We would like to exploit LISTSERV's subscription confirmation machinery
for a non-list purpose, namely registration of perferred mail hosts in a
university environment where users may have accounts on many machines.
 
The GOAL is to provide a user the means of indicating his preferred host
for mail (this datum being used for autoforwarding, directories, etc.).
 
The METHOD is for him to "subscribe" to dummy list FOOBAR from his
preferred host.  (This would be done through an EXEC that would conceal
the LISTSERV subscription syntax.)  The accumulated list of subscribers
is then periodically gathered up and recorded elsewhere and a QUIET
DELETE FOOBAR * issued to purge the list.
 
The PROBLEM is forgery.
 
The COUNTERMEASURE is to use the Confirm feature of the SUBSCRIBE
command.
 
The FLY IN THE OINTMENT is the confirmation message sent by LISTSERV
which is (not surprisingly) utterly inappropriate for the current
purpose.  There appears to be no modifiable template or user exit that
can be brought to bear on the problem.  Does anyone have any
suggestions?
                                             /b