Just to put some numbers behind what Eric said about the cost
of SIGNOFF * (NETWIDE:  The last time a batch of those came
through [log in to unmask] inspection of LISTSERV's log
file showed that they were taking 30 seconds each to search the
761 lists hosted here.
 
In about a month we will be doing our annual cleanup of old
accounts.  It looks like we'll be removing over 8,000 of them.
So at 30 seconds each that's over 65 hours elapsed time just to
search and delete on our local lists.  Using (NETWIDE would
impose that work load on each and every server in the backbone.
Some more, some less, depending on how many lists they host and
the size of those lists.  Needless to say we are NOT going to
do that!  And we don't appreciate it when others do it to us.
 
--
Glenn A. Malling <[log in to unmask]>
Syracuse University Computing Services   +1 (315) 443-4111
220 Machinery Hall  Syracuse, New York 13244-1260
 
Postmaster for SUnix and LISTSERV.