Editing LISTSERV (section)

== Automated mailing list management ==
In 1986, Éric Thomas developed the concept of an automated mailing list manager. Whilst a student at [[École Centrale Paris]], he developed the software now known as LISTSERV.<ref name=history /> Some of the early software features allowed joining or leaving a list without the need for human administration. The list owner could also add or remove subscribers, and edit templates for both welcome and system messages. Amongst other innovations LISTSERV introduced double opt-in in 1993 and the first spam filter in 1995.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.lsoft.com/corporate/history-listserv.asp | title=Listserv product history timeline}}</ref>

After the release of Thomas' LISTSERV in 1986, LISTSERV@BITNIC was enhanced to provide automatic list management, but this enhancement was abandoned a few months later when Bitnic installed Thomas' LISTSERV.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.listserv.dfn.de/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind8701&L=NODMGT-L&P=R2&I=-3 | title=Bitnet Network Information Center announcement by Judith Molka on the NODMGT-L List, January 7, 1987 }}{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

Other than their name, Bitnic's and Thomas' products are unrelated and neither product is based on the other product's code.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.lsoft.com/products/listserv-history.asp | title=History of LISTSERV@BITNIC and LISTSERV email list management software, 1985–1995}}</ref>

Though [[electronic mailing lists]] (also known as "email lists") are not as popular as they once were, they survive due to their ease of use.<ref name="spectrum"/>