Last month, I told you I was evaluating mailing list services with the ultimate goal of changing my distribution of these missives. Well, after lots of work and testing various service providers, I have finally decided to move my list over to eGroups. It wasn't an easy decision. I looked at nine different providers and spent lots of time talking to their technical support staffs and fooling around with their web and email interfaces to get an idea of what I liked and didn't like about each service.
Email lists are essential to modern web site operators for several reasons.
They build community and awareness of your content. Choosing a service provider is a very personal business and I did this with much gnashing of teeth and worries. I like to think there is a certain bond between you and I, and I don't want to bring about change just for the sake of new technology. Nevertheless, it was time for me to move Web Informant to a new level. The number of hours spent maintaining the list was greater than the time spent composing each essay.