One of my subscribers just got a message that said they were "served out". How does that happen and how do I fix it so she can post to the list?

If a user sends more than 50 consecutive invalid commands to LISTSERV, LISTSERV automatically serves that user off so that further commands from that user will be ignored. This normally happens by accident, for instance, if a user's "vacation" program keeps sending messages back to LISTSERV every time a posting from the list is received, rather than by someone actually sending 50 consecutive invalid commands manually.

It's also possible for a LISTSERV site maintainer to manually serve users off. Generally this is done to stop mailing loops or because a user's online behavior is considered unacceptable. Some LISTSERV site maintainers serve out addresses used by spammers, for instance.

While served off, the user will be unable to set personal options and will be unable to subscribe or unsubscribe to lists on that server. Note that a user will likely be served off of one particular LISTSERV site but not others, and also that the user may not even realize that he has been served off (when this happens by accident, LISTSERV always sends notification to the user to that effect, but not all users know what they are looking at when they receive the message).

Should a user become served off accidentally, it is possible for the list owner or any other user to issue a SERVE address command (where address is the user's e-mail address) to restore that user's access. As with all other LISTSERV commands, the SERVE command is sent to the LISTSERV address.

Note that the SERVE command will not restore service to users who have been manually served off by the LISTSERV maintainer. Restoration of service in this case requires that a LISTSERV maintainer intervene.