Jim,
 
    LISTSERV  obeys  the :FFORMAT  tag  for  any files  it  generates.
However,  for  DISTRIBUTE,  it   doesn't  generate  the  file,  simply
propagates it.   LISTSERV makes  no assumptions  about the  content or
format  of a  file  sent by  DISTRIBUTE (except  when  using the  MAIL
option).  What you're seeing is a  case where the person composing the
DISTRIBUTE  job used  SENDFILE  to build  the  file.  Richard  Schafer
(MAIL/MAILBOOK) uses  CARD.  There is  no reason why you  couldn't use
VMSDUMP.  I know of at least one  case of using UUENCODE.  And I might
generate another file format tommorrow, if  I feel up to it.  LISTSERV
can't  be required  to understand  all  of these,  because threr  will
always be another.
 
Ross