the user obtain a list of recent
topics from your list.  A user who was curious but didn't want to
commit themselves quite yet to subscribing could see what kind of
subjects your list discusses.  This helps users find lists they are
interested in, and, in turn, helps the list owner by making it easier
for the right people to find your list.  We does this by
sending a database job (a search) to your list.  Because your
notebooks are private, non-subscribers can't use this function on
your list and instead receive an error.
 
InfoMagnet also makes is very easy to search list archives.  When I
was looking for a list which discussed my particular synthesizer, I
found 20 or so possible candidates around "music".  I sent each a
job looking for "kurzweil" or "k2000" discussed in the last month.
My keyboard is called a Kurzweil K2000, and I found 2 lists which
actively discussed it, while 3 others mentioned it briefly.  I
was able to find just the list I was looking for, even on an
extremely obscure subject.  If those list owners had set their
notebooks to private, it would have been much more difficult.  I'd
have to join all 20 lists, receive confirmation, do my search, and
then leave the 18 lists I didn't want.
 
That is my argument for making your notebooks private.
 
On the othe hand, there are some good reasons for keeping them
private, even when your subscription is open.  If you want to keep
track of who has access to your list archives, then you should
require them to first subscribe--you can then keep track of the SUB
messages you receive.  You may also not have an open subscription
policy; perhaps you reject some people and sign them off your list.
There are other good reasons as well, so you may not want to change
your notebooks status.
 
However, by making your notebooks private you make it a little
harder for potential members to find your list.
 
You can write to me, John Buckman, at [log in to unmask], or bring
any issues you would like to discuss to LSTOWN-L.  If you like, I can
send you a document showing how to make the change to your list.
 
Thanks!
 
John Buckman