What is the difference between a mailing list's address and its administrative address?

Normally, every electronic mailing list has three mailing addresses:

• The list: When you wish to send a message to everyone on the mailing list, send it to the list's name. The list name address is usually an address of the form  listname@hostsite.domain .

  Replace listname with the name of the list, and hostsite.domain with the name of the Internet host from which the list is administered (e.g.,  nt-demo-l@indiana.edu ).

• The list's owner: When using LISTSERV, if you wish to contact the owner of a list (i.e., an actual person) with a question or request for assistance, send the message to: listname-request@hostsite.domain

  Replace listname with the name of the list, and hostsite.domain with the name of the Internet host from which the list is administered. For example, to contact the owner of the nt-demo-l list at Indiana University, you would send your mail to:

  nt-demo-l-request@indiana.edu
• The mailing list server software: To execute a command (e.g., subscribe or unsubscribe), send email to the mailing list server software. For example, at IU, email your command to  listserv@indiana.edu  or  listserv@iupui.edu .

Note: Don't send administrative requests or commands to the entire mailing list. You risk annoying other members of the list, and your requests or commands may not be carried out.

For more about mailing lists, see the Knowledge Base menu LISTSERV, distribution lists, and mass mailing.

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