Roger's idea is intriguing.  You may not be aware of it, but lists can
have two names: a short name suitable for addressing by 8-character or
less non-mailers, or a longer name (up to 32 characters according to a
note by ERIC to LSTOWN-L on 2/8/93 where he enumerated list keywords for
1.7f (1.8 may have some other relevant features)) and Mark Williamson
wrote in a LSTSRV-L posting
 
Date: Thu, 10 Oct 1991 14:28:20 CDT
 
>   LIST-ID: (default value userid of list)
 
This allows users to refer to a list with a name other than the real name
of the list.  For example, there is a group of peer lists redistributing
the Internet list Info-IBMPC.  Most of the peer lists are named IBMPC-L,
but our peer is named $$INFOPC (for historical reasons).  All carry the
List-ID INFO-IBMPC, so a potential subscriber may send SIGNUP INFO-IBMPC
to any LISTSERV and have the request sent to the appropriate LISTSERV
even though a list literally named INFO-IBMPC could not exist on any
VM/CMS system (since it's over 8 characters).
 
                             -=-=-=-=-=-=-
 
I then did a LIST GLOBAL /ibmpc-l                 >>>
 
Excerpt from the LISTSERV lists known to LISTSERV@PSUVM on 26 Feb 1994 08:45
Search string: IBMPC-L
 
Network-wide ID  Full address      List title
---------------  ------------      ----------
INFO-IBMPC       IBMPC-L@CEARN     (Peered) Info-IBMPC Digest
                 IBMPC-L@DEARN     (Peered) IBMPC-L
                 IBMPC-L@HEARN     (Peered) IBMPC-L
                 IBMPC-L@POLYVM    (Peered) INFO-IBMPC Digest
                 IBMPC-L@TAMVM1    (Peered) INFO-IBMPC Digest
                 IBMPC-L@TAUNIVM   (Peered) Info-IBMPC Digest
                 IBMPC-L@UBVM      (Peered) INFO-IBMPC Digest
                 IBMPC-L@UGA       (Peered) INFO-IBMPC Digest
                 IBMPC-L@UTORONTO  (Peered) IBMPC Digest
                 IBMPC-L@VTVM1     (Peered) INFO-IBMPC Digest
 
Followed up by a "TELL LISTSERV AT UGA rev ibmpc-l (short local"
abstracted >>>
 
*  INFO-IBMPC Digest
*
*  List-ID= INFO-IBMPC
*  Local= UGA*,USCN
*
*  PEERS= UTORONTO,CEARN,DEARN,HEARN
*  PEERS= POLYVM,$$INFOPC@RICEVM1,TAMVM1,TAUNIVM,UBVM,UGA
*  PEERS= VTVM1
 
I re-issued the LISTSERV (at UGA) command but this time
 
       rev INFO-IBMPC (short local
 
and got the same results.
 
(NB - search of the LISTS db might produce different results when
you add the LIST-ID= keyword.)
 
/Pete ([log in to unmask])  --  co-owner  INFOSYS, TQM-L, LDBASE-L, et -L
--
Peter M. Weiss         "The 'NET' never naps"             +1 814 863 1843
31 Shields Bldg. -- Penn State Univ -- University Park, PA 16802-1202 USA