[LISTSERV - the mailing list management classic]

LISTSERV Top 20 statistics – April 2000


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 (APR00, 1-30)

Pos Recipients  Site
--- ----------  ----
  1    3104831  PLUM.EASE.LSOFT.COM (OpenVMS V7.1-1H1 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  2    1528893  LIST.JUSTSAYWOW.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  3     839277  LISTSERV.AOL.COM (HP-UX B.10.20 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  4     626753  HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  5     606626  MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU (OpenVMS V6.2-1H3 + LSMTP V1.1a)
  6     537828  LISTS.SECURITYFOCUS.COM (SunOS 5.7)
  7     505516  LISTSERV.EDIETS.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  8     493278  JAVA.SUN.COM (SunOS 5.6)
  9     473966  APPLE.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 10     436616  LISTSERV.WOMEN.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 11     359559  LISTSERV.ACSU.BUFFALO.EDU (Solaris 2.6)
 12     339516  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 4.2)
 13     330813  EMAIL.SUPERMARKETS.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 14     312096  LISTSERVER.DIGITALRIVER.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 15     307307  SEGATE (OpenVMS V6.2-1H3 + LSMTP V1.1a)
 16     284170  MAIL1.YOUWINMAIL.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 17     275199  MAIL.VIRTUALPOSTMAN.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 18     242246  MAILER.SYR.EDU (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 19     237010  LISTSERV.COMPUTERWORLD.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 20     226353  NETSPACE.ORG (Linux 2.0.36)

Top 20 sites by number of subscribers (30 Apr 2000)

Pos Subscribers  Site
--- -----------  ----
  1     5020150  LISTSERV.WOMEN.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  2     4331984  LISTSERV.AOL.COM (HP-UX B.10.20 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  3     3146117  GUAVA.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  4     3067178  EMAIL.ZDLISTS.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  5     2020824  DISPATCH.CNET.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  6     1695205  ANNOUNCE.MICROSOFT.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  7     1355476  PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1a)
  8     1245130  LISTSERV.EARTHWEB.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  9     1069511  LISTSERV.PATHFINDER.COM (Solaris 2.6)
 10      748332  CLEMSON.EDU (Solaris 2.6)
 11      632830  EMAIL-SERVER.COM (Solaris 2.6)
 12      610634  MM.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 13      458625  LIST.NIH.GOV (Solaris 2.6)
 14      417673  LISTSERV.GARTNER.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 15      394566  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 4.2)
 16      344796  LISTSERV.VT.EDU (AIX 4.3)
 17      327438  ACM.ORG (AIX 4.3)
 18      293185  LEGALMINDS.ORG (Linux 2.2.7-1.15)
 19      273088  PUBLISHER.SSRN.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1a)
 20      260672  SMULTRON.EASE.ALGONET.SE (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)

Top 20 sites by number of lists (30 Apr 2000)

Pos Lists  Site
--- -----  ----
  1  9648  CLEMSON.EDU (Solaris 2.6)
  2  4993  LISTSERV.OKSTATE.EDU (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  3  3435  LISTSERV.VT.EDU (AIX 4.3)
  4  2917  LISTSERV.ACSU.BUFFALO.EDU (Solaris 2.6)
  5  2606  LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU (AIX 4.3)
  6  2373  LSV.UKY.EDU (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  7  2330  TECHUNIX.TECHNION.AC.IL (Solaris 2.6)
  8  2158  LISTSERV.SYR.EDU (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  9  2158  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 4.2)
 10  1834  LISTS.AIESEC.ORG (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1a)
 11  1715  LISTSERV.ND.EDU (Solaris 2.6)
 12  1486  CRCVMS.UNL.EDU (OpenVMS V6.2)
 13  1483  LISTSERV.UIC.EDU (AIX 4.2)
 14  1473  LISTSERV.CC.KULEUVEN.AC.BE (Linux 2.0.34)
 15  1463  LISTSERV.MUOHIO.EDU (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1a)
 16  1425  LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (AIX 4.3.2.01 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 17  1424  LISTSERV.NODAK.EDU (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 18  1366  LISTSERV.TAMU.EDU (Solaris 2.6)
 19  1343  LIST.NIH.GOV (Solaris 2.6)
 20  1295  HERMES.CIRC.GWU.EDU (Solaris 2.6)

Top 20 sites by volume generated daily (APR00, 1-30)

Pos Recipients  Site
--- ----------  ----
  1    1527061  LIST.JUSTSAYWOW.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  2     877607  PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1a)
  3     846158  LISTSERV.AOL.COM (HP-UX B.10.20 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  4     820155  HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  5     791158  MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU (OpenVMS V6.2-1H3 + LSMTP V1.1a)
  6     617308  APPLE.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  7     535223  LISTS.SECURITYFOCUS.COM (SunOS 5.7)
  8     523889  LISTSERV.WOMEN.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  9     505516  LISTSERV.EDIETS.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 10     489477  JAVA.SUN.COM (SunOS 5.6)
 11     423955  LISTSERV.ACSU.BUFFALO.EDU (Solaris 2.6)
 12     370368  MITVMA.MIT.EDU (VM/ESA 2.4.0)
 13     353789  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 4.2)
 14     314948  LISTSERV.SYR.EDU (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 15     311331  LISTSERVER.DIGITALRIVER.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 16     295989  LISTSERV.PATHFINDER.COM (Solaris 2.6)
 17     281550  NETSPACE.ORG (Linux 2.0.36)
 18     272389  H-NET.MSU.EDU (Linux 2.2.12)
 19     265516  LSV.UKY.EDU (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 20     225166  ORACLE.WIZARDS.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)

Top 20 lists by number of subscribers (30 Apr 2000)

Pos Subscribers  Site
--- -----------  ----
  1      595075  HPJ2@LISTSERV.AOL.COM (HP-UX B.10.20 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  2      222483  EOL-INBOX@DISPATCH.CNET.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  3      203968  GOODIES-L@LISTSERV.EARTHWEB.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  4      189173  HPJ@LISTSERV.AOL.COM (HP-UX B.10.20 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  5      187664  GARTNER_INSIGHT@LISTSERV.GARTNER.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  6      182236  REGARDS@GUAVA.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  7      182155  JAVASCRIPTS-L@LISTSERV.EARTHWEB.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  8      178297  EOL-DISPATCH@DISPATCH.CNET.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  9      151049  SUBSCRIBERS-JAVASCRIPTS-COM@LISTSERV.EARTHWEB.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 10      149381  SCRIPTS-L@LISTSERV.EARTHWEB.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 11      141758  BURPEENEWS@DISPATCH.GARDEN.ORG (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 12      140182  CLICK-IT@PEGASUS.THISCO.COM (Solaris 2.6)
 13      133279  BVTESTLIST@EMAIL-SERVER.COM (Solaris 2.6)
 14      127634  SECURITYUPDATE@LISTSERV.NTSECURITY.NET (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 15      126648  BVNEWSLETTER@EMAIL-SERVER.COM (Solaris 2.6)
 16      124892  OLISPLITALERTS@LISTSERV.AOL.COM (HP-UX B.10.20 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 17      121804  MICROSOFT_SECURITY@ANNOUNCE.MICROSOFT.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 18      120128  MSN-UK-NEWS@ANNOUNCE.MICROSOFT.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 19       90894  MW-WOD@LISTSERV.WEBSTER.M-W.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 20       89951  CTWFAMILYNEWSLETTER-L@GROVER.CTWONLINE.COM (Solaris 2.6 + LSMTP V1.1b)