Information Technology News

Mailing List for Palm Users

A discussion list for users of PalmOS-based PDAs at UCI has been created. Topics include Palm PDA software, firmware, hardware, and add-ons like carrying cases, cameras, GPS systems, and so on.

If you currently own a Palm PDA or are considering purchasing one, please join us at https://maillists.uci.edu/mailman/listinfo/uci-palm

Mailing lists dedicated to other technologies are available as well. There are lists for the major platforms (Macintosh, Linux, Windows), research software (Mathematica, Matlab, SAS, SPSS), and UCI software services (Oracle Calendar, Webfiles).

A selection of useful lists can be found at: http://www.nacs.uci.edu/org/nacslists.html

You can find the full (very long) list of UCI mailing lists at: https://maillists.uci.edu/mailman/listinfo/

Mailing List Service

A mailing list distributes electronic mail to a list of “subscribers.” This service provides a convenient means to exchange ideas and information among people with a common interest.

Mailing lists can be configured according to several distribution models, defining who may send messages and under what circumstances. Mailing lists can also store all messages associated with their lists in archives, and allow readers to search these archives.

Each list has a “list manager” who, depending on the needs of the list, controls the subscriber list, approves messages for distribution, and adjusts the characteristics of the list. Mailing lists at UCI are meant for instruction, research, and administration and must be sponsored by a faculty or staff member.

NACS supports mailing list software called “Mailman.” Mailman gives each mailing list a unique web page and allows people to subscribe, un-subscribe, and change their account options over the Web. Mailman also enables list managers to control a list entirely over the Web.

Most mailing lists are open to the entire campus community. The main Mailman page shows the lists available at UCI. By clicking on the name of a list, you can find out more about it, as well as subscribe to or unsubscribe from the list. You should join a mailing list if you would like to communicate with others on campus or receive announcements about services that interest you. To learn about current mailing lists, visit:http://maillists.uci.edu/mailman/listinfo

A detailed handout for mailing list administrators is available for download in PDF format.http://www.nacs.uci.edu/computing/maillists/mailman.pdf

New Mailing List Software

Many UCI communities make use of electronic discussion lists to send announcements and to foster communication among group members. Such communications are facilitated by “list management software,” such as the Listserv service NACS has provided to the campus for many years. This software tracks and controls who subscribes to which lists, who can post to which lists, and other administrative tasks.

NACS is pleased to introduce a new list management package called Mailman that offers significant improvements and simplifications compared with Listserv. Mailman provides a web interface to each mailing list, including facilities for list managers to administer lists and for individuals to subscribe, unsubscribe, or adjust their subscriptions (e.g., choose delivery options). Mailman also allows access to list archives to be limited to subscribers and provides many other useful features not present in Listserv.

Your subscription to NACS News, which has long been a Listserv list, has been automatically transferred to the new Mailman list. You can manage your subscription to this and other lists NACS sponsors at http://www.nacs.uci.edu/org/nacslists.html

Please see http://www.nacs.uci.edu/computing/maillists/ if you manage a Listserv mailing list that you would like to convert to Mailman, if you would like to start a new mailing list, or if you would simply like to know more about Mailman.

Making Lists for UCI Computer Users

NACS operates UCI’s “LISTSERV” electronic mailing list server that hosts about 400 electronic mailing lists. NACS and other campus parties maintain a number of lists on that server for the benefit computer users and supporters. Those lists are summarized below:

For a complete list of UCI mailing lists, send a message to LISTSERV@UCI.EDU with just the word “lists” (no quotes) as its content. To join a mailing list, send a message to LISTSERV@UCI.EDU with “subscribe LISTNAME YOUR-NAME” as its content. For example,

“subscribe uci-mac John Smith”.

Many lists are archived in UCI’s gopher and/or in local USENET Newsgroups.