I run a 4000-subscriber list on MITVMA (LISTSERV 1.8c on VM).

We found that users were running CJLI database searches which were:

 1. (at best) ruining response time for other users because LISTSERV
    was spending the full default five minutes of CPU time on many of
    the searches, or

 2. (at worst) causing LISTSERV to shutdown (due to exhausting its
    working  storage when searching large archives).

I would have liked to turn off CJLI database searches (for my list)
while continuing to permit the new SEARCH/GETPOST commands, but I was
told that that isn't possible.

We found another site that was willing to provide (non-LISTSERV)
searchable, web-based access to a copy of our archives. Then we
(reluctantly) set the fourth (access-level) parameter of the Notebook=
keyword to Owner, as the only way that we knew to protect the system
against CJLI database searches of my list. I realized that I was
preventing:

 1. CJLI database searches

 2. searches with the new SEARCH command

 3. GETs of archive notebooks

I had forgotten about people with "INDEX subscriptions" to my list. They
continue to receive daily indices, but when they try to use the GETPOST
command to request a copy of a particular message, they are told that
they don't have sufficient access.

While I am comfortable enough sending everyone to the new site to do
web-based searching, I have a real problem not being able to satisfy a
request for a particular message from a subscriber who was already given
a retrieval number in his daily Index. (Of course, the retrieval number
is no use at all at the (non-LISTSERV) web site, even though the message
that he wants to retrieve is stored there.)

Can you suggest any way of solving my original problem without creating
this new one?

/David Rosenberg             [log in to unmask]            1-617-253-8054