I am searching for a host site for my existing mailing list, currently
called the Approach Users Mailing List. Approach is a relational database
application suitable for home users and small busines produced by Lotus
Corp. for MS-Windows and OS/2s.
 
I started up the Approach Users Mailing List a couple of months ago
because I could not find any on-line support for the product, and wanted
to gauge the level of interest in such a mailing list. From a very small
start the list has now grown to around 50 subscribers, and over the past 4
week has been increasing by about half a dozen subscribers per week. I run
the mailing list manually out of my dial-in menu driven account, which is
fairly tedious and means that message turn-around time is typically 24
hours, but can be 2 or 3 days if I go away for the weekend.
 
Now that the Approach Users Mailing List has proven the demand for such a
mailing list, I want to re-establish it on some firmer foundations that
will make it easier to maintain in the long term, and provide a better
service for the subscribers. Having explored a number of options I am now
convinced that establishing it as a LISTSERV mailing list is the best way
to proceed, if I can find a site and LISTSERV Maintainer to take it on. I
have read the List Owners manual and think I have a fair understanding of
what this will require of me as the lists 'owner'.
 
If the list does become a LISTSERV mailing list then I would propose the
following:
     * that the name of the list be changed to something like the Lotus
Approach Interest Group to be consistent with the naming of other lists.
     * that the general topic be all the past, present and future version
of Lotus Approach (2.1, 3.0x)
     * that the target audience be current users of Lotus Approach, and
people that offer user support for the product.
 
I expect the number of subscribers to continue to increase, but am not
sure to what extent. The current posts to the list are almost exclusively
Question and Answer posts at an average of 2 or so per day. Subscribers
seem to be happy to be on the list just in case they need it. This dynamic
may alter if the list is changed over to LISTSERV, but I would not expect
it to develop into a heavily discussion oriented list.
 
There is no official connection between the current list and Lotus Corp.
However, there is at least one Lotus Approach employee who actively
participates on the list. I do not know whether their involvement is
official or out of personal interest. I do not generate any income or
profit of any kind from running the list. However it does costs me a
number of hours each week and some of my limited Internet access time!
 
I have conducted various searches for "Lotus" and "Approach" including in
the LISTSERV List of Lists, news.lists, and the sri.com Interest Groups
List of Lists, and believe that this list does not duplicate or encroach
on any existing mailing list. I am aware of the on-line product services
provided by Lotus on the WWW, but this does not provide for discussion
between users.
 
I would appreciate any offers of assistance.
 
John Brown
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