We use the TOPICS option (which provides -- in effect --- up to 15
sub-lists, within your main list) but I purposely choose to send all
mis-tagged (or untagged) messages to the OTHER "channel" rather than
to the ALL members automatically (which I understood was an option in
the software).

Then I make sure that NO ONE, except by list managers select to
receive the "OTHER" channel, by choosing only 8 of our 12 topical
"channels" (as we call them) to new members AND ALSO by sending,
periodically this command to th server:

SET CETEFL-L TOPICS: -OTHER for *

In this way, no one will receiving it, except my managers (and the
digest/index recipients, who get all the messages anyway.)

WHY DO I DO THIS?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Simple..... In this way most of the common viruses are filtered out
of the system.  I get them, my managers get them (and hopefully can
deal with them), the digest/index recipients get them (but the digest
is not enabled for attachments in which viruses hide, or so it
seems).  So we get pretty good coincidental protection from these
viruses for no extra effort.

Members learn to use the system, or accept that fact that no one will
get their messages.
(Reposting messages to the group proper requires only changing the
first two lines of the message, to evade the duplicate-message
filter, which will remember the message from the first, mis-posting.)

If anyone wants more information on the TOPICS option, I can tell you
how it has worked for us, this last 16 months (after moving from
another server, specifically to gain this option).

Dennis Hickman

----------
From:   j newton[SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
Reply To:       LISTSERV list owners' forum
Sent:   2. dubna 2001 20:09
To:     [log in to unmask]
Subject:        Re: TOPICS

All your assumptions are correct as per my experience. That is how we
automated the problem of people not topic tagging correctly. I have a
system
that watches for posts on the "other:" topic and sends of a friendly
reminder that they need to use topics as per the welcome letter and
that
they can turn off the "other:" topic if they don't want to see
un-tagged
posts. Despite the fact that replies to tagged posts often move off
into
la-la land, it has cut complaining about off topics to absolute zero.

Now if I can just get the bounce problem automated...

---
James Newton (PICList Admin #3)
mailto:[log in to unmask] 1-619-652-0593
PIC/PICList FAQ: http://www.piclist.com or .org

-----Original Message-----
From: LISTSERV list owners' forum
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of TheGolem
Sent: Monday, April 02, 2001 10:54
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: TOPICS


I just set one of my lists up for topics.

Am I correct in assuming that if they forget to indicate a topic that
LISTSERVER sends it as "OTHER", i.e.:

 [name of list] OTHER: (subject as stipulated by author)

And, OTHER does not have to be stiuplated for everyone to receive it,
or
it can in  topic-defaults=
 And, in topic-defaults I can also stipulate "ALL" instead of
enumerating
the topics and everyone is automatically subscribed to all topics
until
they send a "set (name of list) TOPICS:ALL -(topic) to remove one of
the
topics??

Hank

P.S. I didn't receive an answer about vis-a-vis my query about
banners so
I assume it cannot be set up for more rotations than once daily?