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The Problem
How can people carry on a conversation when they are in
different parts of the world? It is very expensive to fly a
group of doctors, or Cubs fans, or students of human
genetics to one location so that they can learn the latest
surgical techniques, share their enthusiasm for baseball, or
exchange their ideas about genetic disorders. Given the
difference in time zones and busy schedules, even the
telephone is often not very practical. Listservs allow
groups like these to carry on lengthy conversations spread
out over time.
So how does it work
People interested in discussing the same topic
combine email and a listserv server to easily transfer one
message to many people. You belong to a listserv on "human
genetics" and you may want to tell everybody in your group
about your genetics research. Well, you type a message to
everyone with your email program and send the message to the
DNA listserv. You address your message
To: DNA@listserv.4j.lane.edu
This address is not to a person, but to a computer
program. The program maintains a list of the email addresses
of everyone in your class. When the listserv software gets
your message it duplicates it many times and sends one copy
to everyone in the class.
 The
next time one of your classmates checks his/her mail, they
will have the message from you about your choosen genetic
condition . They may have lots of other messages from other
students on the human genetics listserv too. They will
decide to read (or delete) each message they have received.
If they wish to respond to your comments they send their own
message to the listserv and that reply will go to everyone
on the list. (Be careful not to just "reply" to the message
you receive. That will only send your response the the
author of the message.)
This ongoing conversation is kind of like a conversation
you might have with other students in a classroom or in the
cafeteria, but is stretched out over days, weeks and months.
To keep up the flow of the conversation, it is usually best
to respond to your listserv messages once a day.
Some Advice
The first message you get from the human genetics
listserv will give you additional instructions about using
this service. Save this message! It will contain
instructions about how to unsubscribe from
the DNA listserv. It is just as important to know how to
gracefully leave a listserv conversation as it is to join
one.
It is OK to be a lurker for a while
before you enter into the conversation. A lurker reads other
peoples messages to get the tone of the conversation before
jumping in. Of course this does not work if everyone lurks.
Don't participate in flame wars. A
"flame" is a hurtful or sarcastic remark often sent in the
heat of the moment and regretted later. If you are the
object of a flame, wait at least 24 hours before responding.
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