On 20 Feb 00, at 22:47, Becky wrote:
[...]
> I don't get your logic. Esosoft's name is mud with list-owners so they
> didn't benefit. Topica forced a quick move so that the likelihood of
> list-owners moving somewhere else would be minimal. It's not easy to move a
> list especially one where you had total control as Esosoft gave us. Just to
> find a server you want takes time. To spring this on people less then a
> week before Christmas while Esosoft new for months. In less then 12 hours I
> lost control of my list, how can that be justified?
Speaking of Esosoft, and as one of the refugees from the attempted
hijacking of my list by Topica, I was fortunate to be able to move my
list to another Majordomo service pretty quick. I had discovered the
attempted hijacking even before Topica's official announcement and I
actually had my list deleted off of Topica in that first day of the
Esosoft Holocaust, before my list subscribers were transferred to
Topica servers.
To Esosoft's limited credit, they did come through with a refund for
the balance due. However, to this day, I find it very strange that
they have yet to delete my list off of their servers despite the
threats from Topica that the lists on the Esosoft server would be
deleted. In fact, I think Topica announced the lists would be
deleted from the Esosoft servers in early January.
In order to protect my subscribers from Topica's clutches, I
hurriedly removed all subscribers from the Esosoft rolls, except for
my own e-mail address. I "closed" the list to new subscribers and
"closed" all access to intro and info files. Yet, I still got
subscription requests. And when my subscribers forgot the new
address and posted to the old Esosoft address, I would get non-member
bounces. Therefore in my mind, the list was still running on Esosoft
servers.
I've taken advantage of this. There are web sites out there that
still list my list with the old Esosoft address and I still get
subscription requests to that address. Naturally, when they come in
for approval, I sub them to my new location. No one has complained.
I keep wondering what would have happened had I just stood my ground?
Would Esosoft have allowed the list to go on as before? I can say
some things would have been crippled. You cannot get a "lists"
command through, any longer. But it would seem I could still post to
my Esosoft list.
To take advantage of this free publicity, I went back in and opened
my info file in my configuration and re-did my info in case anyone
requesting an info will get the straight skinny.
Although my despising of Topica has grown to new heights, having
actually learned to hate them before all this trouble occurred, I
have benefited in some ways. I moved from a $5/month Majordomo
service to a free Majordomo service for which I believe is take-over
proof. The new Majordomo service is standard v.1.94.5 and does not
have all the customization that Esosoft had, but I believe an
experienced list owner does not need all those extras. So no
regrets, other than a little bitterness.
Alan
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.ashlists.org/
