ATG2G@ASUACAD.BITNET (Gene Glass) (02/21/90)
The purpose of this guide is to help you understand the use of listservs. If you have additional questions about the EDPOLYAN list contact Gene Glass at ATGVG@ASUACAD. WHAT IS A LISTSERV? "Listserver" or "LISTSERV" is a special kind of user email account; instead of a person at the other end there is a program that maintains lists, stores files, and responds to your commands. The listserver for EDPOLYAN is LISTSERV@ASUACAD (ASUACAD is a bitnet node at ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY). A "list" or "distribution list" is a list of persons used by the listserver to distribute mail and files. The list name (e.g., EDPOLYAN) identifies the particular distribution list. USING THE EDPOLYAN LIST EDPOLYAN is like an electronic mailing list. Mail sent to EDPOLYAN is distributed to everyone on the list. ---------------------------------- To send a message to EDPOLYAN ---------------------------------- Send mail to the list as you would sent mail to any other userid. At the TO: prompt enter: TO: EDPOLYAN@ASUACAD.BITNET (the .BITNET is optional on most systems) ---------------------------------- To respond to an EDPOLYAN message ---------------------------------- Respond to the entire list: The EDPOLYAN list is set up to reply automatically to the list. That is, if you read a message and use the REPLY command, your response will be delivered to everyone on the list. Respond to an individual: Send mail directly to the person's userid@node address. MAIL MESSAGE ETIQUETTE Keep messages relevant to the topic of the list. Cover only one subject per message. Be careful when using the REPLY command; mail intended for an individual will be received by everyone on the list, creating confusion and increasing network traffic needlessly. When responding to a message, either "attach" the original message (if it is short) or lead your response with a clear reference to the original message. When requesting information from list members you may want to ask that they send their responses to you directly; generally the response rate will be higher because people are more willing to share information privately than publicly. Provide feedback to the group. After you have the information you requested, write up a summary and send it to the list so that others will benefit from what you have learned. LISTSERVER COMMANDS There is a difference between sending mail to a list and sending commands to a listserver. The commands described in this section are listserver commands which are sent to listserv@node (e.g., LISTSERV@ASUACAD) rather than listname@node (e.g., EDPOLYAN@ASUACAD). Listserver commands can be sent from the system prompt or by mail. Use of the system prompt is recommended because mail is more likely to produce errors. The commands in this guide work on an IBM running VM/CMS. If you are on a VAX computer running VMS substitute "SEND" for "TELL" and "@" for "AT". To send listserv commands by mail: 1. Place the listserver@node on the TO: line (e.g., TO:LISTSERV@ASUACAD) 2. Place the command (e.g., REVIEW EDPOLYAN) on the first line of the text (if this doesn't work, try including it in the SUBJ: line). 3. If sending more than one command, put one command per line. 4. Include no blank lines (no double spacing between commands). Note: There are mail systems which cannot send commands to listservs without special procedures, EMC2 from Fischer is one. If you are using such a mail system, send a note with your listserv requests directly to the listowner (ATGVG@ASUACAD). --------------------------------- Joining a listserv --------------------------------- TELL LISTSERV AT ASUACAD SUBSCRIBE EDPOLYAN your full name or on a VAX SEND LISTSERV@ASUACAD SUBSCRIBE EDPOLYAN your full name This command will work if the list is an "open" list (EDPOLYAN is). ------------------------------- Resigning from a list ------------------------------- TELL LISTSERV AT ASUACAD SIGNOFF EDPOLYAN or on a VAX SEND LISTSERV@ASUACAD SIGNOFF EDPOLYAN ------------------------------------------- To receive information about the EDPOLYAN list ------------------------------------------- TELL LISTSERV AT ASUACAD REVIEW EDPOLYAN or on a VAX SEND LISTSERV@ASUACAD REVIEW EDPOLYAN This command will return a file (not mail) to you of the directory information and a list of current members. --------------------------------------- To obtain a list of EDPOLYAN files --------------------------------------- As of January 1, 1990, there is an archive of EDPOLYAN messages sent to the list ("log" files). There is one log file for each calendar year. You can obtain a list of the files currently stored on EDPOLYAN by issuing the command: TELL LISTSERV AT ASUACAD INDEX EDPOLYAN or on a VAX SEND LISTSERV@ASUACAD INDEX EDPOLYAN Once you have a list of the EDPOLYAN files, use the filename and the filetype in the following command to transfer a file to your computer: TELL LISTSERV AT ASUACAD GET filename filetype or on a VAX SEND LISTSERV@ASUACAD GET filename filetype The log files all have a filename of EDPOLYAN and a filetype of "LOGyymm" where "yy" = the calendar year and "mm"= the month. To obtain a file of messages for February of the year 1990 issue the command: TELL LISTSERV AT SUVM GET DASIG LOG9002 or on a VAX SEND LISTSERV@SUVM GET DASIG LOG9002 Files (manuscripts) other than the List log have been archived on EDPOLYAN by its owners. You will see their names when you request the EDPOLYAN Index. These files can be retrieved just as if they were logs: TELL LISTSERV AT ASUACAD GET filename filetype or on a VAX SEND LISTERV@ASUACAD GET filename filetype Whenever you request a file index or a specific file, you will receive files not mail. FOR MORE INFORMATION If you would like more information on listservs, there are online help facilities as well as manuals available from the ASUACAD listserv as well as any other listserv host. ---------------------------------- To obtain online help ---------------------------------- A list of the most commonly used listserv commands will print on your screen when you issue the following command: TELL LISTSERV AT ASUACAD HELP or on a VAX SEND LISTSERV@ASUACAD HELP ---------------------------------- To obtain additional information ---------------------------------- A list of information guides available from LISTSERV@ASUACAD will be send to your screen when you issue the following command: TELL LISTSERV AT ASUACAD INFO ? or on a VAX SEND LISTSERV@ASUACAD INFO ? Once you have the list, you may order any guide using the following command (I have used the guide LISTSERV MEMO as an example): TELL LISTSERV AT ASUACAD GET LISTSERV MEMO or on a VAX SEND LISTSERV@ASUACAD GET LISTSERV MEMO Any comments, suggestions or corrections to the information in this guide should be sent to ATGVG AT ASUACAD. (This guide was adapted from a file written by Dennis W. Viehland.) February 20, 1990. _______________________________________________________________________ GENE V GLASS ATGVG AT ASUACAD COLLEGE OF EDUCATION 602-965-2692 ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY