On 26 Jun 2000, 6:22, Bill Fant wrote:
> Forgive me for bringing up a subject that has been discussed intensively
> on this group previously, but I have a friend who wants to start an
> egroups list. I recall list members expressing some misgivings about
> egroups in the past. Could anyone point me to, or summarize, reasons pro
> and con for using the the egroups service? Thanks in advance.
I could list several minor issues, but in my way of thinking the only
major negatives concern the actual business of eGroups. eGroups is not
in the business of hosting mailing lists. They are in the business of
selling ads and selling targeted information to information brokers.
The mailing lists' service are merely the means to their profits.
If the privacy of your friend's subscribers is a minor issue with her,
then eGroups should prove to be a viable choice. They offer several
excellent features needed by most list owners and have, in my view, the
best web interface tools of all the services; the fastest and most
reliable servers; and the best service for those subscribers whom only
have e-mail services at their disposal.
An added advertisement tagline will be added to all outgoing eGroups
messages. Your friend can opt to pay a nominal monthly fee to have a
list without the ads, but one has to realize that your subscribers are
still under the umbrella of eGroups profit objectives. Your friend
will have a little less control of her list -- fewer decisions that she
can make on their own, than if she hosted her list on a contracted
service where the host made it's money from hosting and not
advertisements.
If your friend is new to list ownership, then I would encourage you to
recommend she start a list there. After learning the trade, she can
then look to move the list to a safer haven, if she finds she is
unhappy about anything at eGroups.
Alan
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
