On Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:06:51 -0800, Ian Fairclough
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>If there are further categories I'll be very happy to know about them.

At L-Soft, we use 'archive-only' lists.  For example, if you (as a customer)
write to [log in to unmask] your message is distributed to the various
members of the Support staff (but not via a list) and also to an
(internal-use-only) LISTSERV list that has no subscribers.  All replies and
further correspondence are also copied to the list.  The archives of this list
thus become a knowledge base both of customer interactions and also of
possible answers to infrequent but challenging problems.  

I know of a number of institutional customers who use something similar for
receiving and archiving periodic automated/scripted reports, for example of
machine status updates, etc.  

This is similar to your notification list, but the difference is there are no
subscribers and messages are only received, not sent out (although various
people do have access as List Owners or Server Admins, they are not
subscribers).  The only way to read messages is via the archives, usually via
the WWW interface.

-------------------------
There is another variation on notifications also, an Errors list.  The
notification list address is entered as the address for Errors-To= (where
errors are to be reported and the DEMR is sent).

 Errors-To= [log in to unmask]

At least 1 person is subscribed, but the subscription is set to digest.  The
digest is set to send a 1:00am or 2:00am.  (All DEMRs are sent out just after
midnight).  This allows the user to get 1 message with the DEMR status on many
other lists in one organized message.  Some special configuration settings are
necessary because normally LISTSERV traps error messages.

----------
Finally, Discussion lists may be moderated or unmoderated.  I don't know what
the usage the author intends, but this may be an important distinction, or it
may not.  But obviously moderation can limit or closely direct the focus of
the discussion, and introduces a 3rd party beyond the subscriber's choice of
action to respond or not.

Also, most List Management applications (borrowed the idea from LISTSERV), can
direct a preference for where replies will go, whether to come back to the
list/group as in a true dicscussion of people around a table, or whether to go
back to the sender of the list message.

############################

To unsubscribe from the LSTOWN-L list:
write to: mailto:[log in to unmask]
or click the following link:
http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/scripts/wa.exe?SUBED1=LSTOWN-L&A=1