Hi all,
I'm researching an article for Web Publisher magazine
(www.web-publisher.com) on mail lists. Specifically, the article will be
focusing on mail list programs that are easy to install and use for Web
content publishers who may not be well versed in computer programming beyond
HTML.
Towards that end, I'm sending along some questions I thought you might
like to answer.
I'm interested in finding out what went into your evaluation of various
mail list programs before you chose the one you now use. And I'm also very
interested in what prompted you to begin using a mail list in the first
place, and if your goals for the list have been realized.
Please email answers to any or all of the questions directly to:
[log in to unmask] And please include your name, title, company, city/state
company location and Web address along with your response.
Of course, I'll be glad to send you a copy of the resulting article.
Looking forward to seeing your responses.
-Joe Dysart
Web Publisher
Voice: (805) 379-3841
Email: [log in to unmask]
====================================================
QUESTIONS REGARDING YOUR DECISION TO ADD A MAIL LIST TO YOUR WEB SITE
====================================================
*What company goals are you trying to achieve by offering a mail list on your
Web site?
*Have those goals been realized?
*Do you feel your mail list fosters a sense of community among your Web site
visitors? How so?
*Does your mail list keep visitors coming back to your mail list? Why/why
not?
*Have you used your mail list for feedback on potential products and or
services? If so, do you feel mail lists are a good tool for soliciting this
feedback?
*Do you use you mail list for customer service or technical support? If so,
how, specifically, is the list being used to achieve this function?
*Have you encountered any unexpected benefits/drawbacks of adding a mail list
to your Web site? If so, please elaborate.
*What type of software did you chose to incorporate a mail list onto your Web
site, and why?
*Were there any software glitches you had to overcome during the software
installation? If so, how specifically did you overcome those glitches?
*Do you run a moderated mail list, or unmoderated list? What factors
influenced your decision?
*What changes would you like to see in the next upgrade of the mail list
software package you choose, and why?
*Do you think the software you chose is the best mail list software for the
job, or do you plan to use other software in the future? If so, which
software will you use, and why?
*What do you know now about mail list software that you wish you had known at
the outset?
*What type of computer hardware do you use t run your mail list software?
(Please be specific.)
*What type of software operating system do you use to run the mail list?
(Please be specific.)
*What is the Web address for your mail list sign-up?
=============================================
FACTORS INFLUENCING YOUR CHOICE OF MAIL LIST SOFTWARE
=============================================
*Which of these programs do you feel is best suited for use by a Web content
publisher who is looking to add mailing list capability to a Web site, but is
not well versed in computer-programming or at the system administrator level:
1) AltaVista Internet
2) Groupmaster
3) listserve
4) lyris
5) majordomo
*Is there another mail list software program you believe is better suited to
Web content developers with limited programming experience?
*Why do you believe you choice above is best for this type of Web content
publisher?
*Users of Alta Vista Internet Software Mail Server ‘97 say they like the fact
that the program is easy to set up.
-Have you found this to be true?
-What are some other benefits of the software?
-What did you feel were the software's drawbacks?
*Do you feel that one of listserv's great strengths is its ability to handle
10,000-plus members quickly and efficiently? Why or why not?
*What features of listserve do you find most useful, and why?
*Do you feel listserv's command-line interface could be intimidating to the
novice user -- someone who is not a system
administrator or computer programmer? Why or why not?
*Do you feel that lyris requires users to possess a thorough understanding of
PERL? Why or why not?
*Do you feel lyris' overall performance is faster than those of
other mail list programs. Why or why not?
*Do you feel majordomo requires users to possess a thorough understanding of
PERL? Why or why not?
*Do you feel majordomo can be buggy when attempting to archive, digest and
configure moderated mailing lists. Why or why not?
==================================
QUESTIONS FOR GROUPMASTER USERS
==================================
-What factors made you decide that Revnet Systems Groupmaster was the best
program for the solution you were seeking?
-Do you feel Revnet Systems detailed reporting feature is a big selling point
for the software?
Users of Listserve have indicated that the program is powerful, but difficult
to use.
-What features does Listserve have which cannot be found in
Groupmaster?
-What do you feel makes Listserve difficult to use?
The same comment has been made of Lyris and Majordomo -- the programs are
powerful, but difficult to use.
-Again: What features do Lyris and Majordomo have which cannot be
found in Groupmaster?
-What makes Lyris and Majordomo difficult to use?
*Have you taken advantage of the software's ability to deliver Web pages and
PowerPoint presentations? If so, what kind of content was incorporated into
that multimedia mail, and what company goals were you trying to achieve by
sending that mail?
THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR RESPONSES! --J.D.
(END OF EMAIL TRANSMISSION)
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