As a follow-up to my question about BYUVAX leaving BITNET, I would like to ask
if there is a protocol (in the social, not computer, sense) for cases like
this.  I mean, here we have a site that appears to have walked out without let-
ting listowners know, and without (apparently) letting its own users know. We
have several users (19) from BYU on each of our 7 lists, and not one of them
has done anything to change their subscriptions on our lists. This is why
I am asking if there is a "correct" way to do this: When sites change their
addresses, whether by dropping bitnet or for some other reason, do they have
any obligation (other than moral) to let their users and others know about
this?  What obligation do list owners have in cases like this? Do we manually
change each of those subscribers?  Delete them all?  I realize that
many people on this list are far more technically adept at all this than I am
and that for those people, there are probably quick and nifty ways to automate
the changes on their lists.  However, I think I represent the group of list
owners (growing, I believe) who are NOT that comfortable or knowledgeble about
the technical aspects of list life, and for us, all of these things are some-
what mysterious and, therefore, extremely time-consuming.
So, what is the "correct" way for sites, listowners, and users, to deal with
address changes?  Also, are they announced in advance in any public forum? If
so, where?
Please excuse these questions if they are ignorant...I really want to know.
 
Anthea Tillyer     City University of New York     [log in to unmask]