First, for a one-time mailing, use the LISTSERV DISTRIBUTE MAIL JOB, and
not a list.  Second, the list of users should be written in the form

userid1@host BSMTP
userid2@host BSMTP
userid3@host BSMTP
(...)

The "BSMTP" is used instead of a name field and likewise is in all UPPER CASE.

When you address your e-mail message, make sure that the Subject: and
saluatation indicate that it is a mass mailing (in some way e.g., TO ALL
CAMPUS MAIL USERS) and THAT SAID ANNOUNCEMENT IS SO AUTHORIZED.
Nevertheless, regardless of how noble the cause, we've found that users
HATE bulk mailings if there is any other way of receiving said announcement
e.g., campus NETNEWS, WEB, or perhaps a hybrid approach.  Be prepared for
flames.

Also, depending on your facilities and sizing of servers, you might find
that said mass mailing might cause system failures.

Just my 2 bits.

/Pete Weiss at Penn State

At 14:25 7/2/97 -0700, you wrote:
|First off, sorry to have written twice. Secondly, is there a way I can
|tell how my campus has implemented the Distribute Algorithm?
|
|Reason I ask is that I needed to email a campus-wide announcement. So, I
|downloaded the campus directory, extracted all email addrs, and pasted
|into the BCC field.
|
|I'm interested in hearing flames or sage advice for next time if this
|was a very bad thing to do. I knew enough not to use the TO or CC
|fields.
|
|On Wednesday, July 02, 1997 2:01 PM, Pete Weiss[SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
|wrote:
|> The technical explanation is maybe: it is dependent upon a host of factors,
|> including the user's personal subscription options.  There is an RFC that
|> describes the LISTSERV(R) Distribute Algorithm.
|>
|> Even if LISTSERV has all of its list subscribers receving via BCC:, one or
|> more batches (separate SMTP connections) might be established in order to
|> batch and spread the load.
|>
|> Finally, the internal (to LISTSERV) hosts across the network uses
|> server-to-servers mail with list of userids as body-of-text for final
|> explosion at the nearest (to subscriber) LISTSERV host.
|>
|> /Pete Weiss at Penn State
|>
|>  At 13:39 7/2/97 -0700, you wrote:
|> |Somewhere, either in a forum such as this or on the web, I came under
|> |the impression that Listserv works by putting all subscribers' email
|> |addrs in the bcc field.
|> |
|> |Can someone give me a technical explanation of whether or not this is
|> |true?
|
|