Murli (and all): I completely agree with your suggestion to switch to egroups. First, I would like to say that an "e-mail distribution list" is an e-mail distributing list! To change for a system that can only be consulted on-line (even if its answer times were good, which is NOT the case) is a different, more expensive and less accessible way. So I wouldn't favour "more chances" if they are worse choices...
But, egroups as a supplementary advantage you have not mentioned, that is related with what I feel as a major problem of the current listserv: if you send a message to (say) a OSLIST group at egroups, with the subject. "xxx"; all the subscribers will receive a message with the "Subject: [OSLIST] xxx". This allows to immediately identify all OSlist messages (quite convenient for people on different lists). Can this be done with the current listserv? If not, I suggest we change. (the old address can be used as a backup for some time). Regards Artur PS: And no, the little advertisment messages are not intrusive; and we can be free of them for a small fee. ----------------------- At 16:16 13-06-2000 -0600, Murli Nagasundaram wrote:
All, I have been using the commercial facility egroups.com to run a couple of lists on a test basis, and am quite impressed with it. I'd like your opinion on whether we should switch to it from our present listserv. I am considering the switch because of some recurring problems and limitations of the present system that I am seeing both from feedback from Listmembers and from my inability to respond adequately to requests. Egroups has the following advantages: 1. It's free. 2. It automatically archives messages which can be retrieved from the website without first dislocating your shoulder. 3. Messages can be viewed both in chronological and "threaded" form <by subject line>. 4. The website lets you store files. You can also list useful web links, maintain databases of information and an event calendar (which notifies you when the event becomes due). 5. You can run polls (useful esp. when you have poetry contests, I guess!) 6. It is easy to assign multiple moderators or owners of the list. 7. You have the option of reading messages only at the website without receiving email messages. Egroups has the following disadvantage (as far as I know): 1. Every message comes appended with a little advertisement. It is not very intrusive though, and easy to ignore. Our present listserv is free, and has no ads. It has none of the other advantages of egroups. If you have any thoughts on this subject do air them. If there are no objections, I will arrange to switch the list to egroups. Cheers, Murli List-DemiDei
