![[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 8058441 ALABAMA.IREAYE.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 2 4804257 LISTSERV.BELIEFNET.COM (Windows 2000 Professional + LSMTP V1.1b) 3 3017771 ALASKA.IREAYE.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 4 2665589 ARIES.EMAIL6.NET (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 5 2310120 PLUM.EASE.LSOFT.COM (OpenVMS V7.3 + LSMTP V1.1b) 6 2210887 LISTSERV.MYNASTY.COM (Windows 2000 Advanced Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 7 2146391 LISTSERV.VERSUS.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 8 1447132 BART.EASYWINNING.COM (Windows 2000 Advanced Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 9 848238 ALPHA.MX10.NET (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 10 791429 LISTSERV.AOL.COM (HP-UX B.11.11 + LSMTP V1.1b) 11 790710 MAIL1.YOUWINMAIL.COM (Windows NT 5.0 + LSMTP V1.1b) 12 680484 VELA.EMAIL6.NET (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 13 563443 LISTSERV.NATIONALA-1ADVERTISING.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 14 544329 APPLE.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 15 487996 OXYGEN3.PANDASOFTWARE.COM (Windows NT 4.0) 16 462491 LISTSERV.COMPUTERWORLD.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 17 448756 MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU (OpenVMS V6.2-1H3 + LSMTP V1.1a) 18 448108 LISTSERV.WEBSTER.M-W.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 19 445766 CNNIMAIL23.CNN.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 20 403494 HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
Pos Subscribers Site --- ----------- ---- 1 6445542 LISTSERV.AOL.COM (HP-UX B.11.11 + LSMTP V1.1b) 2 4969520 GUAVA.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 3 3067161 EMAIL.ZDLISTS.COM (Windows NT Server 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b) 4 2020824 DISPATCH.CNET.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b) 5 1766694 PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 6 1731908 LISTSERV.PATHFINDER.COM (Solaris 2.6) 7 1285271 LIST.NIH.GOV (Solaris 2.6) 8 1034267 ANNOUNCE.MICROSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 9 959426 CLEMSON.EDU (Solaris 2.8) 10 785970 LEGALMINDS.ORG (Linux 2.2.12-0.1) 11 732446 LISTSERV.UNITEDWAY.ORG (Windows NT 4.0) 12 716815 LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 4.3) 13 627057 PUBLISHER.SSRN.COM (Windows NT Server 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b) 14 523274 ACM.ORG (AIX 4.3) 15 496955 LISTSERV.ND.EDU (Solaris 2.8) 16 473345 LISTSERV.GARTNER.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 17 467880 LISTSERV.VT.EDU (AIX 4.3) 18 461722 LISTAS.STARMEDIA.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 19 451850 LISTSERV.WEBSTER.M-W.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 20 442506 LISTS.UFL.EDU (AIX 4.3)
Pos Lists Site --- ----- ---- 1 9184 CLEMSON.EDU (Solaris 2.8) 2 4935 LISTSERV.ND.EDU (Solaris 2.8) 3 3735 LSV.UKY.EDU (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 4 3727 TECHUNIX.TECHNION.AC.IL (Solaris 2.8) 5 3701 LISTSERV.VT.EDU (AIX 4.3) 6 3555 LISTSERV.ACSU.BUFFALO.EDU (Solaris 2.6) 7 3478 LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU (Solaris 2.8) 8 3459 LISTS.UFL.EDU (AIX 4.3) 9 3419 LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 4.3) 10 3167 LISTSERV.SYR.EDU (Windows NT Server 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b) 11 2929 LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.2.19-6.2.16smp + LSMTP V1.1b) 12 2531 LISTSERV.TAMU.EDU (Solaris 2.6) 13 2276 LIST.NIH.GOV (Solaris 2.6) 14 2248 LISTSERV.CC.KULEUVEN.AC.BE (Linux 2.4.18-bf2.4) 15 2248 HERMES.GWU.EDU (Solaris 2.7) 16 2246 LISTES.ULAVAL.CA (Linux 2.4.9-31) 17 2128 LISTSERV.MUOHIO.EDU (Windows 2000 Advanced Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 18 2019 LISTSERV.UIC.EDU (Linux 2.4.7-10smp) 19 2019 LISTSERV.TEMPLE.EDU (OSF/1 V4.0f) 20 2002 CRCVMS.UNL.EDU (OpenVMS V6.2)
Pos Recipients Site --- ---------- ---- 1 943179 PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 2 779774 LISTSERV.AOL.COM (HP-UX B.11.11 + LSMTP V1.1b) 3 557835 MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU (OpenVMS V6.2-1H3 + LSMTP V1.1a) 4 527218 APPLE.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 5 518417 HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 6 488151 OXYGEN3.PANDASOFTWARE.COM (Windows NT 4.0) 7 450740 LISTSERV.WEBSTER.M-W.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 8 354045 LISTSERV.PATHFINDER.COM (Solaris 2.6) 9 277092 LISTSERV.ACSU.BUFFALO.EDU (Solaris 2.6) 10 266117 LISTS.NETSPACE.ORG (Linux 2.4.18) 11 259434 MITVMA.MIT.EDU (VM/ESA 2.4.0) 12 253598 LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 4.3) 13 251355 JAVA.SUN.COM (SunOS 5.8) 14 242756 LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.2.19-6.2.16smp + LSMTP V1.1b) 15 220427 LEGALMINDS.ORG (Linux 2.2.12-0.1) 16 216248 H-NET.MSU.EDU (Linux 2.2.20pre11) 17 213308 BAMA.UA.EDU (Solaris 2.7 + LSMTP V1.1b) 18 200990 LISTSERV.ICTNET.ES (SunOS 5.7) 19 180333 LISTSERV.SYR.EDU (Windows NT Server 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b) 20 167068 LIST.NIH.GOV (Solaris 2.6)
Pos Subscribers Site --- ----------- ---- 1 436342 MW-WOD@LISTSERV.WEBSTER.M-W.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 2 424482 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 155719 CLICK-IT@PEGASUS.THISCO.COM (Solaris 2.6) 9 142542 CTWFAMILYNEWSLETTER-L@GROVER.CTWONLINE.COM (Solaris 2.6 + LSMTP V1.1b) 10 132673 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 83141 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 58194 PLIMAIL@LISTSERV.PLI.EDU (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b) 19 56650 RFP-BULLETIN@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.8) 20 56190 ADVISOR@LISTSERV.GARTNER.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
