Stylebook Change: No More “Listserv”!
Outi Tuomaala got in touch. Tuomaala works for L-Soft, which she says is the company that developed Listserv software. L-Soft is a little concerned.
You see, we use the word Listserv all the time. We even capitalize it, in accordance with the International Trademark Association's Trademark Checklist. (L-Soft capitalizes all the letters, e.g., LISTSERV. That is not gonna happen here.)
But! As Tuomaala pointed out in an e-mail, "There are email lists operating on other software. Only lists that run on L-Soft's software are LISTSERV lists."
I wrote back for clarification, asking Tuomaala if she wanted us to find out what software each mailing list we report on is using. If I was the first person ever to reply to such an e-mail, Tuomaala masked her enthusiasm very well. "One way is to find out what is the solution is," she wrote. "For example, if it is visible in the email list address or web site. Another way, especially when the product itself is not interesting, is to use a generic term instead."
Some of the generic terms Tuomaala suggests:
email list
mailing list
email group
email discussion list
email community
announcement list
email forum
I think this is a perfectly reasonable request, and it points us toward greater accuracy, journalism-wise. From now on, CP writers, please do not use the word Listserv. "E-mail discussion list" may not have zing, but it is the correct term.
4:30 pm
I love the copy editing corner! I can't wait to correct all my friends.
5:00 pm
nyt just uses 'listserv' with small l. i'd say its generic use is too much a part of the webby lexicon at this point.
maybe it should be added to the kleenex, xerox, bandiad, et al. list of brands that have been de-branded.
5:04 pm
This is worse than when I learned that not all dumpsters are Dumpsters.
5:38 pm
Yeah, seriously. It's not your job to prevent their trademark from going generic.
5:49 pm
IMHO the trademark has already gone generic, they're fighting a losing battle.
9:51 pm
At my old job, they told us not to use listserv, but to say listserver. But that was 10 years ago.
8:08 am
Be sure to verify the brand whenever you ask someone if they have a Kleenex and they hand you a piece of tissue. Wouldn't want to have both a stuffy nose AND a copyright violation!
9:31 am
I loved the old Muzak trademark campaign: "Don't say it if you don't mean it!"
10:12 am
Good. I hated using "Listserv." The product itself is not interesting.
11:05 am
An Briosca Mor if I had a name as cool as yours I would trademark it!