ASSISTANT ADNINISTATOR.
Three cheers for Cousin Betsy Johnson Gorman for agreeing to to be the
first assistant administrator for our mail list.
Assistant administrators for RootsWeb mail lists is a new position, made
possible by an upgrade of RootsWeb's software for managing mail lists.
It's a great way to learn the ropes for any one thinking of someday
moderating a RootsWeb mail list. Assistant administrators typically
fill in when the admin is on vacation, sick, or has computer problems
that prevent web access. In the past, I would just find an experienced
admin of another list to fill in for me when I was away. One time Mary
and I vacationed for a week on an island off the coast of NH and ME.
Great place, but no phone or Internet access. They ran their own
electrical generator, but didn't have enough extra for guests
appliances. No TV, newspapers, or facilities for recharging
appliances. When someone temporarily took over as admin, the process
was "invisible" to subscribers.
The new process will be "invisible" to subscribers. Only the admin sets
list policies, but you ordinarily won't know if it's an admin or an
assistant that's helping people subscribe or unsubscribe, protecting you
from spam, or releasing messages the software held for some reason.
Thank you Betsy for volunteering.
NEW COUSINS HEARD FROM.
I've recently had phone and e-mail conversations with descendant's of
Cousin William Louis Taylor, b. 1912 in Crow Wing Co., MN, died 1993 in
OR, son of Cousin Carrie May HUGHEY Peterson Taylor St.Claire (1883 -
1964). Cousin Wm. was a RR engineer. I have so many vivid boyhood
memories of arrivals and departures of steam locomotives -- they were so
dramatic. And like almost all kids of those times, I would always wave
to the engineers and they would wave back -- seemingly cheerful about it.
Back to the Taylors. The good news is that they plan to come to our
next reunion. For those of you who may be wondering if Wm.'s father
connects to any of the many other Taylor families of NY and PA in out
tree - the answer appears to be no -- or at least farther back than we
can trace.
UPDATES TO OUR PUBLISHED FAMILY TREE
I do a lot more updates to our tree than I announce to this list. So,
don't assume that just because you haven't seen an announcement it
hasn't changed.
MESSAGE PREFIX.
When RootsWeb changed their mail list software, we lost two things:
1) the "tag" messaged at the end, that was randomly selected by the
software from a list of 10 "saying" that I provided; and
2) the [CaPaNe] message prefix changed automatically to the longer
prefix [CAMPBELL-PA-NELSON], which probably his much of the message
heading from you.
The rotating "words of wisdon" at the end of messages are gone for
good. But, as you may have noticed, the [CaPaNe] prefix is back. I
never heard any comments one way or the other, but assume most of you
prefer the shorter one.
COMPUTER SECURITY NOTE 8 - Protecting your e-mail addresses from
viruses. (Ignore if not of interest).
Everyone who uses e-mail may someday have their computer infected by a
virus. Even if you religiously update and run anti-virus checking
software, there is always the possibility of getting infected with a
virus, because there is always lag between the introduction of a new
virus and the time the anti-virus companies develop and distribute an
"inoculation" for it.
One of the 1st things many viruses try to do is to "harvest" e-mail addresses to
send to the "bad guy", or a computer or a computer he/she controlles, and infect
them or sell the addresses to spammers. Some do this by looking at all the messages in
your Inbox, which is usually the first of your Local Folders.
One solution some folks use it to empty out their Inbox daily. Some are able to create
another folder ahead of the Inbox and have that work for them. Others create a new
folder, such as MyMail (or whatever name you like), and use filters to directly sort their
mail into a number of folders such as Junk, CaPaNe, etc. with the remainder of the mail
sent to MyMail -- which thus becomes in effect your new Inbox.
To many of you all of those may seem like too much bother. It's a free country,
decide what fits you best, including doing none of the above.