On Sun, 14 Jan 1996 12:27:07 -0500 John Senft <[log in to unmask]> said: >Required Volume? The band's current paper mailing list has a >subscription of approximately 10,000 people. I don't know how many are >electronically enabled, but I expect hundreds will initially subscribe >and it will grow to a couple of thousand within a year. The *cost* of running a free-for-all list with ~2,000 subscribers is significantly higher than the prices you have quoted. We're talking one to two zeroes, depending on how often people write to the list and how many people have a digest subscription. Yes, there are providers who charge way below costs because of inexperience (ie they grossly underestimate their costs). If you want to go this route, make sure you get a written commitment so that you don't find yourself in the street when the provider realizes that your $100/year list (or whatever) is actually using up about 1/3 of a $35k workstation. And make sure that the provider guarantees a minimum level of service in writing, because when they find out that you're making them lose big money and they don't have the option of terminating the service, the next best thing is to let it degrade until you have no option but to move elsewhere. Your best protection, if you can afford it, is to go with a provider that actually makes money on the list and has every reason to want to keep your business :-) Eric