If someone in Pforzheimer has a cold, everyone knows--they've asked for cold medicine on the list. When one student's mother sent him a barrel of peanuts, he invited the whole House to partake.

But tempers can flair on the list, especially during exam period. Allston Burr Senior Tutor Dirk Killen sends periodic warnings reminding students to review their prose before bringing it to cyberspace. Some students have even been banned permanently from the list for inappropriate language.

And e-mail inboxes become clogged during especially heated exchanges. The list can produce dozens of postings in an hour, including messages complaining about the number of messages.

But House residents stay subscribed anyway--they say the list builds House community and spirit.

During last fall's "war" with Adams House, publicity through the list helped muster hundreds of militaristic residents with painted faces and banners, ready for combat.

And the list is too useful to ignore. All quotes for this story, for instance, were obtained on Pfoho-open.

Thanks, got it.

--Rosalind S. Helderman and Adam A. Sofen