The manual clearly states that for lists running on VM, you have to have
the LISTSERV maintainer make a fileid for the WELCOME or FAREWELL file(s)
before you PUT it (them).  That isn't completely correct; you <can> make
a filelist entry (if you have a filelist for your list) and then PUT the
file(s) without the LISTSERV maintainer's intervention.  If you don't
have a filelist for your list, then you <do> need to talk to the LISTSERV
maintainer.  (I'll make a note that this point needs to be clarified.)
 
For non-VM systems, you need only PUT the file(s).  LISTSERV for those
platforms "knows" about WELCOME and FAREWELL files (and MAILTPL files
as well), so no catalog entry is needed for them.
 
Nathan