How to Subscribe to an Internet Mailing List
Internet mailing lists are services that broadcast the same content to all subscribers through email. A list typically has a theme, such as hiking or stamp collecting. Specialized software creates and deletes subscriptions and sends out each approved message. One or more human administrators manage the list. In moderated lists, an administrator must approve each message before it goes out. Some lists require you to subscribe by sending specially-crafted emails to a list management application; others require you to visit each list's website.
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Things You'll Need
- Email address for the list management software or web address to subscribe to the list
Instructions
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Subscribe over Email
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Log into your personal email account. Send a message from it to the email address for the list management software, with the subject "HELP." Include one line of text in the body that contains the word "HELP" as well. The management software will email you an automated reply describing how to subscribe to that particular mailing list.
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Follow the directions in the automated reply to subscribe to the list. The specific way of performing these steps depends on the software used to manage the list. There are several mainstream options, such as Listserv, Majordomo and Listproc. For Listserv, you need to send an email with an empty subject and with a single line of text in its body, like the following:
subscribe LISTNAME
Replace "LISTNAME" with the name of the list you are subscribing to. The management software will email you an automated reply to your subscription request.
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Read the reply to your subscription request and follow up if needed. There are three possible scenarios, depending on how administrators configured that particular list. The reply might welcome you to the list, in which case you have subscribed successfully; the reply might state that an administrator has to approve subscription requests by hand and you will need to wait until they get to it and send you another email with their decision; or the reply might request that you confirm your intention to join the list, in which case, you have to follow the instructions. For a Listserv, reply to that email with the command
confirm LISTNAME
Replace "LISTNAME" with the name of the list you are subscribing to. After following up, you will be subscribed to the mailing list and you will start getting all the messages posted to it.
Subscribe on the Web
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Launch a web browser by double-clicking on its desktop icon. Navigate to the web address to subscribe to the list.
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Enter your email address into the form, then click on the link reading "Subscribe," "Sign up," or some similar wording.
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Confirm your subscription if the list requires you to by following the instructions on the automated email you will receive as soon as you submit your address through the list's website. After following up, you will be subscribed to the mailing list and you will start getting all the messages posted to it.
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Tips & Warnings
Most lists your sign up for online require you to confirm your subscription to prevent people from signing up others without their permission.
References
Resources
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