>In regards to a messages like the following:
>
>Error occurred while processing file 8635550 from [log in to unmask]:
>
>   User had been served out.
>
>I recall reading that if the user is SERVEd, his or her access would be
>restored.  What happens when the user is my SYSTEM account?  how is one
>supposed to remedy such a situation?
>
>
>I've found this but do not know where to turn to now??
>
>Note that the SERVE command will not restore service to users who have
>been manually served off by the LISTSERV maintainer. Restoration of
>service in this case requires that a LISTSERV maintainer intervene.

I assume that in this particular case your account was not manually
serverd out but was instead automatically served out because LISTSERV
received fifty consecutive bad commands from it.  In this case you'd
use the SERVE command as described just before the text you quote
above:

| +------------+
| | SERVE user |
| +------------+
|
| Restore service to a user whose access to LISTSERV has been disabled. This
| generally occurs when a user has sent 51 incorrect commands (raised from
| 21 in 1.8b) in a row to LISTSERV, which LISTSERV interprets as a possible
| mail loop. (Note also that certain mail packages that send "Read:/Not
| Read:" notifications back to LISTSERV will trigger this scenario after 51
| iterations. The best solution would be for the user to disable receipt
| notifications.) The user in question cannot restore his or her own
| service; this command must be issued from another userid.

It can be issued from any email address that is not itself served out.

>This seems to be an increasing problem and would like to know what I can
>to decrease the frequency of this even happening.  Thanks for any input.

Usually it's caused by autoresponders getting into mailing loops with
LISTSERV.  Generally I would encourage people not to sign up for
mailing lists using an address that is connected to an autoresponder.

Thanks,
--
Jacob Haller, Technical Support
L-Soft international, Inc
http://www.lsoft.com/