A distribution list is an application of
email client programs that allows a user to maintain a list of
email address
An email address identifies an email box to which messages are delivered. While early messaging systems used a variety of formats for addressing, today, email addresses follow a set of specific rules originally standardized by the Internet Engineer ...
es and send messages to all of them at once. This can be referred to as an ''electronic mailshot''. Sending mail using a distribution list differs from an
electronic mailing list
A mailing list is a collection of names and addresses used by an individual or an organization to send material to multiple recipients. The term is often extended to include the people subscribed to such a list, so the group of subscribers is re ...
or the email option found in an
Internet forum
An Internet forum, or message board, is an online discussion site where people can hold conversations in the form of posted messages. They differ from chat rooms in that messages are often longer than one line of text, and are at least temporar ...
as it is usually for one-way traffic and not for coordinating a discussion. A distribution list is an email equivalent of a postal
mailing list
A mailing list is a collection of names and addresses used by an individual or an organization to send material to multiple recipients. The term is often extended to include the people subscribed to such a list, so the group of subscribers is re ...
. Can also be called "Distro"
Email
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