An electronic discussion list (also known as listserve) is, basically, an email exchange. A group of people who have an interest in a specific topic, sign up to chat with each other via email. Once you are signed onto a list, you may write the group as a whole, introducing a new topic or commenting on one currently being discussed. And, all the email sent to the list by the various members is sent to you.
Each list is a little different, but the basics are pretty much the same. The first thing you should know is the difference between the List, the Listserver, and the Listowner. The List itself is the group of people signed up. The Listserver is the software and computer that keeps track of who is signed up, and sees that the email gets distributed to all the members. The Listowner is the person who maintains the Listserver, and sometimes moderates the discussions.
A compilation of Electronic Discussion Lists in Archaeology has been collected.
Pro:
Con:
- Personal viewpoints are sometimes uninformed but sound convincing
- Many of the discussion lists are uncivil to differing views
- Some will ignore topics entirely
- Many of the posts are not related to news stories
