Among other things, Roleigh Martin is a genuine y2k news bloodhound. He recently started a pretty good email-based (and on-line too) news service you might want to check into. Here's the initial note he sent out on it...

Hi,

I am sending this to people whose email addresses I have long had in my email software. I have undoubtedly written to you about the Year 2000 problem (Y2k) before. Instead of emailing you again ever about Y2k as I've done in the past, I am writing to let you know I'm changing over to a subscription-based email list arrangement (that's free of course--but a no-charge registration is required by you).

If you have been to my Y2k web site lately, you may have noticed lately that my "Latest News" section has seen few postings. I want to change that but because more and more news exists, which means more to read, and because I have been writing so many articles for publication (over 20 published so far on the Y2k problem), I have less time to do it in the conventional manner. I have recently come across a method where I can update material on the web via my email software which is just what will solve my "Latest News" problem.

From now on, I will post my "Latest News" via the email list software described below, that enables people to read the "Latest News" by email OR by web browsing OR by both methods. Read on. I'm excited, you should be too!

Join my mailing list to get the latest Y2k news reported or excerpted by me. All postings are viewable on the web at http://www.egroups.com/list/roleigh_for_web. This is a low volume email list -- nobody but myself is allowed to post to the list. If you want something distributed through to this list, you need to email me at my personal email address at...

mailto:roleigh_for_web-owner@egroups.com

...and if it fits, when I have time, I will pass it onto the list. Nothing is promised though.

The free email list software that I am using has many interesting features, among them, as I have configured this specific email list, are:

No software to install.

Reliable. 95% of all messages delivered in 50 seconds or less!

Spam-Free. The software uses a proprietary spam detector to block spam.

Full-text searchable.

Group polling feature

Can read past messages

Can read on Web or via your email software or both

If receiving by email, individual postings can be received individually or collectively in a daily digest. (Postings will NOT be made everyday.)

Nobody but I know that you are a member. Nobody else can acquire or see your email address from the subscription database. That is, there is NO public list of subscribers not even a PRIVATE list visible to other subscribers. (Caveat: if hackers penetrate this database, do not hold me liable--it is out of my control.)

There is one catch for something free with all of these features. With each posting, there is a 1-2 lines long, discreet advertisement that is totally beyond my control and inserted into the mailing by the folks at egroups.

Others can use this same email list software to create their own groups.

To subscribe to my list, however, do as the surrounding instructions say, which is basically just pressing the REPLY function in your email program. If you don't press REPLY now, you can also send a message to:

roleigh_for_web-subscribe@egroups.com

or go to my e-group's home page at:

http://www.egroups.com/list/roleigh_for_web

Sincerely,

Roleigh Martin

-- Bill (billdale@lakesnet.net), November 08, 1998