Using an email auto-responder or out-of-office replies while on vacation, without changing your list subscription options, may result in your email address being “served out” from all NACADA LISTSERV lists.Being “served out” simply means that all future messages sent to any of the lists from your address will be rejected until a list owner or administrator restores your account. This occurs because LISTSERV automatically detects messages that appear to be auto replies and after receiving multiple copies automatically serves out the sending address.
Problems with listserv mail delivery during absences, such as going on vacation, can easily be addressed by temporarily changing your list email delivery options. The MAIL/NOMAIL command can be used to temporarily change your delivery settings without having to leave and rejoin lists.
Turn off mail delivery during absences
To turn off mail from a particular list, from the e-mail address used to subscribe to the listserv list, send an e-mail to [email protected] using the following command in the body of the message (where listname is the list's ID):
SET listname NOMAIL Example: SET ADVTRANSFER NOMAIL
Leave the subject line blank. Be sure to delete any signature lines and/or turn off auto-inclusion of your signature file before sending the above command. (LISTSERV treats signature lines as commands and will send error messages saying 'unknown command'.)
Restore mail delivery
To restore your list email delivery upon your return to the office, from the e-mail address used to subscribe to the listserv list(s), send an e-mail to [email protected] using the following command in the body of the message (where listname is the list's ID):
SET listname MAIL Example: SET ADVTRANSFER MAIL