Overview
LISTSERV is a mailing-list management product of L-Soft International (see the L-soft web site for a detailed description). ATS runs LISTSERV on a system (list.msu.edu) devoted to this purpose. There is a one-time charge of $10 to set up a mailing list on this system, plus a monthly charge which is $1 per month for most lists (details below). If you are interested in setting up a list you will need to fill out the form as described below.How do I obtain a listserv at MSU?
The MSU Mailing List interactive application form is available online(you must log in with your MSU NetID and password).
To set up a mailing list, please fill out the form linked above, using a University Account Number for the monthly charges. Further info on listserv eligibility and associated costs is listed below.
Who is eligible for a listserv at MSU?
Any individual or group with an MSU University Account Number is eligible to obtain a listserv through MSU.Are there costs associated with listserv services at MSU?
Yes. There is an initial, one time setup fee of $10, plus a monthly fee. The monthly fee is $1 if the list uses no more than 100 megabytes for storage of archives and digests. If more storage is needed it must be purchased in 100-megabyte increments, for $1 per 100 megabytes per month.Determining your disk quota
We require a minimum disk quota of one hundred megabytes per list, but you may want a larger quota if you plan to keep extensive archives. (Archives are copies of old postings which are kept on the server.) For most lists, one hundred megabytes is sufficient to hold several months of archives, so if you are starting a new list and are unsure how much disk you will need, you will probably want to start with the minimum and increase it later. If you are moving an existing list to our system you probably already have a good idea of how much space you will need. Your disk quota must be a whole number of megabytes.What happens after the form is submitted
You will be notified by email when your list has been set up, generally within 7-10 business days from application submission. If this is your first list, you will also be provided with a few instructions to get you started. We encourage you to view the official list-owner manual online on L-Soft's web page.How can I remove myself from a list.msu.edu listserv?
It is important to note that requests for removal from an MSU listserv should never be sent to the list, via the "reply-to" address; this would only result in everyone on the list seeing your message, and not the desired result of being removed from the list.To remove yourself from an MSU listserv on the list.msu.edu server, email listserv@list.msu.edu and include the following command line in the text of the message:
UNSUBSCRIBE listname
If this method does not work then you might have to email or contact the list owner or someone in the technology section of the organization that sponsors the list in order to be removed from the list.
How do I remove a list no longer used on list.msu.edu?
If a specific list is no longer active and should be removed from list.msu.edu, the owner of the list should contact the ATS Help Desk at (517) 432-6200 to request the list be removed.Avoiding spoofed listserv messages
Spammers will often attempt to spoof messages sent to mailing lists maintained by ATS. These spoofed messages may urge people to visit a particular website; these sites will usually have forms that ask for a sender's e-mail address. In effect, those sites offer an open relay for spoofing mail from any address.To protect against this form of spoofing, LISTSERV offers a "confirm" feature. The option sends a message back to the address of the apparent sender with a special key. If the author does not reply with the key, the message is discarded.
If you are the owner of an announcement-only mailing list, you may wish to consider enabling this option. You can also select this option for certain other mailing lists if you want to avoid spoofing; however, every posting will require author confirmation.
To set the option:
- Log into the mailing list management interface at http:/list.msu.edu/;
- Click the Edit Configuration button;
- Change this line: Send= Owners
to look like this: Send= Owners, Confirm - Click the Save button.
