Nick Wallingford's postings on searching BEE-L Logs are correct, but it's
FAR, FAR easier than Nick posted.  All the double slashes, and the less than
obvious commands can be replaced with a single line of mail that reads:
 
                      SEARCH BEE-L topic
 
where topic is that which you seek.  The only 'hard' part is that the
command must be mailed to the server ([log in to unmask]) rather
than mailing it to the list.  The distinction between server and list
is one that MANY listserv users on MANY lists fail to grasp.  The server
is the work horse behind the lists.  Requests for service, such as SUBSCRIBE,
SIGNOFF, SEARCH ... are sent to the server ([log in to unmask]).
This is not the same as sending posts to the list
([log in to unmask]), although in actuality posts sent to the list
are "intercepted" by the server, which then reads the subscription list
and fans the post out to the individual subscribers.  Requests for
service (such as SUBSCRIBE, SIGNOFF, SEARCH ...) that get mailed to the
list rather than the server, are treated as postings to the list and get
fanned out to all subscribers without providing the poster with the
requested service and showing the rest of the subscribers that the
requestor just doesn't get the distinction between listserv server and
listserv list.
 
Remember, service requests go to the server ([log in to unmask])
and posts go to the list ([log in to unmask]).  Again, service
requests to the server, posts to the list.  Service to Server,
Posts to List.
 
Getting back to the original point (How EASY, REALLY EASY!) it is to
search the archives, pick a topic, any topic (say, queen rearing): one
simply mails a service request to:
 
               [log in to unmask]
 
that reads:
 
               SEARCH BEE-L "queen rearing"
 
The quotes are recommended to limit the scope of the search to "queen
rearing".  Without the quotes, LISTSERV will flag the post about queens
in the rear of the truck as well as posts about queen rearing and the
queen mum who got hit in the rear.
 
Sending the command:
                    SEARCH BEE-L "queen rearing"
to:
                    [log in to unmask]
 
returns to the requestor:
            1) a list of 100 posts that may be of interest (different
               topics will return different numbers, it's coincidence
               that "queen rearing" has 100 hits, there's nothing
               magical about the number 100)
            2) Excerpts from the 100 individual posts identifying how
               "queen rearing" was used in that post
            3) Instructions on how to retrieve any or all of the
               "queen rearing" posts of interest to you.
 
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE folks, SAVE THIS POST.  You will (could) find
these instructions invaluable to search the archives successfully and
avoid repeat questions and flame wars about asking the same ol'
questions.
 
Aaron Morris - I think, therefore I bee!