Mailing lists and MAILSERV are separate facilities in PMDF: mailing lists are set up, and postings to them controlled, via definition in the PMDF alias file or alias database, whereas MAILSERV is a general file serving facility that can also handle automated mailing list subscription and membership requests. Mailing lists can be used with or without MAILSERV , and MAILSERV can be used with or without mailing lists.

Nevertheless, it is common task to set up mailing lists whose subscription commands are to be handled by MAILSERV . This section discusses a few sample mailing list scenarios.