[LISTSERV - the mailing list management classic]

LISTSERV Top 20 statistics – November 2004


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 (NOV04, 1-30)

Pos Recipients  Site
--- ----------  ----
  1     899945  PLUM.EASE.LSOFT.COM (OpenVMS V7.3-1 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  2     564795  OXYGEN3.PANDASOFTWARE.COM (Windows NT 4.0)
  3     548487  LISTSERV.VERSUS.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  4     532271  LS.TIMEINC.NET (Solaris 2.8)
  5     525980  LISTSERV.FOXNEWS.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  6     443452  HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  7     398979  MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU (OpenVMS V6.2-1H3 + LSMTP V1.1a)
  8     392185  APPLE.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  9     337362  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 4.3)
 10     317690  LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.4.21-20.ELsmp + LSMTP V1.1b)
 11     302700  DTIC.MIL (Solaris 2.9)
 12     302057  LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU (Solaris 2.8)
 13     289470  LISTSERV.COMPUTERWORLD.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 14     270312  H-NET.MSU.EDU (Linux 2.4.26)
 15     269916  MAILER.SYR.EDU (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 16     241583  LISTSERV.REDIRIS.ES (Solaris 2.8 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 17     212787  LSV.UKY.EDU (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 18     196843  SEGATE.SUNET.SE (Solaris 2.8)
 19     193929  LISTSERV.UIC.EDU (Linux 2.4.18-27.7.xsmp)
 20     190666  LISTSERV.NODAK.EDU (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)

Top 20 sites by number of subscribers (30 Nov 2004)

Pos Subscribers  Site
--- -----------  ----
  1     4018719  LS.TIMEINC.NET (Solaris 2.8)
  2     2020824  DISPATCH.CNET.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  3     1803689  LISTES.ULAVAL.CA (Linux 2.4.20-29.8.4smp)
  4     1310691  LISTSERV.ND.EDU (Solaris 2.8)
  5     1202129  CLEMSON.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
  6     1180098  LISTSERV.VERSUS.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  7     1079829  LEGALMINDS.ORG (Linux 2.2.12-0.1)
  8     1052981  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 4.3)
  9     1034117  ANNOUNCE.MICROSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 10      986368  PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 11      883115  LISTSERV.GSA.GOV (Solaris 2.8)
 12      731437  PUBLISHER.SSRN.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 13      721815  CUVMC.AIS.COLUMBIA.EDU (VM/SP 3.0)
 14      700661  LISTSERV.CC.KULEUVEN.AC.BE (Linux 2.4.26-grsec)
 15      692867  LISTS.UFL.EDU (AIX 4.3)
 16      662175  LISTSERV.VT.EDU (AIX 5.1)
 17      614537  LISTS.WAYNE.EDU (Solaris 2.6)
 18      587535  LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.4.21-20.ELsmp + LSMTP V1.1b)
 19      581235  LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU (Solaris 2.8)
 20      532845  LSV.UKY.EDU (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)

Top 20 sites by number of lists (30 Nov 2004)

Pos Lists  Site
--- -----  ----
  1 20684  LSV.UKY.EDU (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  2 20509  LISTES.ULAVAL.CA (Linux 2.4.20-29.8.4smp)
  3 19335  CLEMSON.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
  4 18057  LISTSERV.ND.EDU (Solaris 2.8)
  5  8308  LISTSERV.CC.KULEUVEN.AC.BE (Linux 2.4.26-grsec)
  6  6028  LISTSERV.TAU.AC.IL (Solaris 2.8)
  7  5458  LISTSERV.VT.EDU (AIX 5.1)
  8  5054  LISTS.UFL.EDU (AIX 4.3)
  9  4997  TECHUNIX.TECHNION.AC.IL (Solaris 2.9)
 10  4777  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 4.3)
 11  4488  LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.4.21-20.ELsmp + LSMTP V1.1b)
 12  4278  LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
 13  4106  LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU (Solaris 2.8)
 14  4064  LISTSERV.TAMU.EDU (Solaris 2.6)
 15  3493  HERMES.GWU.EDU (Solaris 2.7)
 16  3487  LISTSERV.MUOHIO.EDU (Windows 2000 Advanced Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 17  2936  MARIST (VM/SP 2.0)
 18  2541  LISTSERV.MILLERSVILLE.EDU (Solaris 2.8)
 19  2357  LISTS.VCU.EDU (Linux 2.4.18-5)
 20  2352  POST.QUEENSU.CA (Solaris 2.8)

Top 20 sites by volume generated daily (NOV04, 1-30)

Pos Recipients  Site
--- ----------  ----
  1     794066  PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  2     564834  OXYGEN3.PANDASOFTWARE.COM (Windows NT 4.0)
  3     537103  LS.TIMEINC.NET (Solaris 2.8)
  4     449821  HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  5     383712  MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU (OpenVMS V6.2-1H3 + LSMTP V1.1a)
  6     351913  H-NET.MSU.EDU (Linux 2.4.26)
  7     343675  APPLE.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  8     325796  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 4.3)
  9     314014  LISTSERV.SYR.EDU (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 10     306245  DTIC.MIL (Solaris 2.9)
 11     302891  LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU (Solaris 2.8)
 12     301356  LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.4.21-20.ELsmp + LSMTP V1.1b)
 13     232549  LISTSERV.REDIRIS.ES (Solaris 2.8 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 14     210744  LSV.UKY.EDU (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 15     208195  SEGATE.SUNET.SE (Solaris 2.8)
 16     193519  LISTSERV.UIC.EDU (Linux 2.4.18-27.7.xsmp)
 17     186278  LISTSERV.NODAK.EDU (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 18     171217  BAMA.UA.EDU (Solaris 2.9 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 19     170114  LISTES.LEMONDE.FR (SunOS 5.6 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 20     163934  LISTS.UFL.EDU (AIX 4.3)

Top 20 lists by number of subscribers (30 Nov 2004)

Pos Subscribers  Site
--- -----------  ----
  1      319105  SSA_ENEWS@LISTSERV.GSA.GOV (Solaris 2.8)
  2      282485  GARTNER_INSIGHT@LISTSERV.GARTNER.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  3      222483  EOL-INBOX@DISPATCH.CNET.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  4      178297  EOL-DISPATCH@DISPATCH.CNET.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  5      160651  CLICK-IT@PEGASUS.THISCO.COM (Solaris 2.6)
  6      142542  CTWFAMILYNEWSLETTER-L@GROVER.CTWONLINE.COM (Solaris 2.6 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  7      124855  MSN-UK-NEWS@ANNOUNCE.MICROSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  8      111227  BURPEENEWS@DISPATCH.GARDEN.ORG (Windows NT Workstation 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  9       71662  RFP-BULLETIN@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.8)
 10       70844  CL-ANNOUNCE@LIST.MSU.EDU (Linux 2.6.5-7.108-smp)
 11       68060  FIRSTGOV-L@LISTSERV.GSA.GOV (Solaris 2.8)
 12       67898  VTNETLETTER@LISTSERV.VT.EDU (AIX 5.1)
 13       66500  CARE2@MILEPOST1.COM (Linux 2.4.20-30.9smp)
 14       59299  PND-L@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.8)
 15       56190  ADVISOR@LISTSERV.GARTNER.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 16       52558  FEDINFO@LISTSERV.GSA.GOV (Solaris 2.8)
 17       49944  FDNCENTER-L@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.8)
 18       40298  ALUMNEWS@LISTSERV.MUOHIO.EDU (Windows 2000 Advanced Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 19       37877  CTWADVISORYBOARD-L@GROVER.CTWONLINE.COM (Solaris 2.6 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 20       37210  L-PSU-TRAVEL-PROGRAM@LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 4.3)