I have blueyonder too and I agree they can have problems with mail occasionally. But I didn't know it was possible to set up email lists on them - that is very interesting. How do you do it? I haven't even used my webspace there as I have hosted webspace elsewhere with my domain name which has the database and scripting capabilities I need.
But why not Yahoo? I moderate a list on there and it has nothing except unsubscribe instructions tagged on to the mails. Or is that no longer an option? My list was with egroups to start with. I have noticed that the rabbit and guinea pig lists on there have ads at the bottom, but I assumed it was an option as mine doesn't. Yahoo groups work really well, and I for one would find it very convenient as I have several lists there already. Best wishes Louise http://www.joethedragon.co.uk moderator SPHE yahoo group for home educating single parents ----- Original Message ----- From: "Julian Barker" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Friday, January 18, 2002 5:50 PM Subject: Re: List Close Down > In message <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, Anthony > Pottrell <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes > >Hi Julian, > > > >Are you still planning on going over to Topica? I didn't realise you were > >planning ahead with it and I think I've jumped the gun... :{ > > > > Hi! > > Thank you for your kind offer to have moderator privileges. > > The issue is that this list does things by consent. I have set up the > Topica list and deliberately not invited subscriptions because there had > not been an opportunity for the members to decide what they want to do. > > I grabbed the [EMAIL PROTECTED] account simply to ensure it was > available if necessary. I was not planning on inviting subscriptions > until everything was properly agreed so that we could agree a date when > we would transfer over. We have until June before the current server > will close the GML so there was no hurry. > > Unfortunately things have moved much faster than I was anticipating so I > have arranged for Topica, which has full 24/7 browser access to posts, > archives etc to send an invitation to all GML subscribers. All anyone > has to do is reply to it to be automatically subscribed. > > Like you I have a Blueyonder account. We can all run listservers if we > want to. But I have serious problems with a server on a private server. > The list needs to be in public ownership. For example, some time ago > there was a person who had a very successful gerbil bulletin board and > other services on a large and popular website. When he disappeared and > his site closed without warning there were problems because the users > had no way of contacting one another except through the GML. If the same > happened to the GML it would be disastrous. Topica have proved to have > very good customer service. I know Michelle says she has lost some > Topica posts, but I have never experienced that. > > Unless a mailing list is on a computer that runs 24 hours a day, has > backup of systems and power to ensure availability in emergencies, it > will not be as good as Topica or Yahoo. > > I am of course happy to go to Yahoo, but I find there screens noisy and > difficult to use and their advertising in e-mails can be annoying. > > I am also worried that the Blueyonder mail system is not always very > reliable. I no longer use it and have all my mail collected by POP3 from > outside Blueyonder's mail system. I would be unhappy with the GML being > dependant on this mail system, especially as the company that runs it > (Telewest) is losing money fast and is looking to be bought out by NTL > whose system is even worse. > > Although I am inviting people to subscribe to Topica I do not want them > to stop posting here. I am merely giving people the chance to try it > out. I do not want discussion of the future of this list to stop > either. I just want to make sure there are options and that we do not > leap to a decision. Remember , we have months to resolve this. > > > > > > -- > Julian > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > National Gerbil Society > http://www.gerbils.co.uk/
