An automatic
mailing list server, initially
written to run under
IBM's
VM operating system by Eric
Thomas.
Listserv is a
user name on some computers on
BITNET/
EARN
which processes
electronic mail requests for addition to or
deletion from mailing lists. Examples are listserv@ucsd.edu,
listserver@nysernet.org.
Some listservs provide other facilities such as retrieving
files from
archives and
database search. Full details of
available services can usually be obtained by sending a
message with the word HELP in the subject and body to the
listserv address.
Eric Thomas, has recently formed an international corporation,
L-Soft, and has ported Listserv to a number of other
platforms including
Unix. Listserv has simultaneously
been enhanced to use both the
Internet and
BITNET.
Two other major
mailing list processors, both of which run
under
Unix, are
Majordomo, a
freeware system, and
Listproc, currently owned and developed by
BITNET.