[LISTSERV - the mailing list management classic]

LISTSERV Top 20 statistics – February 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 (FEB02, 1-28)

Pos Recipients  Site
--- ----------  ----
  1    4336635  LISTSERV.BELIEFNET.COM (Windows 2000 Professional + LSMTP V1.1b)
  2    2808610  SQLDML-001.DEVELOPINGDOTS.COM (Windows 2000 Advanced Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  3    2707345  PLUM.EASE.LSOFT.COM (OpenVMS V7.3 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  4    2390075  MS1.OEN1.NET (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  5    1689364  LISTSERV.VERSUS.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  6     741184  LISTSERV.AOL.COM (HP-UX B.10.20 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  7     595153  APPLE.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  8     580706  MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU (OpenVMS V6.2-1H3 + LSMTP V1.1a)
  9     525589  XMM.NETWORKPROMOTION.COM (Windows 2000 Advanced Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 10     516267  MAIL1.YOUWINMAIL.COM (Windows NT 5.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 11     506747  CHEWBACCA5.YESMAIL.NET (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 12     432533  HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 13     428363  OXYGEN3.PANDASOFTWARE.COM (Windows NT 4.0)
 14     415764  LISTSERV.COMPUTERWORLD.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 15     398619  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 4.3)
 16     365739  LISTSERV.ACSU.BUFFALO.EDU (Solaris 2.6)
 17     347104  LISTSERV.WEBSTER.M-W.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 18     315646  JAVA.SUN.COM (SunOS 5.8)
 19     291663  LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.2.19-6.2.12smp + LSMTP V1.1b)
 20     268949  MAILER.SYR.EDU (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)

Top 20 sites by number of subscribers (28 Feb 2002)

Pos Subscribers  Site
--- -----------  ----
  1     5044989  LISTSERV.AOL.COM (HP-UX B.10.20 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  2     4894199  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     1998825  PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows NT Server 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  6     1677086  LISTSERV.VERSUS.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  7     1500031  LISTSERV.PATHFINDER.COM (Solaris 2.6)
  8     1113015  LIST.NIH.GOV (Solaris 2.6)
  9     1036705  ANNOUNCE.MICROSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 10      945948  CLEMSON.EDU (Solaris 2.8)
 11      721431  LEGALMINDS.ORG (Linux 2.2.12-0.1)
 12      667872  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 4.3)
 13      561762  ACM.ORG (AIX 4.3)
 14      538426  PUBLISHER.SSRN.COM (Windows NT Server 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 15      473342  LISTSERV.GARTNER.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 16      464284  LISTSERV.VT.EDU (AIX 4.3)
 17      461722  LISTAS.STARMEDIA.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 18      456746  ORACLE.WIZARDS.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 19      440519  LISTSERV.ND.EDU (Solaris 2.6)
 20      414167  MITVMA.MIT.EDU (VM/ESA 2.4.0)

Top 20 sites by number of lists (28 Feb 2002)

Pos Lists  Site
--- -----  ----
  1  9046  CLEMSON.EDU (Solaris 2.8)
  2  5453  TECHUNIX.TECHNION.AC.IL (Solaris 2.8)
  3  4370  LISTSERV.ND.EDU (Solaris 2.6)
  4  4134  LISTSERV.VT.EDU (AIX 4.3)
  5  3463  LSV.UKY.EDU (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  6  3445  LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU (Solaris 2.8)
  7  3402  LISTSERV.ACSU.BUFFALO.EDU (Solaris 2.6)
  8  3198  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 4.3)
  9  3058  LISTSERV.SYR.EDU (Windows NT Server 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 10  2821  LISTS.UFL.EDU (AIX 4.3)
 11  2663  LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.2.19-6.2.12smp + LSMTP V1.1b)
 12  2508  LISTSERV.TAMU.EDU (Solaris 2.6)
 13  2292  LISTES.ULAVAL.CA (Solaris 2.7)
 14  2099  LISTSERV.CC.KULEUVEN.AC.BE (Linux 2.0.34)
 15  2069  HERMES.GWU.EDU (Solaris 2.7)
 16  2066  CRCVMS.UNL.EDU (OpenVMS V6.2)
 17  2028  LIST.NIH.GOV (Solaris 2.6)
 18  2019  LISTSERV.MUOHIO.EDU (Windows 2000 Advanced Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 19  1945  LISTSERV.UIC.EDU (AIX 4.3)
 20  1894  LISTSERV.TEMPLE.EDU (OSF/1 V4.0f)

Top 20 sites by volume generated daily (FEB02, 1-28)

Pos Recipients  Site
--- ----------  ----
  1    1066546  PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows NT Server 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  2     734329  LISTSERV.AOL.COM (HP-UX B.10.20 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  3     724885  MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU (OpenVMS V6.2-1H3 + LSMTP V1.1a)
  4     572742  APPLE.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  5     559847  HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  6     428372  OXYGEN3.PANDASOFTWARE.COM (Windows NT 4.0)
  7     415202  LISTSERV.ACSU.BUFFALO.EDU (Solaris 2.6)
  8     414992  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 4.3)
  9     386791  LISTSERV.WEBSTER.M-W.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 10     349955  LISTSERV.SYR.EDU (Windows NT Server 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 11     327903  LISTSERV.PATHFINDER.COM (Solaris 2.6)
 12     312066  H-NET.MSU.EDU (Linux 2.2.20pre11)
 13     310501  JAVA.SUN.COM (SunOS 5.8)
 14     293100  LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.2.19-6.2.12smp + LSMTP V1.1b)
 15     270044  MITVMA.MIT.EDU (VM/ESA 2.4.0)
 16     265518  LISTS.NETSPACE.ORG (Linux 2.4.14)
 17     249492  LISTSERV.ICTNET.ES (SunOS 5.7)
 18     233145  BAMA.UA.EDU (Solaris 2.7 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 19     225000  LISTS.US.CHECKPOINT.COM (SunOS 5.8)
 20     221214  LSV.UKY.EDU (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)

Top 20 lists by number of subscribers (28 Feb 2002)

Pos Subscribers  Site
--- -----------  ----
  1      428868  HPJ2@LISTSERV.AOL.COM (HP-UX B.10.20 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  2      424432  FOODTV@GUAVA.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  3      374209  MW-WOD@LISTSERV.WEBSTER.M-W.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  4      282480  GARTNER_INSIGHT@LISTSERV.GARTNER.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  5      258250  REGARDS@GUAVA.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  6      253562  SKIMAPS@GUAVA.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  7      222483  EOL-INBOX@DISPATCH.CNET.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  8      199998  HPJ@LISTSERV.AOL.COM (HP-UX B.10.20 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  9      197224  SSA_ENEWS@LISTSERV.GSA.GOV (Solaris 2.7)
 10      178297  EOL-DISPATCH@DISPATCH.CNET.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 11      160290  CLICK-IT@PEGASUS.THISCO.COM (Solaris 2.6)
 12      138312  CTWFAMILYNEWSLETTER-L@GROVER.CTWONLINE.COM (Solaris 2.6 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 13      127241  VULNTRAQ@LISTSERV.NTSECURITY.NET (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 14      124857  MSN-UK-NEWS@ANNOUNCE.MICROSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 15      116874  WINCDR@LISTSERV.ADAPTEC.COM (Windows NT Server 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 16      112915  OLISPLITALERTS@LISTSERV.AOL.COM (HP-UX B.10.20 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 17      111227  BURPEENEWS@DISPATCH.GARDEN.ORG (Windows NT Workstation 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 18       89507  STREAMING_MEDIA@PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows NT Server 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 19       86914  TOURBUS@LISTSERV.AOL.COM (HP-UX B.10.20 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 20       83221  SELFHELP@PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows NT Server 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)