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.