On Wed, 23 Aug 1995 10:47:06 -0700 Lefty said:
>>As I understand it, Listserv re-directs messages that begin with the
>>word "set" - assuming them to be incorrectly-sent commands.
>
>Is that true?  It strikes me as a poor assumption.  If it _is_ the case, I
>guess I wouldn't want to run a list on the subject of Set Theory using a
>LISTSERV then.
 
It's more like:  LISTSERV scans the first line of the message for anything
that looks like a LISTSERV command.  If it finds something like that, it
returns the message to the sender with an explanatory note.  If you want
to send mail to LSTOWN-L with a command that someone wants, you'd best
be sure to write some introductory text for the first line and <then>
write the command on the 2nd or following line. :)
 
Writing "Set theory" as even the first two words of a message to a list
will not cause a rejection, because LISTSERV knows that "Set theory"
is not a valid LISTSERV command.  However, if you wrote something like
 
Set test-l nomail when you go on vacations
 
on the first line and posted it to your test-l list, it would catch it
because "set test-l nomail" is a valid command. You'd get the message
back with the following header:
 
Your message  is being  returned to  you unprocessed because  it looks  like a
LISTSERV  command,  rather than  material  intended  for distribution  to  the
members of the TEST-L list. Please  note that LISTSERV commands must ALWAYS be
sent to the LISTSERV  address; if it was indeed a  command you were attempting
to  issue,  please send  it  again  to [log in to unmask]  for  execution.
Otherwise, please accept  our apologies and try to rewrite  the message with a
slightly  different wording  -  for instance,  change the  first  word of  the
message,  enclose it  in  quotation marks,  insert  a line  of  dashes at  the
beginning of your message, etc.
 
This command checking can be disabled by setting "Loopcheck= Nobody", if
memory serves, but at the risk of enabling certain mailing loops.  You're
probably best off to leave this alone and figure it isn't going to happen
very often unless you're talking specifically about LISTSERV-oriented
subjects.  We don't recommend changing the Loopcheck= value unless there
is a pressing need to do so.
 
HTH
Nathan