Sue Paduano <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
 
> I have successfully set up the topics section of my list following
> the owner's manual and have subscribed one person who wanted them.
> Now I'm wondering is this all I have to do to make sure that
> he gets the topics?  Do I have to forward anything that comes to the
> list to him under the topic address?  Or is that going to happen
> automatically for the most part?  My list is an ease home list,
> with no editing.
 
I haven't used topics on a list in a few years, but the manual is
helpful if you look in all the sections where the info is spread.
Marks in parens like "(*)" point to manual citations at the end.
 
Topics are keywords which, if found at the beginning of a Subject line or
immediately after a beginning "Re:", determine who on your list the message
is delivered to.  Pretend there are three topics -- AAA, BBB, CCC. (*)
 
When you first define topics with the Topics keyword, everyone
initially is set to be read all messages, regardless of topic.  You
may also add the Default-Topics tag which will set new subscribers to
those topics automatically. (+)
 
Individuals can use the 'set topic' command to change their own topics.
As with any setting, the owner may also use the 'set ... for ...' syntax
to set a topic for one or more subscribers. (*)
 
If I'm a subscriber with settings for topics AAA and CCC, I don't receive
mail with subject
 
    Time flies like an arrow
 
(which counts as topic "Other" (*), a reserved topic you should not
create (+)) but I do receive mail with subject
 
    CCC: Fruit flies like a banana
 
since its topic "CCC" matches one I have set.
 
The owner may want to set all existing subscribers topics to the
default-topics list at first (with the 'quiet set topics .... for *@*'
command) so everyone starts from a known place.  (Note the "quiet"! (=))
One likely default-topic list might be "All", but if there is a
narrowly-focused topic, you might use "All -BBB" (assuming "BBB" is
such a topic) so that as a starting point no one is reading that list,
except those who are interested, who must then set their topics
settings. (*)
 
References to "List Owner's Manual for Listserv(tm) version 1.8b,
Revision 3":
 
(*) Section 6.7, "Using list topics", p. 38 in the .pdf version.
(%) Appendix B under "Distribution Keywords", then "Topics=",
    p. 86 in the .pdf version.
(+) Appendix B under "Subscription Keywords", then "Default-Topics=",
    p. 99 in the .pdf version.
(=) Section 4.4, "Using the QUIET option with commands", p. 20 in the .pdf
    version.
 
En paz,
Steve
--
Stephen W. Thompson, U. of PA, Data Administration, 215-898-1236, WWW has PGP
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