Is the "Listserv" name protected by copyright or patent?  I am appending a
strange exchange of messages.  Yesterday tried to set myself NOMAIL on one of
the lists to which I subscribe.  This is what I did:
 
To:     SMTP%"[log in to unmask]"
CC:     FACSHAFERI
Subj:
 
set christlit nomail
 
This is the response I received (I edited out large chunks in the headers in
all the following messages):
 
Date: Wed, 13 Mar 1996 22:14:20 -0600
Subject: Error Condition Re: Invalid request
X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0b -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas
X-Comment:  Bethel College List Manager
 
>SET CHRISTLIT NOMAIL
 
Invalid SET option NOMAIL
 
Syntax: set <list> [<option> <arg[s]>]
        option: mail, password, address, conceal
        arg for 'mail': ack/noack/postpone/digest
        args for 'password': <current-password> <new-password>
        args for 'address': <current-password> <new-address>
        arg for 'conceal': yes/no
 
 
So I wrote to the listowner:
 
To:     SMTP%"[log in to unmask]"
CC:     FACSHAFERI
Subj:   Are you using listserv?
 
I just tried to set myself nomail and received an odd error message
that didn't sound at all like the listserv error messages I ordinarily
receive.  In addition, several of the available commands looked
quite alien--more so than the difference I might expect between
versions of listserv (I am used to 1.8b).  Anyway, I signed
off for the time being.  I hope *that* command did what it
was supposed to do.
 
Pax, Ingrid Shafer
[log in to unmask] & [log in to unmask]
http://astro.temple.edu/arcc
 
Date: Wed, 13 Mar 1996 22:39:54 -0600
Message-Id: <[log in to unmask]>
From: [log in to unmask]
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: SIGNOFF CHRISTLIT
X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0b -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas
You have been removed from list [log in to unmask]
Thanks for being with us.
 
Date: Thu, 14 Mar 1996 09:30:54 -0600
Message-Id: <[log in to unmask]>
From: "Daniel E. Ritchie"  <[log in to unmask]>
Reply-To: "Daniel E. Ritchie"  <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Are you using listserv?
 
Yes, we use a listserv
 
Dan Ritchie
 
                 **********************************
 
Am I justified in writing back to Ritchie and telling him that "listserv"
is not a generic term for list distribution software?  Presumably the
"Listprocessor-Version: 6.0b -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas" they
are using functions somewhat like listserv but isn't the same program, and
calling this a "listserv" is even more noxious and misleading than referring
to the individual list as a "listserv" (something else I've been trying to
discourage).  People should be able to expect consistency in command
structure if they sign up with something called "listserv@*"!
 
Am I being unreasonable?  Should I pursue this?  Is there something else I
need to know?
 
Ingrid Shafer
[log in to unmask]  [log in to unmask]
Listowner: [log in to unmask]  and  [log in to unmask]
http://astro.temple.edu/~arcc