IMHO, sending test messages to a list is an exercise in futility
for most usages (not ALL).
 
If a list is generating any sort of traffic per day, then NO
testing is required: the list traffic itself is The Test.  If one
is having problems with their subscription, do a Q * to the
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If there is a problem somewhere along the Internet-work that the
LISTSERV distribute backbone is using, you won't debug it via a
TEST.
 
Then there are RESPONSES TO the testing message, "I received your
message OK" sent to all subscribers.  "Me too." All that is a
waste of bandwidth, and encourages other both to send test
messages (in the future) and to respond in kind (now).
 
So my advice to the casual user is "don't do it."
 
/Pete Weiss at the Penn State Virtual Campus