>At the risk of sounding really stupid, I have to ask what the keyword is to
>make my list periodically validate the addresses. I know this is possible
>because I get these mesaages from listservs to confirm my subscription from
>time to time. Where is the documentation for this? Is it possible to force
>this
>for individual addresses as well? How do I exclude redistribution addresses?
 
The keyword is RENEWAL=.  You 'SET list NORENEW" for userids such
as NETNEWS et al.  Here is some advice I once distributed.  Modify
it as per the above and give it a try. Also "LIST DETAIL" to various
well-known LISTSERV sites and do a little list keyword surfing.
 
Organization: Penn State University
Date: Sat, 1 May 1993 18:12:08 EDT
From: Peter M. Weiss <[log in to unmask]>
Message-ID: <[log in to unmask]>
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.lstsrv-l
Subject: Re: LISTKEYW MEMO update?
References:  <[log in to unmask]>
 
There are very few keywords that have not been documented, one time or
other in the lstown-l or lstsrv-l notebook archives (searn and uga
respectively).
 
In particular, the DIGEST=, INDEX=, and TOPIC= have been well-discussed
since 1993 i.e., not only the syntax, but the semantics, and gotchas.
 
Another "fun" thing to do is a LIST DETAIL at various well-known LISTSERV
hosts looking for "interesting" real-world keyword examples.
 
(As usual, don't forget the V17F RELNOTES, but it should "hit" using
the below script.  Another "must have" is LISTSERV TIPS, available from
the LISTSERV@BITNIC, authored by Lisa Covi, formerly of the Bitnic.)
 
Here is a sample script that will speed you on your way (send to a
LISTSERV@list_node) making sure to modify the "list".  (Then when you
have a few moments to spare, try the LISTSERV command INFO FAQ -- that
document will convince you to learn a little more about the DATABASE
Search facility, then follow that up by an INFO DATABASE.)
 
/* --------------------- clip and save ---------------- */
//ListSrch JOB Echo=no
Database Search DD=Rules
//Rules DD *
S INDEX= OR DIGEST= OR TOPIC= IN list SINCE 93
index date.8 sender.30 subject.40
print
/*
//  EOJ
/* --------------------- clip and save ---------------- */
 
/Pete ([log in to unmask]) -- co-owner LDBASE-L
--
Peter M. Weiss                     |              oas.psu.edu postmaster
31 Shields Bldg -- Penn State Univ.| "He was a couple of diskettes short
University Park, PA USA 16802-1202 |     of a complete hard disk backup"