[LISTSERV - the mailing list management classic]

LISTSERV Top 20 statistics – April 2002


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 (APR02, 1-30)

Pos Recipients  Site
--- ----------  ----
  1    4704465  LISTSERV.BELIEFNET.COM (Windows 2000 Professional + LSMTP V1.1b)
  2    3918620  ARIES.EMAIL3.NET (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  3    2628392  PLUM.EASE.LSOFT.COM (OpenVMS V7.3 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  4    1376270  LISTSERV.VERSUS.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  5    1006188  MAIL2.ROI1.NET (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  6     735052  LISTSERV.AOL.COM (HP-UX B.10.20 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  7     578386  APPLE.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  8     546105  MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU (OpenVMS V6.2-1H3 + LSMTP V1.1a)
  9     533320  MAIL1.YOUWINMAIL.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 10     487943  OXYGEN3.PANDASOFTWARE.COM (Windows NT 4.0)
 11     423259  HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 12     378784  CHEWBACCA5.YESMAIL.NET (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 13     368135  LISTSERV.WEBSTER.M-W.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 14     337745  LISTSERV.ACSU.BUFFALO.EDU (Solaris 2.6)
 15     335439  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 4.3)
 16     314972  JAVA.SUN.COM (SunOS 5.8)
 17     307406  LISTSERV.CAMPBELLKITCHEN.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 18     292316  LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.2.19-6.2.16smp + LSMTP V1.1b)
 19     263749  LISTS.NETSPACE.ORG (Linux 2.4.18)
 20     231526  BAMA.UA.EDU (Solaris 2.7 + LSMTP V1.1b)

Top 20 sites by number of subscribers (30 Apr 2002)

Pos Subscribers  Site
--- -----------  ----
  1     4852071  GUAVA.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  2     4548064  LISTSERV.AOL.COM (HP-UX B.10.20 + 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     1884080  PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  6     1445496  LISTSERV.PATHFINDER.COM (Solaris 2.6)
  7     1034533  ANNOUNCE.MICROSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  8      944495  CLEMSON.EDU (Solaris 2.8)
  9      863743  LIST.NIH.GOV (Solaris 2.6)
 10      746721  LEGALMINDS.ORG (Linux 2.2.12-0.1)
 11      690375  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 4.3)
 12      610055  ACM.ORG (AIX 4.3)
 13      542541  PUBLISHER.SSRN.COM (Windows NT Server 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 14      473345  LISTSERV.GARTNER.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 15      470839  LISTSERV.VT.EDU (AIX 4.3)
 16      461722  LISTAS.STARMEDIA.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 17      452027  LISTSERV.ND.EDU (Solaris 2.8)
 18      414167  MITVMA.MIT.EDU (VM/ESA 2.4.0)
 19      414167  LISTSERV.WEBSTER.M-W.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 20      403430  LISTS.UFL.EDU (AIX 4.3)

Top 20 sites by number of lists (30 Apr 2002)

Pos Lists  Site
--- -----  ----
  1 10952  CLEMSON.EDU (Solaris 2.8)
  2  4380  LISTSERV.ND.EDU (Solaris 2.8)
  3  4326  LISTSERV.VT.EDU (AIX 4.3)
  4  4314  TECHUNIX.TECHNION.AC.IL (Solaris 2.8)
  5  3518  LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU (Solaris 2.8)
  6  3513  LSV.UKY.EDU (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  7  3454  LISTSERV.ACSU.BUFFALO.EDU (Solaris 2.6)
  8  3292  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 4.3)
  9  3097  LISTSERV.SYR.EDU (Windows NT Server 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 10  2911  LISTS.UFL.EDU (AIX 4.3)
 11  2773  LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.2.19-6.2.16smp + LSMTP V1.1b)
 12  2502  LISTSERV.TAMU.EDU (Solaris 2.6)
 13  2345  LISTES.ULAVAL.CA (Solaris 2.7)
 14  2164  LISTSERV.CC.KULEUVEN.AC.BE (Linux 2.0.34)
 15  2126  HERMES.GWU.EDU (Solaris 2.7)
 16  2106  LIST.NIH.GOV (Solaris 2.6)
 17  2051  LISTSERV.MUOHIO.EDU (Windows 2000 Advanced Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 18  2020  LISTSERV.TAU.AC.IL (Solaris 2.8)
 19  1988  LISTSERV.UIC.EDU (Linux 2.4.7-10)
 20  1959  LISTSERV.TEMPLE.EDU (OSF/1 V4.0f)

Top 20 sites by volume generated daily (APR02, 1-30)

Pos Recipients  Site
--- ----------  ----
  1    1078334  PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  2     729419  LISTSERV.AOL.COM (HP-UX B.10.20 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  3     688930  MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU (OpenVMS V6.2-1H3 + LSMTP V1.1a)
  4     564290  APPLE.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  5     554391  HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  6     487952  OXYGEN3.PANDASOFTWARE.COM (Windows NT 4.0)
  7     412875  LISTSERV.WEBSTER.M-W.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  8     380999  LISTSERV.ACSU.BUFFALO.EDU (Solaris 2.6)
  9     346626  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 4.3)
 10     309940  JAVA.SUN.COM (SunOS 5.8)
 11     309582  LISTSERV.PATHFINDER.COM (Solaris 2.6)
 12     303108  LISTSERV.SYR.EDU (Windows NT Server 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 13     300463  LISTS.NETSPACE.ORG (Linux 2.4.18)
 14     295976  LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.2.19-6.2.16smp + LSMTP V1.1b)
 15     278579  H-NET.MSU.EDU (Linux 2.2.20pre11)
 16     253156  BAMA.UA.EDU (Solaris 2.7 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 17     221045  LISTSERV.ICTNET.ES (SunOS 5.7)
 18     217637  MITVMA.MIT.EDU (VM/ESA 2.4.0)
 19     213172  LEGALMINDS.ORG (Linux 2.2.12-0.1)
 20     204375  YORKU.CA (Solaris 2.7)

Top 20 lists by number of subscribers (30 Apr 2002)

Pos Subscribers  Site
--- -----------  ----
  1      424422  FOODTV@GUAVA.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  2      398358  MW-WOD@LISTSERV.WEBSTER.M-W.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  3      282485  GARTNER_INSIGHT@LISTSERV.GARTNER.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  4      258225  REGARDS@GUAVA.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  5      253527  SKIMAPS@GUAVA.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  6      222483  EOL-INBOX@DISPATCH.CNET.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  7      197224  SSA_ENEWS@LISTSERV.GSA.GOV (Solaris 2.7)
  8      178297  EOL-DISPATCH@DISPATCH.CNET.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  9      160011  CLICK-IT@PEGASUS.THISCO.COM (Solaris 2.6)
 10      141981  CTWFAMILYNEWSLETTER-L@GROVER.CTWONLINE.COM (Solaris 2.6 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 11      132654  VULNTRAQ@LISTSERV.NTSECURITY.NET (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 12      124838  MSN-UK-NEWS@ANNOUNCE.MICROSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 13      116874  WINCDR@LISTSERV.ADAPTEC.COM (Windows NT Server 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 14      111227  BURPEENEWS@DISPATCH.GARDEN.ORG (Windows NT Workstation 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 15      108666  OLISPLITALERTS@LISTSERV.AOL.COM (HP-UX B.10.20 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 16       88920  STREAMING_MEDIA@PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 17       86540  TOURBUS@LISTSERV.AOL.COM (HP-UX B.10.20 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 18       83128  SELFHELP@PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 19       66178  THEONLINEINVESTOR@LISTSERV.AOL.COM (HP-UX B.10.20 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 20       56190  ADVISOR@LISTSERV.GARTNER.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)