>At 11:34 8-08-96 -0400, you wrote:
>>The reason it's suggested topics be used with an edited list is that it's
>>pretty impossible to expect subscribers to always construct their own
>>Subject: lines properly.  If the Subject: line is not correct then the
>>whole very useful feature is useless.
>
>Yes and that is what I thought as well. I have an unedited list with topics
>(I believe all 11 even) and I expected about 25% of `right answers'. But
>about 75% uses correct topics, and those who don't really consider it a
>shame their mail didn't go to the subfield they aimed at. So they'll do it
>right the next time. It's really not that bad, though I must admit I am
>running a list about Cognitive Science so those ppl are computer/interface
>oriented, maybe that helps...
>
>Question though: I am about to combine the last three topics on my list to
>one topic, and add a new one. Am I correct in understanding that only the
>ppl subscibed to those last few topics need to change their topic settings?
>And of course those who want to be subscribed to the new topic, if they
>aren't set to ALL already?
 
 
Michel -
 
        I use topics in a similar way and I run a list for writers.  We do
even better than 75% because we've got a special software program doing
participation stats and members know that if the subject line isn't right,
they won't get credit for their posts.  Works great for us without using an
edited list, but then we don't use the ALL or OTHER topics and I do all of
the topic subscriptions.  So if the topic isn't right, no one sees the
post.
 
        Listserv translates the name of a topic into a number.  In other
words, listserv actually stores member topic subscriptions according to
topic 1, topic 2, topic 3, etc. regardless of the name of the topic.  This
lets you change the name and keep the subscribers.
 
        To combine topics 9,10,11, you would delete members from 10 and 11
and add them to 9, changing its name to whatever you want.  The original
members of topic 9 will still be there.  Then when you add a new topic 10
it will be empty and ready to receive its new members.
 
        To avoid confusion, you could make the initial changes yourself,
using the commands:
 
To add a member:
 
SET LISTNAME TOPICS: +TOPICNAME FOR emailaddress
 
To delete a member:
 
SET LISTNAME TOPICS: -TOPICNAME FOR emailaddress
 
Jilla