![[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 6926367 LISTSERV.BELIEFNET.COM (Windows 2000 Professional + LSMTP V1.1b) 2 2742463 DATAG.EXIMPACT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 3 2282804 RLY1.YOUWINMAIL.COM (Windows NT 5.0 + LSMTP V1.1b) 4 2241448 PLUM.EASE.LSOFT.COM (OpenVMS V7.3-1 + LSMTP V1.1b) 5 1091018 LISTSERV.VERSUS.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 6 768102 WWW-TOPSITES.COM (Windows NT 5.2 Enterprise Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 7 624178 TOPSITEZ.US (Windows NT 5.2 Enterprise Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 8 547729 OXYGEN3.PANDASOFTWARE.COM (Windows NT 4.0) 9 465272 APPLE.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 10 418745 HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 11 399405 MAILER.INFORMIT.COM (Windows 2000 Advanced Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 12 380000 JCCMAILER01.JEWELCLAIMCENTER.COM (Windows 2000 Advanced Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 13 369190 MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU (OpenVMS V6.2-1H3 + LSMTP V1.1a) 14 343319 LISTSERV.FOXNEWS.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 15 342042 LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 4.3) 16 333477 LISTSERV.COMPUTERWORLD.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 17 294807 LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU (Solaris 2.8) 18 292003 LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.4.7-10smp + LSMTP V1.1b) 19 268932 LS.TIMEINC.NET (Solaris 2.8) 20 250724 LISTSERV.REDIRIS.ES (Solaris 2.8 + LSMTP V1.1b)
Pos Subscribers Site --- ----------- ---- 1 3067161 EMAIL.ZDLISTS.COM (Windows NT Server 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b) 2 2793564 LS.TIMEINC.NET (Solaris 2.8) 3 2182995 LISTSERV.VERSUS.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 4 2020824 DISPATCH.CNET.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b) 5 1478694 PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 6 1202129 CLEMSON.EDU (Solaris 2.9) 7 1034117 ANNOUNCE.MICROSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 8 955611 LEGALMINDS.ORG (Linux 2.2.12-0.1) 9 941690 LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 4.3) 10 806804 LISTSERV.ND.EDU (Solaris 2.8) 11 731437 PUBLISHER.SSRN.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 12 715540 LISTSERV.VT.EDU (AIX 4.3) 13 686625 LISTSERV.GSA.GOV (Solaris 2.8) 14 606691 LISTS.UFL.EDU (AIX 4.3) 15 543651 LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU (Solaris 2.8) 16 535918 ACM.ORG (AIX 4.3) 17 489112 LISTSERV.WEBSTER.M-W.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 18 483493 LISTS.WAYNE.EDU (Solaris 2.6) 19 473345 LISTSERV.GARTNER.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 20 461722 LISTAS.STARMEDIA.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
Pos Lists Site --- ----- ---- 1 19335 CLEMSON.EDU (Solaris 2.9) 2 10936 LSV.UKY.EDU (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 3 10074 LISTSERV.ND.EDU (Solaris 2.8) 4 7986 LISTES.ULAVAL.CA (Linux 2.4.20-18.8smp) 5 6659 LISTSERV.VT.EDU (AIX 4.3) 6 5609 LISTSERV.TAU.AC.IL (Solaris 2.8) 7 4512 TECHUNIX.TECHNION.AC.IL (Solaris 2.8) 8 4505 LISTS.UFL.EDU (AIX 4.3) 9 4361 LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 4.3) 10 4071 MARIST (VM/SP 2.0) 11 3911 LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU (Solaris 2.8) 12 3832 LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.4.7-10smp + LSMTP V1.1b) 13 3708 LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU (Solaris 2.8) 14 3556 LISTSERV.CC.KULEUVEN.AC.BE (Linux 2.4.18-bf2.4) 15 3470 LISTSERV.TAMU.EDU (Solaris 2.6) 16 2951 HERMES.GWU.EDU (Solaris 2.7) 17 2845 LISTSERV.SYR.EDU (Windows NT Server 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b) 18 2496 LISTSERV.MUOHIO.EDU (Windows 2000 Advanced Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 19 2178 LISTSERV.UNL.EDU (Linux 2.4.18-17.7.xsmp) 20 2098 LISTSERV.UIC.EDU (Linux 2.4.7-10smp)
Pos Recipients Site --- ---------- ---- 1 938992 PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 2 547762 OXYGEN3.PANDASOFTWARE.COM (Windows NT 4.0) 3 525699 HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 4 461768 APPLE.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 5 445724 MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU (OpenVMS V6.2-1H3 + LSMTP V1.1a) 6 426660 LS.TIMEINC.NET (Solaris 2.8) 7 351558 LISTSERV.SYR.EDU (Windows NT Server 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b) 8 346410 LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 4.3) 9 332284 LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU (Solaris 2.8) 10 322323 H-NET.MSU.EDU (Linux 2.4.21) 11 296655 LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.4.7-10smp + LSMTP V1.1b) 12 273764 DTIC.MIL (Solaris 2.8) 13 258904 LEGALMINDS.ORG (Linux 2.2.12-0.1) 14 241816 LISTSERV.REDIRIS.ES (Solaris 2.8 + LSMTP V1.1b) 15 218715 WWW.IDUGDB2-L.ORG (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 16 207873 MITVMA.MIT.EDU (VM/ESA 2.4.0) 17 202189 LSV.UKY.EDU (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 18 202042 LISTSERV.ICTNET.ES (SunOS 5.7) 19 200593 LISTSERV.VT.EDU (AIX 4.3) 20 194181 BAMA.UA.EDU (Solaris 2.9 + LSMTP V1.1b)
Pos Subscribers Site --- ----------- ---- 1 472934 MW-WOD@LISTSERV.WEBSTER.M-W.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 2 282485 GARTNER_INSIGHT@LISTSERV.GARTNER.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 3 265457 SSA_ENEWS@LISTSERV.GSA.GOV (Solaris 2.8) 4 222483 EOL-INBOX@DISPATCH.CNET.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b) 5 178297 EOL-DISPATCH@DISPATCH.CNET.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b) 6 160651 CLICK-IT@PEGASUS.THISCO.COM (Solaris 2.6) 7 142542 CTWFAMILYNEWSLETTER-L@GROVER.CTWONLINE.COM (Solaris 2.6 + LSMTP V1.1b) 8 124855 MSN-UK-NEWS@ANNOUNCE.MICROSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 9 116874 WINCDR@LISTSERV.ADAPTEC.COM (Windows NT Server 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b) 10 111227 BURPEENEWS@DISPATCH.GARDEN.ORG (Windows NT Workstation 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b) 11 83223 SELFHELP@PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 12 77818 VTNETLETTER@LISTSERV.VT.EDU (AIX 4.3) 13 63614 RFP-BULLETIN@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.8) 14 56190 ADVISOR@LISTSERV.GARTNER.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 15 54624 PND-L@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.8) 16 48740 FIRSTGOV-L@LISTSERV.GSA.GOV (Solaris 2.8) 17 43908 GOURMET-ECLUB@PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b) 18 39320 FDNCENTER-L@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.8) 19 38052 FEDINFO@LISTSERV.GSA.GOV (Solaris 2.8) 20 37877 CTWADVISORYBOARD-L@GROVER.CTWONLINE.COM (Solaris 2.6 + LSMTP V1.1b)
