OUCS Course Code ZAA

1
Using E-mailing lists and Newsgroups

• Tony Brett
• Oxford University Computing Services
• February 2004

2
Agenda

• E-mail lists
• How to set up
• How to use
• Subscribing
• Moderating
• Newsgroups (Usenet)
• How to set up
• How to set up newsreader
• Comparison of Newsgroups and Maillists
• Netiquette
• Conclusion

3
E-mailing lists

• Oxford University uses EZMLM
• (easy mailing list manager)
• Other Products Majordomo, mailman
• OUCS-written web interface to EZMLM
• https//maillist.ox.ac.uk
• Distributed
• Subscription - based
• Designated receivers of messages

4
How to Set up E-mail lists

• Request to list-request_at_maillist.ox.ac.uk
• List gets created
• Login to https//maillist.ox.ac.uk
• Use your herald username and password
• Full details and instructions at

http//www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/email/maillists/ezmlm/own
ers.xml

• Moderate vs. non-moderate
• Subscriber posting vs. open posting
• Open or Closed Subscription?

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How to Use Oxford E-mail lists (1)

• Send mail to listname_at_servername might be
  oucs-courses_at_maillist.ox.ac.uk
• Message goes to all subscribed people
• Everything controlled by the address you send to.
  E-mail subject and content are irrelevant.
• Listname-subscribe_at_maillist.ox.ac.uk
• Listname-unsubscribe_at_maillist.ox.ac.uk

http//www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/email/maillists/ezmlm/use
rs.xml
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How to Use Oxford E-mail lists (2)

• Moderation requires a reply message
• Can have many moderators.
• Postings from Moderators must be self-moderated.
• Postings from others can be moderated by any
  moderator. Decision of first is final!
• Security relies on ability to RECEIVE mail, not
  send it.

7
Newsgroups

• Dates from 1986 RFC977
• Sometimes called Usenet
• NNTP
• Acronymns BTW, AFAIK, IMHO etc.
• Emoticons -) -( -)
• FAQs Read them!
• Thousands of groups servers worldwide
• News.ox.ac.uk
• Spam, Troll, Flame
• Google groups etc. brings it to the web

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How to set up newsgroups

• In Oxford E-mail newsmaster_at_oucs.ox.ac.uk
• http//www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/netnews/
• ox.clubs., ox.colleges., ox.dept
• Accessible only in Oxford

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How to set up a newsreader

• Many available Outlook Express, Netscape
  Collabra, PINE, TRN, RN.
• Available for all Operating Systems
• Use your ISPs news server for example
  news.ox.ac.uk, news.ntlworld.com,
  news.tiscali.co.uk and so on
• Can read through the web using google groups or
  similar

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Outlook using Oxfords News (1)
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Configuring a news account
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Getting the Newsgroups
This can be slow on dial-up!
Enter a search term or browse and double-click
the ones you want.
13
Reading Articles
14
News vs. Maillist

• NEWS
• Wider audience.
• No management effort.
• Messages can be kept indefinitely.
• Only one copy of each message.
• Can read newsgroup messages when you wish.
• Subscription to a newsgroup is easy
• Not Private
• Less urgent read news less often than E-mail
• New software might need to be learned

• EMAIL LIST
• Can be set up to be private
• Addresses on a list are not restricted to Oxford
• Easier to send urgent messages
• Existing, familiar mail software can be used.
• High-volume of email can prove intrusive.
• The method of subscribing to an email
  distribution list can be tricky
• "list maintainer" required
• Each message replicated many times - inefficient.
  
• Storage at the discretion of each member of the
  list.

15
Netiquette

• Use the Subject field
• Dont auto-reply to mailing lists! (Herald does
  this automatically)
• Dont have an argument on a mailing list
• Write carefully if you feel strongly about
  something. Use emoticons to convey sense of what
  youre saying
• Keep messages brief
• Dont flame, spam or troll
• Dont quote others without acknowledgement
• Be Legal, Decent, Honest Truthful

http//www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/email/netiquette/
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Conclusions

• Maillist and News both have their uses
• Never a definitive correct solution
• Use requires care and planning
• Both can save time, paper and frustration
• High volume E-mail lists sometimes move to
  newsgroups
• Enjoy!