I don't know the origin but I'll add my experience. At one time (perhaps still?) Listserv was a trademark. To avoid using a trademark that referred to a specific product, information professionals and librarians began using the term listserve with an e to generically refer to electronic discussion groups of the "mailing" list (Listserv actual product name) variety. Amelia, MarketingBase Amelia Kassel's Mentor Program for Independent Information Professionals Online Research Training Expert CI, Market, and Internet Research 707 829-9421;800 544-5924; Fax: 707 823-2713 http://www.marketingbase.com; mailto:amelia@marketingbase.com -----Original Message----- From: air-l-bounces@listserv.aoir.org [mailto:air-l-bounces@listserv.aoir.org] On Behalf Of Alex -Vipowernet Sent: Tuesday, May 29, 2007 7:39 AM To: air-l@listserv.aoir.org; ellis.godard@csun.edu Subject: Re: [Air-l] "listserve" In the DOS era - before Windows - all file names were 8 characters long, so listserve.exe would have been truncated to listserv.exe. Probably the reason it is 8 characters long. Who did it? Who wrote it? No idea... Alex Randall - survivor of DOS 1.0 in 1981... ----- Original Message ----- From: Ellis Godard To: air-l@listserv.aoir.org Sent: Tuesday, May 29, 2007 12:02 AM Subject: [Air-l] "listserve" I may have asked this before (I know I've at least raised the issue elsewhere, perhaps not here), but anyone how or when mailing lists became "listserves"? The etymological origin is probably ListServ (with MajorDomo, one of the leading mailing list software programs) and "list server", that beast which manages mailing lists. Was the adoption vague and gradual, or is there someone to whom blame (credit?) can be pinned? -eg _______________________________________________ The air-l@listserv.aoir.org mailing list is provided by the Association of Internet Researchers http://aoir.org Subscribe, change options or unsubscribe at: http://listserv.aoir.org/listinfo.cgi/air-l-aoir.org Join the Association of Internet Researchers: http://www.aoir.org/ _______________________________________________ The air-l@listserv.aoir.org mailing list is provided by the Association of Internet Researchers http://aoir.org Subscribe, change options or unsubscribe at: http://listserv.aoir.org/listinfo.cgi/air-l-aoir.org Join the Association of Internet Researchers: http://www.aoir.org/