Has anyone else experienced an increase over the past few months of folks having difficulty remembering (a) that they've subscribed to your list and (b) how to unsubscribe properly? I've noticed a definite upsurge on my lists, and I'm in need of venting a bit, so I sent the following to one of my lists a few minutes ago, with the (I hope) reasonably civil flame at the end for folks who've evidently forgotten they subscribed but can't bring themselves to admit it :-) John Date: 23 Jul 1992 05:32:01 -0500 From: John B Harlan <[log in to unmask]> Subject: Getting on and off the UN list Sender: United Nations <[log in to unmask]> Message-id: <[log in to unmask]> Greetings from your listowner. I'd like to take a brief moment to chat (read: vent) about messages like the following, sent as postings to the UN list: | Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1992 18:25:21 GMT-0500 | From: [deleted] | Subject: PLEASE TAKE ME OFF THIS LIST!! | Message-id: [deleted] | | Please take me off this list. I have written to the listserv and | they will not take me off. I did not subscribe to this list!! | | Sorry for interupting, but I keep getting UN mail. | | - [deleted] First, here are some reminders: o Messages intended for redistribution to all list subscribers must be sent to the list itself, [log in to unmask] ^^^^ o Commands regarding subscriptions must be sent to the server, [log in to unmask] ^^^^^^ o To subscribe, send the command: SUB UN yourfirstname yourlastname as the body (*not* the subject) of an e-mail message to the server, [log in to unmask] ^^^^^^ o To temporarily 'turn off' mail from the list (while on vacation or whatever), send the command: SET UN NOMAIL as the body (*not* the subject) of an e-mail message to the server, [log in to unmask] ^^^^^^ o To resume receiving mail from the list, send the command: SET UN MAIL to the server, [log in to unmask] ^^^^^^ o To signoff/unsubscribe from the list completely, send the command: SIGNOFF UN or UNSUB UN to the server, [log in to unmask] ^^^^^^ o If you have difficulties, contact the listowner by private e-mail at [log in to unmask] If you misplace my name or e-mail address, just send the server the command: REVIEW UN SHORT *Don't* send messages like the above to the list itself, except as an absolute last resort (in which case, keep in brief and to the point). Such messages go to everyone on the list, of which usually only one (i.e., the listowner) can do anything about it. Such messages are a waste of network bandwidth and [Flame on] they're annoying. o If you forget that you've subscribed to the list, that's okay -- we're all human. But remember that ListServ subscriptions can only be initiated by the subscriber or the ListServ listowner -- and ListServ listowners don't usually make a habit of ADDing folks to their lists unless a person requests to be ADDed manually. Also, bear in mind that listowners can (and usually do) receive automatic notices from the server when someone joins or leaves their list. Thus we *know* when a subscription has been initiated by a subscriber (such as in the case of the message above). If you believe that your account has been compromised (i.e., someone other than yourself has logged into your account and subscribed you to the list :-) please contact your system administrator -- while bearing in mind that to ListServ and your listowner, it's all the same: your subscription was initiated from your account. [Flame off] Thanks for allowing your (usually) friendly listowner to vent! Have a good day and don't worry, be happy :-) John