[LISTSERV - the mailing list management classic]

LISTSERV Top 20 statistics – July 2001


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).

What do these numbers mean exactly?

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).


Top 20 sites by volume delivered daily (JUL01, 1-31)

Pos Recipients  Site
--- ----------  ----
  1    4436473  CHEWBACCA5.YESMAIL.NET (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  2    3446003  LISTSERV.EDIETS.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  3    2378464  PLUM.EASE.LSOFT.COM (OpenVMS V7.3 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  4    1720664  LISTSERV.BELIEFNET.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  5    1556869  LIST.EDIETS.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  6    1538767  EWMAIL.EASYWINNING.COM (Windows 2000 Advanced Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  7    1199249  LISTSERV.ELOTTONET.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  8    1038643  LISTSERV.INVESTPROCENTRAL.COM (Windows 2000 Advanced Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  9     914428  LISTSERV.AOL.COM (HP-UX B.10.20 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 10     745221  SILVER.EASYWINNING.COM (Windows 2000 Advanced Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 11     702451  MAIL1.YOUWINMAIL.COM (Windows NT 5.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 12     668152  LIST.PROMOTIONSERVER.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 13     595572  APPLE.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 14     595321  EWMAIL2.EASYWINNING.COM (Windows 2000 Advanced Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 15     569492  MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU (OpenVMS V6.2-1H3 + LSMTP V1.1a)
 16     535447  EWAOL2.EASYWINNING.COM (Windows 2000 Advanced Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 17     442641  MYLISTMAILING.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 18     441524  EWAOL.EASYWINNING.COM (Windows 2000 Advanced Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 19     401967  HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 20     399356  JAVA.SUN.COM (SunOS 5.6)

Top 20 sites by number of subscribers (31 Jul 2001)

Pos Subscribers  Site
--- -----------  ----
  1     5966288  LISTSERV.AOL.COM (HP-UX B.10.20 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  2     5045510  GUAVA.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  3     4858151  LISTSERV.WOMEN.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  4     3067161  EMAIL.ZDLISTS.COM (Windows NT Server 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  5     2133957  LISTAS.STARMEDIA.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  6     2020824  DISPATCH.CNET.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  7     1978513  PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows NT Server 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  8     1572214  LISTSERV.PATHFINDER.COM (Solaris 2.6)
  9     1226374  ANNOUNCE.MICROSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 10      744707  LIST.NIH.GOV (Solaris 2.6)
 11      695602  CLEMSON.EDU (Solaris 2.8)
 12      609238  LEGALMINDS.ORG (Linux 2.2.12-0.1)
 13      573637  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 4.2)
 14      536485  ACM.ORG (AIX 4.3)
 15      497183  PUBLISHER.SSRN.COM (Windows NT Server 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 16      475211  LISTSERV.GARTNER.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 17      444909  ORACLE.WIZARDS.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 18      375858  LISTSERV.VT.EDU (AIX 4.3)
 19      321501  LISTSERV.ND.EDU (Solaris 2.6)
 20      313381  DISPATCH.GARDEN.ORG (Windows NT Workstation 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)

Top 20 sites by number of lists (31 Jul 2001)

Pos Lists  Site
--- -----  ----
  1 18163  CLEMSON.EDU (Solaris 2.8)
  2  4278  TECHUNIX.TECHNION.AC.IL (Solaris 2.6)
  3  3547  LISTSERV.ACSU.BUFFALO.EDU (Solaris 2.6)
  4  3239  LISTSERV.VT.EDU (AIX 4.3)
  5  3175  LISTSERV.ND.EDU (Solaris 2.6)
  6  3085  LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU (Solaris 2.7)
  7  2962  LSV.UKY.EDU (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  8  2793  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 4.2)
  9  2694  LISTSERV.SYR.EDU (Windows NT Server 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 10  2049  LISTS.UFL.EDU (AIX 4.3)
 11  2021  LISTSERV.CC.KULEUVEN.AC.BE (Linux 2.0.34)
 12  1998  LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (AIX 4.3.2.01 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 13  1980  LISTSERV.TAMU.EDU (Solaris 2.6)
 14  1905  CRCVMS.UNL.EDU (OpenVMS V6.2)
 15  1854  LIST.NIH.GOV (Solaris 2.6)
 16  1824  LISTS.AIESEC.ORG (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 17  1765  LISTSERV.UIC.EDU (AIX 4.3)
 18  1755  LISTSERV.MUOHIO.EDU (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 19  1741  HERMES.GWU.EDU (Solaris 2.7)
 20  1661  LISTSERV.NODAK.EDU (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)

Top 20 sites by volume generated daily (JUL01, 1-31)

Pos Recipients  Site
--- ----------  ----
  1    3446005  LISTSERV.EDIETS.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  2    1556870  LIST.EDIETS.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  3     909665  LISTSERV.AOL.COM (HP-UX B.10.20 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  4     866848  PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows NT Server 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  5     709547  MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU (OpenVMS V6.2-1H3 + LSMTP V1.1a)
  6     668152  LIST.PROMOTIONSERVER.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  7     561414  APPLE.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  8     530459  HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  9     442683  MYLISTMAILING.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 10     394375  JAVA.SUN.COM (SunOS 5.6)
 11     300217  LISTSERV.PATHFINDER.COM (Solaris 2.6)
 12     291178  LISTSERV.WEBSTER.M-W.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 13     287852  LISTSERV.ICTNET.ES (SunOS 5.7)
 14     265956  H-NET.MSU.EDU (Linux 2.2.16)
 15     261400  LISTS.NETSPACE.ORG (Linux 2.2.16)
 16     261256  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 4.2)
 17     260583  MITVMA.MIT.EDU (VM/ESA 2.4.0)
 18     256455  LISTSERV.ACSU.BUFFALO.EDU (Solaris 2.6)
 19     249315  DISCUSS.DEVELOP.COM (Windows 2000 Advanced Server)
 20     227564  ORACLE.WIZARDS.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)

Top 20 lists by number of subscribers (31 Jul 2001)

Pos Subscribers  Site
--- -----------  ----
  1      426251  HPJ2@LISTSERV.AOL.COM (HP-UX B.10.20 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  2      326548  FOODTV@GUAVA.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  3      282364  GARTNER_INSIGHT@LISTSERV.GARTNER.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  4      281056  MW-WOD@LISTSERV.WEBSTER.M-W.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  5      258250  REGARDS@GUAVA.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  6      256040  SKIMAPS@GUAVA.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  7      222483  EOL-INBOX@DISPATCH.CNET.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  8      204763  HPJ@LISTSERV.AOL.COM (HP-UX B.10.20 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  9      178783  SSA_ENEWS@LISTSERV.GSA.GOV (Solaris 2.7)
 10      178297  EOL-DISPATCH@DISPATCH.CNET.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 11      172777  MICROSOFT_SECURITY@ANNOUNCE.MICROSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 12      163494  CLICK-IT@PEGASUS.THISCO.COM (Solaris 2.6)
 13      163129  THE-SCIENTIST-L@PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows NT Server 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 14      127193  VULNTRAQ@LISTSERV.NTSECURITY.NET (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 15      124819  MSN-UK-NEWS@ANNOUNCE.MICROSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 16      123684  CTWFAMILYNEWSLETTER-L@GROVER.CTWONLINE.COM (Solaris 2.6 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 17      122635  OLISPLITALERTS@LISTSERV.AOL.COM (HP-UX B.10.20 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 18      116874  WINCDR@LISTSERV.ADAPTEC.COM (Windows NT Server 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 19      111227  BURPEENEWS@DISPATCH.GARDEN.ORG (Windows NT Workstation 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 20      109486  MONEYDAILY@LISTSERV.PATHFINDER.COM (Solaris 2.6)