Majordomo Basics for List Members

These instructions assume that you want to interact with one of the majordomo lists on our local listserver 'lists.uoregon.edu'. They should also be accurate for other majordomo list servers if you substitute the correct listserver name for 'lists.uoregon.edu'.

In the examples, the italicized word listname is used as a placeholder for the actual name of the list you are interested in. You should substitute the actual listname for listname

Subscribing to a List

Before you can receive copies of messages sent to a list, you must be 'subscribed' to it. Sometimes this will be done for you by the list owner.

1. address a message to 'majordomo@lists.uoregon.edu'.
   Note that you send the message to majordomo, not the list!

2. the contents (body) of the message should be:
   subscribe listname
   end

   For example, if the UO had a birdwatcher's list with the address birdwatch@lists.uoregon.edu, you would send a message to 'majordomo@lists.uoregon.edu' with this in the body:

subscribe birdwatch
end

Do not include your email address or 'real name' in the subscribe command. Majordomo will get the necessary info from the 'headers' of your email message.

The subject line will be ignored by majordomo and can be left blank.

A successful subscription should result in your receiving an acknowledgement from majordomo via return email. The list owner will also be notified that you have subscribed.

Please be aware that you will only receive messages that are sent after you subscribed to the list, not ones that preceeded your subscription.

Sending to the List

To send a message to list members,

1. address the message to 'listname@lists.uoregon.edu'
   
2. don't use words like 'help', 'subscribe', or other majordomo commands in the subject line or first five lines of your message. try to use synonyms or paraphrases if necessary. majordomo does a very clumsy 'check' of these lines in the attempt to prevent propogating missaddressed commands to the entire list