[%|helploc%]Mailing lists - General introduction[%END%]

[%|helploc%]What is a mailing list?[%END%]

[%|helploc%]A mailing list is a distribution list allowing a group of subscribers to automatically receive by email all messages sent to the list: every message sent to the list by a subscriber is received by all the other subscribers. When subscribed to a mailing list, it is possible to send messages, to reply to them or to read them without contributing (i.e. to "lurk").[%END%]

[%|helploc%]Special cases:[%END%]

• [%|helploc%]It is sometimes possible to send messages to a mailing lit without having subscribed to it. However, you need to be subscribed to a list to receive its messages.[%END%]
• [%|helploc%]It is sometimes impossible to send messages to the list even though you are actually subscribed to it: it is the case for announcement lists, which are used to transmit information from a unique sender to a large number of recipients.[%END%]

[%|helploc%]Interest of mailing lists[%END%]

[%|helploc%]People subscribe to a mailing list (sometimes abbreviated in ML) to be informed about a particular topic and to take part in exchanges about it. Examples are:[%END%]

• [%|helploc%]mailing list for all the employees of a company;[%END%]
• [%|helploc%]mailing list reserved to the participants in a project;[%END%]
• [%|helploc%]mailing list dedicated to a class of students;[%END%]
• [%|helploc%]mailing list about the latest news in computer security;[%END%]
• [%|helploc%]mailing list of mutual aid between handymen;[%END%]
• [%|helploc%]mailing list restricted to a family and dedicated to the organization of large family gatherings;[%END%]
• [%|helploc%]and so on![%END%]

[%|helploc%]Types of mailing lists[%END%]

[%|helploc%]There are thousands of mailing lists of all kinds on the Internet: public or private, free or not, with subscription subject to conditions or not, etc. Those lists may have from a dozen up to several thousand members.[%END%]

[%|helploc%]According to the way they work, we can distinguish between two types of lists:[%END%]

• [%|helploc%]Announcements lists allow subscribers to receive messages without being allowed to post some themselves. In fact, those messages are newsletters: electronic magazines, daily services (daily horoscope, daily weather report, daily security alert, etc.), update notices about a website, etc. With this type of mailing list, the information flows from a unique sender to a large number of recipients.[%END%]
• [%|helploc%]Discussion lists allow all subscribers to take part in exchanges. Those lists can be moderated or not:[%END%]
  • [%|helploc%]In a moderated discussion list, messages are transmitted to all subscribers after approval by one of the list moderators. Moderation is a token of quality for the list. For example, it ensures that subscribers will not receive off-topic messages, unsolicited commercial messages (spams), messages containing large attachments, etc.[%END%]
  • [%|helploc%]In a non moderated discussion list, messages are transmitted to all subscribers as soon as the mailing list management robot receives them.[%END%]

[%|helploc%]Features[%END%]

[%|helploc%]Once subscribed to a mailing list service, you can:[%END%]

• [%|helploc%]search for mailing lists matching your main interests or your particular situation;[%END%]
• [%|helploc%]manage your subscriptions:[%END%]
  • [%|helploc(path_cgi)%]subscribe to lists,[%END%]
  • [%|helploc(path_cgi)%]unsubscribe from lists to which you are subscribed,[%END%]
  • [%|helploc(path_cgi)%]change your subscriber options list by list,[%END%]
  • [%|helploc(path_cgi)%]change your general preferences, which apply to the whole mailing list environment (name, password, language of the mailing list web interface, etc.);[%END%]
• [%|helploc%]use mailing lists[%END%]:
  • [%|helploc(path_cgi)%]read the online message archive of lists to which you are not subscribed if that archive is public and if your personal rights allow you to access those lists,[%END%]
  • [%|helploc(path_cgi)%]read the archive of lists to which you are subscribed,[%END%]
  • [%|helploc(path_cgi)%]perform searches in the list archive,[%END%]
  • [%|helploc(path_cgi)%]send messages to lists to which you are subscribed,[%END%]
  • [%|helploc(path_cgi)%]download documents from the shared document web space,[%END%]
  • [%|helploc(path_cgi)%]upload documents in the shared document web space;[%END%]
• [%|helploc%]manage mailing lists[%END%]:
  • [%|helploc(path_cgi)%]create new lists (restricted access) - subject to authorization,[%END%]
  • [%|helploc(path_cgi)%]configure lists you own,[%END%]
  • [%|helploc(path_cgi)%]manage subscriptions,[%END%]
  • [%|helploc(path_cgi)%]manage the shared document web space,[%END%]
  • [%|helploc(path_cgi)%]moderate lists for which you are a moderator.[%END%]

[%|helploc%]How the mailing list service works: roles and responsibilities[%END%]

[%|helploc%]A mailing list service involves four types of roles:[%END%]

• [%|helploc%]listmaster;[%END%]
• [%|helploc%]owner;[%END%]
• [%|helploc%]moderator;[%END%]
• [%|helploc%]subscriber.[%END%]

[%|helploc%]It is possible to have several roles at once (for example, you can be an owner and a moderator of a list and be subscribed to several others).[%END%]

[%|helploc%]Listmasters[%END%]

[%|helploc%]Listmasters are in charge of the management of the mailing list service. Their duties:[%END%]

• [%|helploc%]manage the mailing list server (deployment, maintenance, etc.);[%END%]
• [%|helploc%]define the general orientations of the mailing list service:[%END%]
  • [%|helploc%]who will be allowed to ask for the creation of a new list,[%END%]
  • [%|helploc%]which options will be available to manage lists (scenario definition),[%END%]
  • [%|helploc%]what the default files will contain (creation of templates),[%END%]
  • [%|helploc%]what will the mailing list web interface look like;[%END%]
• [%|helploc%]set the way the mailing list service should be used and document those rules through providing charters to subscribers, moderators and owners;[%END%]
• [%|helploc%]approve of requests of mailing list creations;[%END%]
• [%|helploc%]temporarily replace list owners when necessary; on the other hand, listmasters are not supposed to take the place of moderators.[%END%]

[%|helploc%]List owners and moderators can turn to listmasters when they face a problem not dealt with by the documentation or for any comment. However, in order not to flood listmasters with messages, it is recommended that subscribers rather turn to list owners.[%END%]

[%|helploc%]Owners[%END%]

[%|helploc%]The list owner is generally its creator or, failing him/her, the person who requested the list creation or who became responsible for it. His/her role:[%END%]

• [%|helploc(path_cgi)%]define the way the list will be used;[%END%]
• [%|helploc(path_cgi)%] write a list charter aimed at subscribers;[%END%]
• [%|helploc(path_cgi)%]appoint one or several moderators;[%END%]
• [%|helploc(path_cgi)%]manage subscriptions and unsubscriptions;[%END%]
• [%|helploc(path_cgi)%]decide whether it is relevant to put a shared document web space at the subscribers' disposal;[%END%]
• [%|helploc%]answer questions from subscribers and potential subscribers about the list;[%END%]
• [%|helploc%]etc.[%END%]

[%|helploc%]A list can have several owners. However, the 'Privileged' profile is reserved to the list's creator; other owners have a 'Normal' profile, which has fewer prerogatives.[%END%]

[%|helploc%]Moderators[%END%]

[%|helploc(path_cgi)%]Moderators are appointed by the list owner. They are in charge of controlling the relevancy of the messages sent to the list: after reading them, they choose to accept or to reject them . Moderation occurs before the message is actually sent to subscribers. Rejection of a message is possibly followed by a notice to the sender in order to explain the reason for that rejection.[%END%]

[%|helploc%]A list can have one or several moderators; generally, the list owner is also a moderator.[%END%]

[%|helploc%]This concerns only moderated lists.[%END%]

[%|helploc%]Regulatory framework[%END%]

[%|helploc%]The use of a mailing list service means respecting a number of rules:[%END%]

• [%|helploc%]In most mailing list services, subscribers receive a 'List subscribers charter' on subscription. Then they are obliged to respect all the rules contained in that charter.[%END%]
• [%|helploc%]If available, list owners and moderators have to conform to the Owner and moderator charter.[%END%]
• [%|helploc%]The use of mailing lists naturally means respecting the rules of good practices as regards email (the "Netiquette").[%END%]

[%|helploc(path_cgi)%]To know more, refer to the section dedicated to good practices for subscribers and to the section about good practices for owners and moderators.[%END%]