Dear engineering-geotech members,
>From 27 November 2000, the MAILBASE system that hosts our list will be
replaced by JISCMAIL. As far as most users are concerned the only difference
will be that the name 'mailbase' will be replaced by 'jiscmail' in all
commands to access the list. For example, mail should be posted to
[log in to unmask] instead of
[log in to unmask] and administrative commands (eg joining
and leaving) should be mailed to [log in to unmask] instead of
[log in to unmask]
The reason for this transition is that the Joint Information Systems
Committee (JISC) who fund the mailbase service have decided to award the
continued running of the service to the UK's Rutherford-Appleton Laboratory
instead of Newcastle University. For legal reasons, the name 'mailbase' will
cease to be used and 'jiscmail' will be adopted. The new contractor is
attempting to minimise disruption to users and we hope that the transition
will go smoothly.
The new system will operate on the commercial LISTSERV software that may be
familiar to those of you who subscribe to non-mailbase lists, eg FEA-L. Some
of LISTSERVs commands and features are different to those of mailbase and
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/docs/user-ref.htm gives the details.
The new system will include improved spam and virus protection but, with
about 30,000 mailing lists worldwide, the LISTSERV community is bigger than
that of Mailbase (which ran about 2,000 lists) and there is more scope for
invasion. We might then want to tighten up on the privacy of the list by,
for example, preventing non-members from viewing the membership list.
However we will leave things as they are until after the transition, and see
what the changes bring.
If you have any queries or concerns please email us at
[log in to unmask] (or
[log in to unmask] from 27 November!).
Regards,
Andrew Chan, Paul McMahon & David Toll
(engineering-geotech list owners)
------------------------------------------------------------
Dr David Toll
University of Durham
School of Engineering
South Road
Durham, DH1 3LE, UK
Tel: (+44/0) 191 374 2566
Fax: (+44/0) 191 374 2550
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
www: http://www.dur.ac.uk/~des0dt/
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
|