Roger's idea is intriguing. You may not be aware of it, but lists can have two names: a short name suitable for addressing by 8-character or less non-mailers, or a longer name (up to 32 characters according to a note by ERIC to LSTOWN-L on 2/8/93 where he enumerated list keywords for 1.7f (1.8 may have some other relevant features)) and Mark Williamson wrote in a LSTSRV-L posting Date: Thu, 10 Oct 1991 14:28:20 CDT > LIST-ID: (default value userid of list) This allows users to refer to a list with a name other than the real name of the list. For example, there is a group of peer lists redistributing the Internet list Info-IBMPC. Most of the peer lists are named IBMPC-L, but our peer is named $$INFOPC (for historical reasons). All carry the List-ID INFO-IBMPC, so a potential subscriber may send SIGNUP INFO-IBMPC to any LISTSERV and have the request sent to the appropriate LISTSERV even though a list literally named INFO-IBMPC could not exist on any VM/CMS system (since it's over 8 characters). -=-=-=-=-=-=- I then did a LIST GLOBAL /ibmpc-l >>> Excerpt from the LISTSERV lists known to LISTSERV@PSUVM on 26 Feb 1994 08:45 Search string: IBMPC-L Network-wide ID Full address List title --------------- ------------ ---------- INFO-IBMPC IBMPC-L@CEARN (Peered) Info-IBMPC Digest IBMPC-L@DEARN (Peered) IBMPC-L IBMPC-L@HEARN (Peered) IBMPC-L IBMPC-L@POLYVM (Peered) INFO-IBMPC Digest IBMPC-L@TAMVM1 (Peered) INFO-IBMPC Digest IBMPC-L@TAUNIVM (Peered) Info-IBMPC Digest IBMPC-L@UBVM (Peered) INFO-IBMPC Digest IBMPC-L@UGA (Peered) INFO-IBMPC Digest IBMPC-L@UTORONTO (Peered) IBMPC Digest IBMPC-L@VTVM1 (Peered) INFO-IBMPC Digest Followed up by a "TELL LISTSERV AT UGA rev ibmpc-l (short local" abstracted >>> * INFO-IBMPC Digest * * List-ID= INFO-IBMPC * Local= UGA*,USCN * * PEERS= UTORONTO,CEARN,DEARN,HEARN * PEERS= POLYVM,$$INFOPC@RICEVM1,TAMVM1,TAUNIVM,UBVM,UGA * PEERS= VTVM1 I re-issued the LISTSERV (at UGA) command but this time rev INFO-IBMPC (short local and got the same results. (NB - search of the LISTS db might produce different results when you add the LIST-ID= keyword.) /Pete ([log in to unmask]) -- co-owner INFOSYS, TQM-L, LDBASE-L, et -L -- Peter M. Weiss "The 'NET' never naps" +1 814 863 1843 31 Shields Bldg. -- Penn State Univ -- University Park, PA 16802-1202 USA