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4 How do I use LISTSERV to...
Before I discuss subscribing, changing digest options, etc., you should be aware of some resources that can help you with these problems.
There are two good web resources, the first specific to LISTSERV and the second a more general introduction that considers other systems such as mailbase:
If you are intimidated by sending commands to a listserver, check out
mentioned in section 2, which is a nice web resource for subscribing and unsubscribing to STAT-L and a lot of other lists.
Specific information about STAT-L is available at
...subscribe to STAT-L?
If you are using SCI.STAT.CONSULT, your USENET reader software should have a menu pick or a command that will allow you to subscribe to SCI.STAT.CONSULT. Every reader is different, so please consult your help file or your local computer guru.
To subscribe to STAT-L, send a message to LISTSERV@LISTS.MCGILL.CA with a single line: SUB STAT-L First-name Last-name in the body of the text. Please be sure that you send the message to LISTSERV@LISTS.MCGILL.CA and not to STAT-L@LISTS.MCGILL.CA. If you send your subscription request to STAT-L, hundreds of people will see your message and none of them will be able to subscribe you to the list. Some in fact will flame you for not reading these instructions more carefully.
It's sort of like a newspaper which has a circulation desk and a letters-to-the-editor desk. If you want to start delivery of the paper you send it to the circulation desk. If you want to start delivery of STAT-L, you send the request to LISTSERV. Sending a subscription request to STAT-L is like sending a letter to the editor that reads "Please start delivery of the Sunday paper to 1313 Mockingbird Lane"
...get the digest option turned on/off?
If you have no strong preference, the digest option (multiple messages compiled into a single mailing, usually daily) is less burdensome on Internet and creates fewer bounced messages for the list administrator to deal with. The default when you sign up is for the digest option.
To cancel digest format and to receive the list as separate mailings, send the command SET STAT-L MAIL to LISTSERV@LISTS.MCGILL.CA.
To receive the list in digest format, send the command SET STAT-L DIGEST in the body of a message to LISTSERV@LISTS.MCGILL.CA. Again, please be sure that you send all of these types of messages to LISTSERV@LISTS.MCGILL.CA and not to STAT-L@LISTS.MCGILL.CA.
...obtain a list of subscribers to STAT-L?
Send the command REVIEW STAT-L F=MAIL to LISTSERV@LISTS.MCGILL.CA. Send the command REVIEW STAT-L BY NAME F=MAIL to sort by name or REVIEW STAT-L BY COUNTRY F=MAIL to sort by country.
This list does not include subscribers to SCI.STAT.CONSULT, as they do not subscribe to the list the same way. I know of no way to obtain the list of subscribers to SCI.STAT.CONSULT.
...keep my name off of the list of subscribers?
Send the a message to LISTSERV@LISTS.MCGILL.CA with a line in the body of the message reading SET STAT-L CONCEAL YES in the body of the message.
To reverse this, send the command SET STAT-L CONCEAL NO in the body of the message.
...stop mail from STAT-L (temporarily or permanently)?
Send a message to LISTSERV@LISTS.MCGILL.CA (again, please don't send the message to STAT-L@LISTS.MCGILL.CA).
To signoff permanently, include the line UNSUBSCRIBE STAT-L in the body of the message.
To temporarily suspend mail, use the line SET STAT-L NOMAIL and when you are ready to resume reading, use the line SET STAT-L MAIL or SET listname DIGEST depending on your preference for individual messages versus a daily digest.
What if my initial signoff command doesn't work?
This happens sometimes, particularly if your e-mail address changes, even slightly. The key thing to remember here is that only the list owner can help you with this. Sending a message to STAT-L will not help much unless the list owner happens to be following STAT-L right at that moment.
I would recommend that you get a list of subscribers and see how your e-mail address looks to the system (see above for details). Some mail systems (like ELM) allow you to change the FROM field of a message. If your mail system supports this, then try sending a message to LISTSERV and change the FROM field so it looks like it came from the original address. You could also ask your system administrator to create a temporary (or permanent) alias name for you for outbound messages (including the necessary deviant domain part).
If none of the above works, or if it seems too complicated, don't panic. Every list has a human owner who can go in and unsubscribe you manually. You can find the e-mail address of the list owner on the same list of subscribers that you just got (again, see above). When I last checked in August 1995, the list owner was * OWNER= MICHAEL@LISTS.MCGILL.CA (Michael Walsh, McGill University) * (514-398-3680) Send a message directly to the list owner, explaining your problem. The list owner will manually unsubscribe you from STAT-L. Most lists now have the convention that listname-REQUEST@hostname and OWNER-listname@hostname will be sent to the owner of the list. So for our list, you could send a message to STAT-L-REQUEST@LISTS.MCGILL.CA or OWNER-STAT-L@LISTS.MCGILL.CA to resolve any problem where intervention of the list owner is needed.
3 How do I know that my message got posted?