The FAQ about LISTSERV mailing lists gated into Usenet was taken over
recently by a long-time Usenet administrator, who has added all the
other known gated mailing lists.  Thus, to save trouble for himself
and readers of the FAQ, he gives only the listname-REQUEST address for
subscriptions, for both LISTSERV and Unix ListServer mailing lists.
That's why we list owners have been getting a host of subscription
requests via listname-REQUEST in the past few weeks.  And it is only
going to get worse, a *lot* worse.
 
I've already discussed this with the new FAQ maintainer, who is not
inclined to change things.  He doesn't see why we can't handle the
subscriptions by hand, like "everyone else" (he thinks) has to do.
 
Sigh.  My approach has been to send a form-reply:
 
-------------------------------------------------------------------
X-To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Your subscription request
 
To subscribe to the SCIFAQ-L mailing list, please send the text
"subscribe scifaq-l <Your Name>" to [log in to unmask]
 
Also, please inform the author of the subscription instructions
you are following that the instructions are incorrect.
 
Sincerely,
 
        Una Smith, SCIFAQ-L administrator
-------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 
Better ideas would be appreciated.
 
--
        Una Smith
 
Yale University, Department of Biology, Osborn Memorial Laboratories,
PO Box 6666, New Haven, Connecticut  06511-8155     [log in to unmask]