New lists can be started on the net any time any group or person can convinve a computer system administrator to support the list with computer space. There are several types of list software on the net. LISTSERV is what supports MAPS-L. UseNet is a slightly different system that is administrated differently than LISTSERV lists. Some LISTSERV lists are also ported to the UseNet and are also seen as UseNet lists. UseNet lists generate files that are maintained at each computer center node. LISTSERV lists generate files that are maintained, usually, only at one computer center. To keep the space used by UseNet lists down to a 'reasonable' level, USENET administrators have tried to limit the number of UseNet lists by making users prove the need for new lists. Space problems can occur with LISTSERV lists but they occur at the individual computer center level. To set up a listserv list all you need do is convince a computer center to setup the list. My biggest problem at Georgia in setting up MAPS-L was finding the person in the computer center responsible for LISTSERV lists. Of course once I found the right person the real work of getting out the word and maintaining the list began. As space for lists has gotten crowded the center has limited the space alloted to back files. I assume it is the same with MapHist. David Cobb would have had to tell the right computer administrator at Harvard that there was professional need for a list and that he would maintain the list. They would then setup the list and his real work would begin. I will be setting up a server and a LAN in the Map Room this summer. I could get the LISTSERV, or comparable, software, install it on the system, and run MAPS-L, or another list, off the MAP Room system. There are lists on this campus that are run from Departmental LANs. I will probably not do that because I do not want to learn and support another piece of software. There are good reasons for having a strong general list and there are good reasons for specialized lists. Only experience will show what is the right mix. I am on several small, very specialized lists, and they are very erratic. Lists depend on their subscribers much more than they do on their moderators or owners. We should be happy we are a semi-serious profession with very few adherents and not something like, oh say, Japanese animation, where a fellow netter tells me there are three UseNet lists, each running over 200 messages a day! Give MapHist a chance and lets see where current/future technology takes us. Johnnie Sutherland Moderator, MAPS-L University of Georgia