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FAQs for Moderators and Owners

For FAQs related to the normal user side of things, go to the regular FAQ. Be sure to check there as well since some things that a moderator may run in to are "normal user side" issues.

1) I see the term owner and moderator thrown around for a list, what is the difference?

2) What is a moderated list?

3) How is a moderated list handled?

4) I'm set up as the moderator for a list, does this mean I will have to always forward mail to the list?

5) Does the list have to be a moderated list?

6) Some of the list names in the pull-down menu or in the subject of the messages aren't very descriptive.

7) I want a college related list set up or have a question. Who do I contact.

8) If the list is archived and available what is the web address so I can tell people where to go.

9) What are ALL the settings that can be applied to a mailing list?

10) As a moderator, how do I do special functions:

11) Can there be more than one moderator?

12) When I am subscribing others, can I subscribe more than one at a time? I want to start off the list with a lot of users.

13) Can I be notified when someone subscribes or unsubscribes to my list?

1) I see the term owner and moderator thrown around for a list, what is the difference?

• If there is only one person that runs a list (not talking about the person that runs the list server) then the terms are interchangeable. The "owner" is the person that originally requests the list and is the person responsible for it existing. That person is also by default a moderator. A moderator is a person that has extra privileges such as being able to add and delete people from the mailing list.

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2) What is a moderated list?

• Some lists are moderated. This means that any message sent to a list is first sent to a moderator to determine if the message is to be sent on to the rest of the list. It is up to the list owner (not listserv manager) to determine if it is to be a moderated list or not.

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3) How is a moderated list handled?

• If a list is set as moderated then all messages that anyone sends to the list will be forwarded to the moderator. It will then be up to the moderator to forward the message to the list itself since the list will only accept email from the moderator.

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4) I'm set up as the moderator for a list, does this mean I will have to always forward mail to the list?

• It's two different functions. Being the moderator does not means it's necessarily a moderated list. In this case the moderator can also be referred to as the owner (a term I often use).

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5) Does the list have to be a moderated list?

• No, in fact very few are. It's more important to be sure that the list is "closed" to postings from people not on the list. If the list is set so that only subscribed members are on it, and set so robots can't easily join, then there's rarely a problem.

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6) Some of the list names in the pull-down menu or in the subject of the messages aren't very descriptive.

• If you are the moderator or owner of a list, send in the changes you would like made. What's currently here is what was sent originally or made up based on limited information.

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7) I want a college related list set up or have a question. Who do I contact.

• Use THIS web form.

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8) If the list is archived and available what is the web address so I can tell people where to go.

• https://listserv.buffalostate.edu:7025/list/test@listserv.buffalostate.edu

• Replace the word "test" with the name of your lists

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9) What are ALL the settings that can be applied to a mailing list?

• See HERE

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10) As a moderator, how do I do special functions:

1. Commands can be sent to a mailing list by the moderator. The email address is: listname-request@listserv.buffalostate.edu, replace "listname" with your listname.

2. The command you want to send goes in the very first line of the message body, put "command" or anything else in the subject, since something has to be there but will be ignored.

3. You'll often need to put the moderator password with the command in the message body.

4. In all example below, replace "xxxxxxxx" with your moderator password and "username@email.addr" with the email address of the user you want to edit.

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11) Can there be more than one moderator?

• Yes, but only the first one on the list (owner) will be sent status reports as needed.

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12) When I am subscribing others, can I subscribe more than one at a time? I want to start off the list with a lot of users.

• Yes, just use the "approve xxxxxxxx join username@email.addr"  line one after another (one per line). Unfortunately as of this writing you WILL get a confirm message for each that you subscribe.

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13) Can I be notified when someone subscribes or unsubscribes to my list?

• Yes, if you are the first listed moderator (owner) for a list.

More to come as needed

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