![[LISTSERV - the mailing list management classic]](https://www.lsoft.com/images/HDR-LISTSERV-sm.gif)
There are many possible ways to measure the relative "importance" or "size" of LISTSERV sites: number of lists, number of subscribers, number of messages delivered, etc. In most cases, the number of messages delivered is used to rank mailing list managers, because it is the most accurate measurement of the amount of activity on the server. But, depending on what you are looking for, other variables may be more appropriate. There are currently three LISTSERV "Top 20" lists, ranking the various servers according to:
In addition, you can view a list of the Top 20 lists in the network (by number of subscribers).
The statistics are gathered daily by a monitor at L-Soft which polls all the LISTSERV sites that participate in the "open" LISTSERV network over the worldwide Internet. Corporate servers operating in a "closed" environment are not included.
The statistics are organized in monthly reports. The message volume figures are a flat average of the accumulated traffic for the entire month. Thus, a server that delivers 300,000 messages per month will show a daily average of 10,000 messages. In practice, there is a lot less traffic during the weekend, and even during business days there can be significant fluctuations (~30%). The list statistics (number of lists, number of subscribers, largest lists in the network) are measured as of the last day in the month.
For the current month, the message volume figures are averaged based on the number of days that have elapsed. In practice, the figures are not very meaningful in the first few days, especially if the month starts on a weekend. In that case it is best to refer to the previous month for more accurate figures.
A fourth "Top 20" list is available for the more technically oriented: Number of messages generated by the server. This corresponds to the number of mail messages created by the server while processing postings to its mailing lists. LISTSERV delivers its mail using an intelligent mail delivery function called DISTRIBUTE, which improves mail delivery times and reduces bandwidth usage by spreading the delivery chore over scores of participating servers. Each of these servers processes the recipients for its service area (typically its organization or campus). In most cases, DISTRIBUTE simply alters the manner in which the mail is delivered, and the number of messages forwarded to other sites for optimized delivery is roughly equal to the number of messages received by other sites for the same purpose. In some cases, however, this is not the case, either because the server elected to serve a much wider service area than its own organization, or because it is explicitly forwarding all its deliveries to another machine (for instance, many mainframe-based servers forward their mail to a workstation or PC for delivery).
Pos Recipients Site --- ---------- ---- 1 7572839 ALABAMA.IREAYE.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 2 6310902 BOBCAT.MXSYS.NET (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 3 4645043 LISTSERV.BELIEFNET.COM (Windows 2000 Professional + LSMTP V1.1b) 4 3408339 ARIES.EMAIL3.NET (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 5 2254720 PLUM.EASE.LSOFT.COM (OpenVMS V7.3 + LSMTP V1.1b) 6 1810577 LISTSERV.VERSUS.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 7 1356735 ALASKA.IREAYE.NET (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 8 641076 LISTSERV.AOL.COM (HP-UX B.11.11 + LSMTP V1.1b) 9 587520 MAIL1.YOUWINMAIL.COM (Windows NT 5.0 + LSMTP V1.1b) 10 519354 APPLE.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 11 510515 OXYGEN3.PANDASOFTWARE.COM (Windows NT 4.0) 12 498329 VELA.EMAIL3.NET (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 13 465758 MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU (OpenVMS V6.2-1H3 + LSMTP V1.1a) 14 456094 CNNIMAIL23.CNN.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 15 438263 LISTSERV.WEBSTER.M-W.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 16 394661 HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 17 297933 LISTSERV.CAMPBELLKITCHEN.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 18 257634 JAVA.SUN.COM (SunOS 5.8) 19 246073 JAGGEDMAIL.JAGGEDMIND.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 20 232582 LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.2.19-6.2.16smp + LSMTP V1.1b)
Pos Subscribers Site --- ----------- ---- 1 6445542 LISTSERV.AOL.COM (HP-UX B.11.11 + LSMTP V1.1b) 2 4655401 GUAVA.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 3 4361255 LISTSERV.VERSUS.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 4 3067161 EMAIL.ZDLISTS.COM (Windows NT Server 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b) 5 2020824 DISPATCH.CNET.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b) 6 1725814 LISTSERV.PATHFINDER.COM (Solaris 2.6) 7 1722866 PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 8 1280789 LIST.NIH.GOV (Solaris 2.6) 9 1034390 ANNOUNCE.MICROSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 10 776629 LEGALMINDS.ORG (Linux 2.2.12-0.1) 11 731233 LISTSERV.UNITEDWAY.ORG (Windows NT 4.0) 12 697912 LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 4.3) 13 642736 CLEMSON.EDU (Solaris 2.8) 14 597625 PUBLISHER.SSRN.COM (Windows NT Server 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b) 15 521205 ACM.ORG (AIX 4.3) 16 473345 LISTSERV.GARTNER.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 17 462337 LISTSERV.ND.EDU (Solaris 2.8) 18 461722 LISTAS.STARMEDIA.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 19 441859 LISTSERV.WEBSTER.M-W.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 20 420260 LISTSERV.VT.EDU (AIX 4.3)
Pos Lists Site --- ----- ---- 1 12741 CLEMSON.EDU (Solaris 2.8) 2 4450 LISTSERV.ND.EDU (Solaris 2.8) 3 3653 LSV.UKY.EDU (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 4 3605 LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU (Solaris 2.8) 5 3512 LISTSERV.ACSU.BUFFALO.EDU (Solaris 2.6) 6 3286 LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 4.3) 7 3250 LISTSERV.VT.EDU (AIX 4.3) 8 3119 LISTSERV.SYR.EDU (Windows NT Server 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b) 9 2809 LISTS.UFL.EDU (AIX 4.3) 10 2798 TECHUNIX.TECHNION.AC.IL (Solaris 2.8) 11 2698 LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.2.19-6.2.16smp + LSMTP V1.1b) 12 2469 LISTSERV.TAMU.EDU (Solaris 2.6) 13 2256 LIST.NIH.GOV (Solaris 2.6) 14 2237 LISTSERV.CC.KULEUVEN.AC.BE (Linux 2.4.18-bf2.4) 15 2234 LISTSERV.TAU.AC.IL (Solaris 2.8) 16 2214 HERMES.GWU.EDU (Solaris 2.7) 17 2017 LISTSERV.UIC.EDU (Linux 2.4.7-10smp) 18 2009 LISTSERV.MUOHIO.EDU (Windows 2000 Advanced Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 19 1989 LISTSERV.TEMPLE.EDU (OSF/1 V4.0f) 20 1984 CRCVMS.UNL.EDU (OpenVMS V6.2)
Pos Recipients Site --- ---------- ---- 1 943137 PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 2 628570 LISTSERV.AOL.COM (HP-UX B.11.11 + LSMTP V1.1b) 3 579986 MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU (OpenVMS V6.2-1H3 + LSMTP V1.1a) 4 510644 OXYGEN3.PANDASOFTWARE.COM (Windows NT 4.0) 5 510275 HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 6 497725 APPLE.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 7 440871 LISTSERV.WEBSTER.M-W.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 8 323820 LISTSERV.PATHFINDER.COM (Solaris 2.6) 9 256741 MITVMA.MIT.EDU (VM/ESA 2.4.0) 10 255382 LISTS.NETSPACE.ORG (Linux 2.4.18) 11 253894 LISTSERV.ACSU.BUFFALO.EDU (Solaris 2.6) 12 252620 JAVA.SUN.COM (SunOS 5.8) 13 231939 LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.2.19-6.2.16smp + LSMTP V1.1b) 14 229862 LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 4.3) 15 219500 H-NET.MSU.EDU (Linux 2.2.20pre11) 16 206032 LISTSERV.ICTNET.ES (SunOS 5.7) 17 203952 LEGALMINDS.ORG (Linux 2.2.12-0.1) 18 198607 BAMA.UA.EDU (Solaris 2.7 + LSMTP V1.1b) 19 173465 LISTS.US.CHECKPOINT.COM (SunOS 5.8) 20 169374 LIST.NIH.GOV (Solaris 2.6)
Pos Subscribers Site --- ----------- ---- 1 426448 MW-WOD@LISTSERV.WEBSTER.M-W.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 2 424466 FOODTV@GUAVA.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 3 282485 GARTNER_INSIGHT@LISTSERV.GARTNER.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 4 253530 SKIMAPS@GUAVA.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 5 222483 EOL-INBOX@DISPATCH.CNET.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b) 6 197224 SSA_ENEWS@LISTSERV.GSA.GOV (Solaris 2.7) 7 178297 EOL-DISPATCH@DISPATCH.CNET.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b) 8 157433 CLICK-IT@PEGASUS.THISCO.COM (Solaris 2.6) 9 142542 CTWFAMILYNEWSLETTER-L@GROVER.CTWONLINE.COM (Solaris 2.6 + LSMTP V1.1b) 10 132672 VULNTRAQ@LISTSERV.NTSECURITY.NET (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 11 124844 MSN-UK-NEWS@ANNOUNCE.MICROSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 12 116874 WINCDR@LISTSERV.ADAPTEC.COM (Windows NT Server 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b) 13 111227 BURPEENEWS@DISPATCH.GARDEN.ORG (Windows NT Workstation 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b) 14 106909 OLISPLITALERTS@LISTSERV.AOL.COM (HP-UX B.11.11 + LSMTP V1.1b) 15 84803 TOURBUS@LISTSERV.AOL.COM (HP-UX B.11.11 + LSMTP V1.1b) 16 83140 SELFHELP@PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 17 65161 THEONLINEINVESTOR@LISTSERV.AOL.COM (HP-UX B.11.11 + LSMTP V1.1b) 18 57381 PLIMAIL@LISTSERV.PLI.EDU (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b) 19 56190 ADVISOR@LISTSERV.GARTNER.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 20 55994 RFP-BULLETIN@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.8)
