A new guide for finding relevant lists. Happy trekking! Lyo. (this
guide can be retrieved electronically by sending the following message
to the LISTSERV@NDSUVM1.BITNET (or LISTSERV@vm1.nodak.edu): GET
NEW-LIST WOUTERS)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------
HOW TO FIND AN INTERESTING MAILINGLIST
Arno Wouters - Arno.Wouters@phil.ruu.nl
Last update: 25 July 1993
(In compiling this information I have made ample use of Marty Hoag's
"Some lists of list" (as of 05/01/92) which is retrievable from NEW-
LIST as "LISTSOF LISTS")
TABLE OF CONTENTS
=================
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT MAILINGLISTS
TWO NOTES ON ADDRESSES
SOURCES
TOOLS and METHODS
The LISTSERV "List of lists"
The SRI NISC "interest-groups" list of lists
The USENET lists of newsgroups and mailing lists
The Dartmouth SIGLIST
The "Directory of Scholarly Electronic Conferences" (ACADLIST)
The CIC-net "lists" database
NEW-LIST
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT MAILINGLISTS
======================================
A mailing list is a computer program that distributes messages among a
list of subscribers. This program has an email-address
(listname@domain). Mail sent to this address is distributed
automatically to all the subscribers.
There are two types of mailing lists: manually maintained lists and
automated lists.
(1) In its manual form the list of subscribers is maintained by a
person, the list administrator. To subscribe to such a list one should
ask the list administrator to add you to the list. Typically the
administrator can be reached at listname-request@domain.
(2) An automated list is maintained by a program (a so-called
mailserver). To (un)subscribe to an automated list one should send a
message to the mailserver. Usually, this is the command "SUB listname
Yourfirstname Yourlastname" to subscribe and "SIGNOFF listname" to
sign off (substitute the appropriate names and leave off the quotes!).
A mailserver is a program that interprets the lines in a message as a
series of commands to act on, for example to mail a file or to add a
person to a mailing list. To learn how to handle a mailserver one
should send a one line message containing the command "help" (no
quotes!) to the mailserver's address. (In some rare cases, the
mailserver needs an empty message with "help" in the subject).
LISTSERV is the name of the single most important mailserver on
BITNET. There are also versions of LISTSERV that work on the Internet.
It provides three kinds of services: (1) mailing list management, (2)
file archives, (3) address registration. If you are unfamiliar with
LISTSERV you should get a manual by sending the command "INFO GEN" to
any listserv (for instance to LISTSERV@BITNIC.BITNET). The command
"HELP" will get you a short list of commands, "INFO REFCARD" a longer
list. Typically, if a list's address is LIST@NODE.BITNET the list is
maintained by LISTSERV@NODE.BITNET. Alternatively, if
LISTSERV@NODE.BITNET maintains a list named LIST the list's address is
LIST@NODE.BITNET.
IMPORTANT: One should carefully distinguish between the address of the
list and the address of the administrator/mailserver. Never send
requests/commands for (un)subscription to the list! Such a message
would bother all the participants, but it would not help you to get
on/off the list. Note, that the list administrator is often just that:
one of the computer people who maintains the list, but is not himself
a subscriber. Alternatively, a mailserver will only react to mail that
is addressed to the mailserver's address, not to the address of the
lists it maintains.
Type of list | Address of list | Requests/commands
----------------|------------------------|-----------------------
| |
Manually | listname@domain | listname-request@domain
| |
LISTSERVed | listname@node.BITNET | LISTSERV@node.BITNET
| |
TWO NOTES ON ADDRESSES
======================
Internet addresses have the format username@domain (for example
John.Doe@phil.ruu.nl), BITNET uses the format username@bitnetnode (for
example JDOE@HNYKUN51). To send mail from Internet to a BITNET address
one should append ".BITNET" to that address (e.g.
JDOE@HNYKUN51.BITNET). To send mail from BITNET to an Internet address
one could use the Internetaddress without any changes.
Janet users in the United Kingdom should reverse the order of the
Internet domainnames and Internet users outside the UK should reverse
the order of Janet domainnames.
SOURCES
=======
There are several lists of lists available. The main ones are:
-the LISTSERV "list of lists" on BITNET;
-the INTERNET "interest-groups" list;
-two lists of USENET newsgroups;
-the USENET list of "Publicly Accessible Mailing Lists" on Internet
and UUCP networks;
-a combined list of BITNET and Internet lists from Dartmouth
(SIGLIST);
-the "Directory of Scholarly Electronic Conferences" (ACADLIST), an
annotated list of mailing lists, newsgroups, newsletters, electronic
journals etc. that are of interest to academics;
Two other important sources are:
-the "lists" database from CIC-net, containing the information of
several lists of lists.
-NEW-LIST, a LISTSERVed mailing list and archive for announcements of
new lists. In addition, the NEW-LIST archive contains copies of both
the LISTSERV and the "interest-groups" lists of lists in a searchable
format.
TOOLS and METHODS
=================
Basically, there are two methods to access these sources:
(1) on line searches
(2) retrieve a list and search through it at home (electronically
or after printing).
As most lists are long, the first method is often the prefered one.
Internet tools for on line retrieval: Gopher, WAIS, Telnet (one tool
would suffice, gopher is the preferred one).
LISTSERV databases can be searched interactively from VAX/VMS and from
VM/SP CMS systems. Other users should submit batch jobs by email. Send
an "INFO DATABASE" to an appropriate LISTSERV for more information.
The CIC-net "lists" database is the main Internet source for on line
searches, NEW-LIST the main BITNET source.
Tools for retrieving files: anonymous ftp (Internet only) and email.
Make sure you have enough disk space available, since most lists are
VERY long.
Tools for searching the retrieved files include your favourite word
processor, GREP commands, hypercard etc.
The LISTSERV "List of lists"
============================
The LISTSERV list of lists contains one line descriptions of
LISTSERVed lists on BITNET. Most (but not all) LISTSERVs will get you
a copy after submitting the command "LIST GLOBAL". Most servers would
also allow for the command "LIST GLOBAL /string" (e.g. LIST GLOBAL
/philos) to get those lists which have "string" in their description.
The SRI NISC "interest-groups" list of lists
============================================
This is a list with descriptions of special interest group mailing
lists available on the Internet, compiled by Steven Bjork. New
versions of this list are typically issued on a quarterly basis.
The file "interest-groups" (over 1.2 MB!) is available:
-by anonymous FTP from ftp.nisc.sri.com in the directory "netinfo".
-by email from mail-server@nisc.sri.com ("send interest-groups").
A hardcopy, indexed version is available from Prentice Hall under the
title "Internet: Mailing Lists" (ISBN 0-13-327941-3).
The USENET lists of newsgroups and mailing lists
================================================
David Lawrence maintains two lists of newsgroups on Usenet. The "List
of Active Newsgroups" lists the regular Usenet newsgroups. The Usenet
software also allows the transport of hierarchies of newsgroups not
part of the "traditional" Usenet (bionet, alt-groups, bit.listserv
etc.). These groups are listed in the list of "Alternative Newsgroup
Hierarchies". Both lists contain one line descriptions.
Stephanie da Silva maintains the list of "Publicly Accessible Mailing
Lists". This is a list of mailing lists available primarily through
the Internet and the UUCP network. The list includes short
descriptions of the purpose of the lists.
These lists are distributed via the Usenet newsgroups news.lists and
news.answers (monthly updates). News.answers is archived at many
sites. The files are named "active-newsgroups", "alt-hierarchies" and
"mailing-lists". They can also be obtained from the MIT usenet
archive:
-by anonymous ftp from rtfm.mit.edu in "/pub/usenet/news.answers".
-via email from "mail-server@rtfm.mit.edu" The appropriate commands
are: send usenet/news.answers/active-newsgroups/*
send usenet/news.answers/alt-hierarchies/*
send usenet/news.answers/mail/mailing-lists/*
The Dartmouth SIGLIST
=====================
David Avery from Dartmouth maintains a combined list (over 500 KB!) of
the LISTSERVed and manually maintained lists on both BITNET and
Internet. The list includes short descriptions of the purpose of the
lists and is sorted by category (computing, science, humanities etc.).
It is updated monthly. Dartmouth provides several versions of the
list. They also provide several applications (MacIntosh Hypercard,
VM/CMS, VAX/VMS and Unix) that present the list in a nice format and
facilitate searches.
SIGLIST is available:
-by anonymous ftp from DARTCMS1.DARTMOUTH.EDU in directory SIGLISTS.
-by email from LISTSERV@DARTCMS1.BITNET ("INDEX SIGLISTS" for a list
of files and "GET READ ME" for more information )
The "Directory of Scholarly Electronic Conferences" (ACADLIST)
===============================================================
>From the README file: "This directory contains descriptions of
electronic conferences (e-conferences) on topics of interest to
scholars. E-conference is the umbrella term that includes discussion
lists, interest groups, e-journals, e-newsletters, Usenet newsgroups,
forums, etc. We have used our own judgment in deciding what is of
scholarly interest, and accept any advice or argument about our
decisions."
ACADLIST (from Kent State University) is an annotated list. The
entries are placed into categories according to the academic subject
area of the e-conference. ACADLIST consists of 8 separate text files.
Please note that the first four files contain several subject areas
arranged in alphabetical order. FILE1 is titled: "Anthropology-
Education", this means that it contains all the subject areas that
fall alphabethically between A and E! The list is also available as a
two file HYPERCARD stack and as a one file MS WORD document (MAC
version!).
ACADLIST is available:
-by anonymous ftp from KSUVXA.KENT.EDU in the directory "library" (get
"acadlist.readme" for more information).
-by email from LISTSERV@KENTVM.BITNET ("GET ACADLIST README" for more
information).
The CIC-net "lists" database
============================
Edward Vielmetti has compiled a WAIS-based database for CIC-net
containing the information of several lists of lists. If you are on
the Internet, this database provides the principal source for on line
searches. The database includes:
- the SRI NISC "interest-groups" list
- the Usenet lists of newsgroups and mailing lists ("spaflist")
- the Dartmouth SIGLISTS ("dartlist")
- ACADLIST of Kent State University
and other documents as they are discovered. Many of these collections
overlap somewhat so you are likely to get back multiple, perhaps
confusing, results for any search.
There are several ways to access this database:
-By means of your own WAIS client
-Several Gopher sites provide a gateway to WAIS (e.g. the gopherhome
in Minnesota).
-Telnet to one of the following servers:
quake.think.com (login: wais)
nnsc.nsf.net (login: wais)
swais.cwis.uci.edu (login: swais)
sunsite.unc.edu (login: swais)
info.funet.fi (login: info)
To consult the "lists" database after connecting to WAIS:
(1) search through the directory-of-servers to find the "lists"
database. Apparently, there are different copies. One is named
"lists", another "mailing-lists".
(2) search through the database to find lists about your favourite
subject(s)
NEW-LIST
========
The NEW-LIST mailing list at LISTSERV@NDSUVM1.BITNET provides
announcements of new mailing lists. To subscribe send the command "SUB
NEW-LIST Yourfirstname Yourlastname" to the LISTSERV.
The NEW-LIST archive is the principal source for list searches on
BITNET. It contains three databases in a searchable format:
-lists - the LISTSERV list of lists
-intgroup - the Internet "interest-groups" list
-new-list - the archived contributions to the NEW-LIST mailing list.
>From Marty Hoag's "Some lists of lists":
"For example, to search of both these databases for lists on
"bicycles" you would send the statements
//DBlook JOB Echo=No
Database Search DD=Rules
//Rules DD *
Select bicycle in lists
index
Select bicycle in intgroup
index
Select bicycle in new-list
index
/*
in the text/body of the mail to LISTSERV@VM1.NoDak.EDU or on BITNET
just LISTSERV@NDSUVM1 . These statements would search the global
LISTSERV list of lists ("in lists"), and the local copy of the SRI-NIC
Interest Groups ("in intgroup"), and the archives of the "new-list"
list ("in new-list")."
To get more information subsequently submit the following job
(substitute "list-number(s)" by the numbers of the lists of interest
found in the first job, separated by spaces):
// JOB Echo=No
Database Search DD=Rules
//Rules DD *
Select bicycle in lists
index
print list-number(s)
Select bicycle in intgroup
index
print list-number(s)
Select bicycle in new-list
index
print list-number(s)
/*
Send LISTSERV the command INFO DATABASE for more information.
ADDITION (15 May 1993)
=======================
The Association of Research Libraries publishes a hardcopy "Directory
of Electronic Journals, Newsletters and Academic Discussion Lists"
(ISSN: 1057-1337)". This directory is derived from network-accessible
files. The section on scholarly discussion lists and interest groups
is derived from ACADLIST mentioned above. The section on journals and
newsletters is derived from the "Directory of Electronic Journals and
Newsletters" compiled by Michael Strangelove. This directory is
available from several sources, e.g. from LISTSERV@UOTTAWA.BITNET" by
sending the commands "get Ejournl1 Directory" and "get Ejournl2
Directory". To order, contact Gloria Haws, Publications Manager of the
Association of Research Libraries, email: osap@cni.org. The prize of
one copy is USD 42 plus postage, shipping and handling charges.
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