At 04:57 PM 2/23/98 PST, Randy Klumph wrote:
>I would like to setup my list to take advantage of the <topics>
>option, but I want to make sure I am clear on what will occur.
>
>If I add to my header TOPICS= yyy zzz  then subscribers can set
>their options to <set topics zzz> and receive only those messages
>with zzz in the subject. Subscribers who do not <set topics> will
>continue to receive all messages.
>
>Do I understand this correctly?

It would be "TOPICS= yyy,zzz".

To completely answer your question, one must also consider how the keyword "Default-Topics=" is set. Messages to subscribers who do not "SET ... TOPICS= ..." are handled according to the "Default-Topics=" keyword settings at the time they subscribed. The "catchall" topic "Other" may or may not be listed in the Default-Topics= keyword.

As an owner of a topics-using list, I can tell you the major problems are getting subscribers to SET what they want and getting posters to include a proper topic (or more) at the front of their Subject: lines. Judicious use of REVIEW for posters who do not add topics to their subjects may help get things started right.

Ed Paynter