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Contact Us Copyright © 1995-2007 
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All discussion list messages are archived and available to subscribers for downloading. The search procedure is relatively straightforward and well worth the time to learn.
At present all messages posted prior to 23 March 1995 are stored at the University of Illinois-Chicago (UIC) [LISTSERV@UICVM.UIC.EDU]. All subsequent posts are stored at Michigan State University (MSU) [LISTSERV@MSU.EDU].
Searching the list archives is a two step process:
Step 1: Identifying the Message(s)
This instructs the listserv to search ALL the text of ALL the messages posted by the discussion list.
Here is the basic format:
Database search
DD=rules
//Rules DD *
Search ??????? in
[list name]
Index
This message should be sent, with NO SUBJECT LINE to Listserv@uicvm.uic.edu if you think it was sent before March 23, 1995, or Listserv@msu.edu if you think it was sent after. If you are not sure when it was sent [or if you simply do not care] then send your search message to BOTH of those addresses.
Example: Say that you remembered an interesting post from Chris Tomlins on Labor and the Law which you forgot to print out. Now you would like to see it again. Using the above method, you would send this message
Database search
DD=rules
//Rules DD *
Search Tomlins in H-Labor
Index
Index Item # Date Time Recs Subject
Second Step of Search: In the second phase I now send a message which tells the computer which post to send to me. It has this general format
//
Database search DD=Rules
//Rules DD *
Search * in [list name]
Print ???
//
Database search DD=Rules
//Rules DD *
Search * in H-Labor
Print 262
This would then return the desired posting.
A Few Extra Points:
You can search for one word, or for a combination of words. EG Search Tomlins Australia in H-Labor would produce those posts with both Tomlins and Australia.
You can call up as many posts as you wish with the Print line. So you could Print 262 194 419 which would get those three messages.
All that foolish looking // stuff is important. But you should not have to enter the entire message every time. On my system, I have two little files, one with the Search set of instructions and one with the Print set of instructions. I just prepare a message to Listserv@uicvm.uic.edu and/or listserv@msu.edu (which I have on my nickname file), call up the Search file, insert the words I am looking for and send it. Then when I get the response, I identify the posts which I want and then follow the same pattern with Print.
I know that this may seem a bit overcomplicated, and it is! In the future we will all have much simpler systems to use. But if you are willing to invest the time and effort now you will have a very powerful tool at your disposal. Finally, although this service is free, the central computer will always send you a message telling you how much time it used on your request.
Seth Wigderson H-Labor Moderator
Logs of the weekly file of messages. In future it may also house book reviews, teaching materials, descriptions of tools, techniques, and computer software and hardware, and other materials of interest to scholars.
Note: The H-Net fileserv is temporarily located at both msu.edu and uicvm.uic.edu To obtain a list of available documents, send a note to Listserv@uicvm.uic.edu or listserv@msu.edu with the following command:
index [list name]
Example:
To obtain a specific document, send Listserv the command
get filename filetype
Example:
The fileserver also contains the list's log: a complete archive of all list traffic. The logs are stored weekly. You can obtain a log by sending the following command as an e-mail message to Listserv@msu.edu:
get [list name] logyymmw f=mail
Where: yy=year; mm=month; w=week [expressed as letter a, b,
c...]
For example:
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