[ deliberately cross-posted to both LSTSRV-L and SAS-L, with apologies to those subscribed to both ] I was recently taken by surprise when attempting to search the SAS-L archives at VM.MARIST.EDU to find they had suddenly become unavailable to me. My SAS-L subscription is at UGA, but I normally use MARIST for database searches because of its more complete set of archives. It appears that the MARIST SAS-L archives are now only available to those who have subscribed to SAS-L at that site, so that I have had to set up a second 'dummy' (NOMAIL) subscription there in order to regain access to those archives. In responding to a query about this from Melvin Klassen <[log in to unmask]>, Harry Williams <[log in to unmask]> wrote: >I made the logs private because we were getting killed by people >running searches against the logs. We would get 5 or 6 searches >per day against the logs, and each was taking upwards of 20 minutes, >completely shutting off listserv for other functions. Since the >searches of a day were often from the same person, they arrived >one after another, effectively cutting off listserv service for over >an hour. It was starting to happen too often. Making the logs >private seemed to be the only solution. I look at other options again, >but I'm not sure what they are. IMHO, to have a 9-year archive with restricted access is a little crazy. In any event, regaining access is straightforward enough, although it may clog up thge listserv a bit with lots of duplicate 'dummy' subscriptions. I suppose the intention may be to refuse MARIST subscriptions to people who use the database search facilty a lot - but that seems the antithesis of common sense for a 'public' archive (preventing access to those who need it most!). From what Harry has said, it looks to me as if the problem would be solved if the archive and searching facility was totally separated from the other LISTSERV activities; database searches could then go on independently and would not upset anything else. Would that be so difficult to implement? John ----------------------------------------------------------- Dr John Whittington, Voice: +44 1296 730225 Mediscience Services Fax: +44 1296 738893 Twyford Manor, Twyford, E-mail: [log in to unmask] Buckingham MK18 4EL, UK CompuServe: 100517,3677 -----------------------------------------------------------