>Yes, but isn't she asking "What if I do an ADD where I put in a fake
>'real name' for the person so LISTSERV will take it whether or not
>there is a SIGNUP file entry?"  I confess that I don't know whether
>or not doing an add for someone already in the signup file would
>change the signup file to conform with the new add.  I've never seen
>it happen and I don't think I've ever tried to do what she's asking.
 
Yes, this is what I am asking.  I have included the ADD documentation
below.  It says essentially that you need to include a full-name if the
user has never been signed onto any list on the server before.  Then it
says that if you put a name and the guy is already subscribed to *your*
list (wouldn't happen in my case) it will change the guy's name on my
list.  So it sounds like I'd be safe to use pseudonyms and they'd only
have an effect on my list.  I had thought before that the listserv would
only allow one real name per userid, but now I am guessing that it has
a database of default real names but you can set a different real name
for each list you are on too.  Right?
 
ADD       listname userid@node <full_name>   <PW=list_password>
|                  DD=ddname
 
  This command  allows you to add  a user to  one of your lists.  He will
  automatically receive  notification of  his addition.  Note that  it is
  not necessary to supply the user's full-name unless he has never (been)
  signed on to any  list of the server before. The  list password must be
  specified only if the list is protected by the "Validate= All commands"
  option (qqv),  AND the command is  issued from a remote  node. Password
  validation is  waived when the command  is sent via "direct  means" (ie
  CP MSG or CP SMSG) from the local node. Note that the "PW=" keyword can
  be inserted anywhere in the command  line provided it appears AFTER the
  command name itself.  There must not be any blank  between "PW" and the
  equal sign, ie "PW =" will not be recognized as list password.
 
  If the  specified userid is already  subscribed to the list,  the "true
  name" field in  his entry will be replaced with  the name you specified
  (possibly taken from the signup  file) and he will receive notification
  of the change.