[SLUG] List Pings Etc.

From: Paul M Foster (paulf@quillandmouse.com)
Date: Sun Jul 07 2002 - 21:27:33 EDT


Occasionally, list members feel the need to "ping" the list, for various
reasons. While I don't particularly consider this a major issue, some
list members are understandably annoyed by it, as it wastes bandwidth,
among other things.

Here are a couple of things you can do to avoid having to do this.
First, if you're testing your local email configuration (after upgrade,
install, etc.), you can fire off a message to yourself. Typically this
will make the rounds at your ISP's mail servers and make its way back to
you. If you receive the message you sent, and the headers show that it
made the circuit, then you know all is well.

Second, someone pointed out a capability of majordomo that I wasn't
aware of or had forgotten. If you find the list is quiet or you suspect
you've been unsubscribed, you can send a message to majordomo@nks.net,
with the words "which your.email.address" in the _body_ of the email.
Majordomo will respond with a rundown of the lists you're subscribed to.
This will tell you two things. First, it will tell you that majordomo
(and its host computer) are still running properly. Second, it will tell
you whether you're still subscribed to the list.

That should solve most of the reasons to ping the list.

Paul



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