I would like to state that I believe that the LISTSERV backbone needs some work in order to be a backbone. My case and point follows: (no offense is intended towards Maine, the University therein, or the computing center staff that maintains the Listserv there...) Recently, it was posted that the MAINE listserv had some problems and lost some mail...well, maine is on the backbone...it has (i believe) only 5 sites behind it...so, listserv files get routed up to maine from yalevm...then back down to yale again to come across to brown with yet another listserv on the backbone...and then finally up to bostonu where we distribute for I believe 61 nodes behind us. I just think that this, and possibly other listserv routes, are a bit off. Any thoughts on this? Would the LCB consider coming up with a tactical placement of listservs on the listserv backbone and then the other sites would simply be listserv sites? Just thinking aloud...and hoping others are too... - Michael Gettes, Boston University