List Servers Electronic mailing lists, commonly called list servers, are so common on the Internet that it's hard to think of them as a form of publishing, but they are. List servers are a means of distributing information to a controlled circulation list. Some list servers are open and anyone can join and send messages. Others are called moderated lists, and the moderator edits the contributions for what is appropriate and what is not. Finally, some list servers are one-way and consist entirely of announcements from a central source with no mechanism for sending replies or comments.
People subscribe to such a list to get the most current information from that source.
The three types of list servers are Open lists, which promote discussion between any and all subscribers of the mailing list, whether they know each other or not. Usually, subscribing to such a list means nothing more than sending a subscription request via e-mail. No one guarantees that the content of the messages will be restricted to the theme of the list. If you don't like a message, you are free to ignore it. These lists tend to stay on subject more, but an active list can create a great deal of work for the moderator.