[LISTSERV - the mailing list management classic]

LISTSERV Top 20 statistics – August 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 (AUG02, 1-31)

Pos Recipients  Site
--- ----------  ----
  1    8058441  ALABAMA.IREAYE.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  2    4804257  LISTSERV.BELIEFNET.COM (Windows 2000 Professional + LSMTP V1.1b)
  3    3017771  ALASKA.IREAYE.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  4    2665589  ARIES.EMAIL6.NET (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  5    2310120  PLUM.EASE.LSOFT.COM (OpenVMS V7.3 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  6    2210887  LISTSERV.MYNASTY.COM (Windows 2000 Advanced Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  7    2146391  LISTSERV.VERSUS.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  8    1447132  BART.EASYWINNING.COM (Windows 2000 Advanced Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  9     848238  ALPHA.MX10.NET (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 10     791429  LISTSERV.AOL.COM (HP-UX B.11.11 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 11     790710  MAIL1.YOUWINMAIL.COM (Windows NT 5.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 12     680484  VELA.EMAIL6.NET (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 13     563443  LISTSERV.NATIONALA-1ADVERTISING.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 14     544329  APPLE.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 15     487996  OXYGEN3.PANDASOFTWARE.COM (Windows NT 4.0)
 16     462491  LISTSERV.COMPUTERWORLD.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 17     448756  MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU (OpenVMS V6.2-1H3 + LSMTP V1.1a)
 18     448108  LISTSERV.WEBSTER.M-W.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 19     445766  CNNIMAIL23.CNN.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 20     403494  HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)

Top 20 sites by number of subscribers (31 Aug 2002)

Pos Subscribers  Site
--- -----------  ----
  1     6445542  LISTSERV.AOL.COM (HP-UX B.11.11 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  2     4969520  GUAVA.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + 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     1766694  PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  6     1731908  LISTSERV.PATHFINDER.COM (Solaris 2.6)
  7     1285271  LIST.NIH.GOV (Solaris 2.6)
  8     1034267  ANNOUNCE.MICROSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  9      959426  CLEMSON.EDU (Solaris 2.8)
 10      785970  LEGALMINDS.ORG (Linux 2.2.12-0.1)
 11      732446  LISTSERV.UNITEDWAY.ORG (Windows NT 4.0)
 12      716815  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 4.3)
 13      627057  PUBLISHER.SSRN.COM (Windows NT Server 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 14      523274  ACM.ORG (AIX 4.3)
 15      496955  LISTSERV.ND.EDU (Solaris 2.8)
 16      473345  LISTSERV.GARTNER.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 17      467880  LISTSERV.VT.EDU (AIX 4.3)
 18      461722  LISTAS.STARMEDIA.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 19      451850  LISTSERV.WEBSTER.M-W.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 20      442506  LISTS.UFL.EDU (AIX 4.3)

Top 20 sites by number of lists (31 Aug 2002)

Pos Lists  Site
--- -----  ----
  1  9184  CLEMSON.EDU (Solaris 2.8)
  2  4935  LISTSERV.ND.EDU (Solaris 2.8)
  3  3735  LSV.UKY.EDU (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  4  3727  TECHUNIX.TECHNION.AC.IL (Solaris 2.8)
  5  3701  LISTSERV.VT.EDU (AIX 4.3)
  6  3555  LISTSERV.ACSU.BUFFALO.EDU (Solaris 2.6)
  7  3478  LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU (Solaris 2.8)
  8  3459  LISTS.UFL.EDU (AIX 4.3)
  9  3419  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 4.3)
 10  3167  LISTSERV.SYR.EDU (Windows NT Server 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 11  2929  LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.2.19-6.2.16smp + LSMTP V1.1b)
 12  2531  LISTSERV.TAMU.EDU (Solaris 2.6)
 13  2276  LIST.NIH.GOV (Solaris 2.6)
 14  2248  LISTSERV.CC.KULEUVEN.AC.BE (Linux 2.4.18-bf2.4)
 15  2248  HERMES.GWU.EDU (Solaris 2.7)
 16  2246  LISTES.ULAVAL.CA (Linux 2.4.9-31)
 17  2128  LISTSERV.MUOHIO.EDU (Windows 2000 Advanced Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 18  2019  LISTSERV.UIC.EDU (Linux 2.4.7-10smp)
 19  2019  LISTSERV.TEMPLE.EDU (OSF/1 V4.0f)
 20  2002  CRCVMS.UNL.EDU (OpenVMS V6.2)

Top 20 sites by volume generated daily (AUG02, 1-31)

Pos Recipients  Site
--- ----------  ----
  1     943179  PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  2     779774  LISTSERV.AOL.COM (HP-UX B.11.11 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  3     557835  MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU (OpenVMS V6.2-1H3 + LSMTP V1.1a)
  4     527218  APPLE.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  5     518417  HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  6     488151  OXYGEN3.PANDASOFTWARE.COM (Windows NT 4.0)
  7     450740  LISTSERV.WEBSTER.M-W.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  8     354045  LISTSERV.PATHFINDER.COM (Solaris 2.6)
  9     277092  LISTSERV.ACSU.BUFFALO.EDU (Solaris 2.6)
 10     266117  LISTS.NETSPACE.ORG (Linux 2.4.18)
 11     259434  MITVMA.MIT.EDU (VM/ESA 2.4.0)
 12     253598  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 4.3)
 13     251355  JAVA.SUN.COM (SunOS 5.8)
 14     242756  LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.2.19-6.2.16smp + LSMTP V1.1b)
 15     220427  LEGALMINDS.ORG (Linux 2.2.12-0.1)
 16     216248  H-NET.MSU.EDU (Linux 2.2.20pre11)
 17     213308  BAMA.UA.EDU (Solaris 2.7 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 18     200990  LISTSERV.ICTNET.ES (SunOS 5.7)
 19     180333  LISTSERV.SYR.EDU (Windows NT Server 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 20     167068  LIST.NIH.GOV (Solaris 2.6)

Top 20 lists by number of subscribers (31 Aug 2002)

Pos Subscribers  Site
--- -----------  ----
  1      436342  MW-WOD@LISTSERV.WEBSTER.M-W.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  2      424482  FOODTV@GUAVA.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  3      282485  GARTNER_INSIGHT@LISTSERV.GARTNER.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  4      253530  SKIMAPS@GUAVA.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  5      222483  EOL-INBOX@DISPATCH.CNET.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  6      197224  SSA_ENEWS@LISTSERV.GSA.GOV (Solaris 2.7)
  7      178297  EOL-DISPATCH@DISPATCH.CNET.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  8      155719  CLICK-IT@PEGASUS.THISCO.COM (Solaris 2.6)
  9      142542  CTWFAMILYNEWSLETTER-L@GROVER.CTWONLINE.COM (Solaris 2.6 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 10      132673  VULNTRAQ@LISTSERV.NTSECURITY.NET (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 11      124844  MSN-UK-NEWS@ANNOUNCE.MICROSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 12      116874  WINCDR@LISTSERV.ADAPTEC.COM (Windows NT Server 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 13      111227  BURPEENEWS@DISPATCH.GARDEN.ORG (Windows NT Workstation 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 14      106909  OLISPLITALERTS@LISTSERV.AOL.COM (HP-UX B.11.11 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 15       84803  TOURBUS@LISTSERV.AOL.COM (HP-UX B.11.11 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 16       83141  SELFHELP@PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 17       65161  THEONLINEINVESTOR@LISTSERV.AOL.COM (HP-UX B.11.11 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 18       58194  PLIMAIL@LISTSERV.PLI.EDU (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 19       56650  RFP-BULLETIN@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.8)
 20       56190  ADVISOR@LISTSERV.GARTNER.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)