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On Thu, 16 Sep 1999 09:31:02 EDT, Jean Snow <[log in to unmask]>  said:
> Since we have a lot of class lists, we allow owners to specify an
> expiration date when the list is created: this goes into the list
> headers, so it is easily scanned for.  I've got a perl script that
> notifies me of any lists that have expired.

We do something similar here - "class" lists get a special comment
line injected into the list header, and we automatically remove
the lists a few weeks after the end of the semester (in time for
creating new lists if it's a class offered fall/spring).  We also
have hooks to do extracts for class admit lists to auto-populate
the lists.

I also collect info on list activity, but I haven't written code
to identify totally dead lists.  I should do so however, and maybe
start getting our 3,000+ lists under better control... ;)

                                Valdis Kletnieks
                                Computer Systems Senior Engineer
                                Virginia Tech