Thanks for the private insights.
 
For OUR users, we use TELL commands to sub BITNET lists, so
they had sent:
 
TELL LISTSERV AT nodename SUB listname firstname lastname
 
then got a confirmation message.
The reply option didn't work, but they misunderstood the message
about what to do next.  I did too.  It is not exactly lucid.  What
it said was:
 
error  message. In  this  case, send  "ok 61BCD0"  instead,  using the  same
procedure with which you  sent the command you are now  asked to confirm. In
other words, with most mail programs you will only need to type "ok", but if
you are unlucky you may have to retype the confirmation code as well.
 
The confusing part is "using the same procedure with which you sent the
command you are now asked to confirm."  I now understand that for US that
means we should send with another TELL LISTSERV command,
 
so we send:
 
TELL LISTSERV AT nodename OK 61bcd0
 
and everything is cool...
 
Thanks again for the help.
 
 
 /++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++\
!  Later        +   Systems Programmer                                 !
!  Gary Warner  +   Samford University Computer Services               !
!               +   II TIMOTHY 2:15                                    !
 \+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++/