1. Finding mailing lists 2. Information from mailing list participants

2. Mailing Lists

The Internet has become a very important tool for scientists and other experts, especially for use in communicating with each other about their particular fields of study. In many cases, the Internet has become an online and extended conference where specialists can discuss the current issues of their areas of interest with large numbers of fellow experts. One Internet tool that specialists frequently use for establishing these online discussion forums is the Internet mailing list. If we could join a mailing list that is used by experts in our area of interest, then we could tap into or eavesdrop on their conversations.

Definition of an Internet Mailing List

An Internet mailing list is very similar to the postal variety. It is a list of addresses, e-mail addresses, to which messages can be sent in a bulk-mailing fashion. Internet mailing lists have one very important advantage over postal mailing lists. Anyone who is on the list can send messages to the entire list of subscribers. Any member of the list can send announcements, solicit help, report successes and less successful projects, and open discussions.

To join an Internet mailing list, you only need two pieces of information:

1. the name of the list
2. the e-mail address of the computer that maintains the list.

Once you have this information, you simply address an e-mail message to the list address, and type in the body of the message:

Subscribe <list name> <your first & last name>

Then send the message. After a moment you will receive an automatic e-mail message from the computer welcoming you to the list and explaining some of the guidelines for participating in the discussions.

Section: Mailing Lists
Page 1: Finding mailing lists
Page 2: Information from mailing list participants