Topic: Message Delivery Options
Help, I'm getting too much mail but I don't want to quit the list!
(aka How do I change to digest?)
Most lists have one or two options for participating in the list but not getting so much mail. One option is digest, you'll get messages batched together in a single large email. Some lists send out digests when a certain number of messages have been posted and other lists only send out digests once a day. Digests can have some disadvantages, most don't include any attachments so if the list is mainly for posting attachments, pictures, music, etc., you won't get any of them, making the digest virtually useless. Also, html messages can sometimes be a mess in a digest, with all the html code mixed in with the text of the message, making it difficult to read. But digests are still a good option when you're feeling overwhelmed by list mail.
If the list has a website with an archive for the messages, another option is to go on No Mail and read the messages at the website. This means you won't get any mail at all and you'll need to be connected to the internet the whole time you're reading the messages on the website. If your mail provider doesn't allow much mail in your mailbox, this can be the best option for busy lists.
For details on how to switch to digest or no mail, check out any Welcome message you received when you joined the list (you did keep that welcome message like I recommended, right? :)) and if the list has a website, look there also, services like Yahoogroups, Topica and Smartgroups allow you to change to digest or no mail on their website. In addition, at those three services, Yahoogroups, Topica and Smartgroups, you can send an email command to change to digest, no mail or back to individual emails as well as subscribing and unsubscribing.
For the YahooGroups, Topica, SmartGroups email commands, read on.
For lists hosted on other services, look for that welcome message and if you can't find any information there, contact the listowner or (as a last resort) ask politely(!) on list.
(Don't forget to change "listname" to the real name of the list!)
Yahoogroups
To subscribe to a list, send an email to (blank or not):
listname-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
and you MUST reply to the confirmation email to actually join the list
To switch to digest, send an email to (blank or not):
listname-digest@yahoogroups.com
To switch to no mail, send an email to (blank or not):
listname-nomail@yahoogroups.com
To switch back to individual emails, send an email to (blank or not):
listname-normal@yahoogroups.com
To unsubscribe from (quit) a list, send an email to (blank or not):
listname-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
and you MUST reply to the confirmation email to complete the removal process
You can request general help information, send an email to (blank or not):
listname-help@yahoogroups.com
and you'll get back an email with the list description and the email commands listed here
To contact the listowner, send an email to:
listname-owner@yahoogroups.com
Topica
To subscribe to a list, send an email to (blank or not):
listname-subscribe@topica.com
and you MUST reply to the confirmation email to actually join the list
To switch to digest, send an email to (blank or not):
listname-request-digest@topica.com
To switch to no mail, you need to visit Topica's website:
www.Topica.com
To switch back to individual emails, send an email to (blank or not):
listname-request-messages@topica.com
To unsubscribe from (quit) a list, send an email to (blank or not):
listname-unsubscribe@topica.com
and you MUST reply to the confirmation email to complete the removal process
You can also request general help information, send an email to (blank or not):
listname-help@topica.com
and you'll get back an email with the email commands and how to switch to NoMail at the website
You can also request the list description and welcome message, send an email to (blank or not):
listname-info@topica.com
listname-welcome@topica.com
this can be useful when looking for the list rules or how to contact the listowner
Smartgroups
To subscribe to a list, send an email to (blank or not):
listname-subscribe@smartgroups.com
and you MUST reply to the confirmation email to actually join the list
To switch to digest, send an email to (blank or not):
listname-setdigest@smartgroups.com
To switch to no mail, send an email to (blank or not):
listname-setweb@smartgroups.com
To switch back to individual emails, send an email to (blank or not):
listname-setmail@smartgroups.com
To unsubscribe from (quit) a list, send an email to (blank or not):
listname-unsubscribe@smartgroups.com
and you MUST reply to the confirmation email to complete the removal process
You can request general help information, send an email to (blank or not):
listname-help@smartgroups.com
and you'll get back an email with the email commands listed here
To contact the listowner, send an email to:
listname-owner@smartgroups.com