Hello Kuzinz,
I want to share with you some mail server information, some RULES, some
GUIDELINES, and some OPINIONS. Smile, they won't hurt.
ATTACHMENTS. (Rule)
Do not EVER send attachments through the list server.
REPLY MESSAGES. (Rule)
Do not reply to the group, when a personal one will do.
BEHAVIOR CORRECTIONS OR FLAMES. (Rule)
Do not EVER send corrections to other members, no matter how well meaning
and helpful you have intended your message. This practice usually causes
more strife and "flame wars" than the original issue that promted the
correction.
(There is an old internet axiom that perpetuates the idea that offenders
must be flamed by everone, in order to correct their behavior. This is an
outdated and counterproductive measure. It is inappropriate to flame on
this forum.)
It is the responsibility of the moderator (me) to issue these corrections.
Address all complaints and grievances DIRECTLY to the moderator (me), not
to the offender nor to the list.
There is one exception to the FLAME rule: if the moderator (me) screws up,
flame his butt with both barrels!
EMAIL GREETINGS. (Guideline)
To send extraneous greetings, announcements, advertisements and other
non-thematic (not having to do with "surname" genealogy, in our case)
messages to the list is considered inappropriate by most internet standards.
It is argued that for every non-thematic message a contributor wants to
send, there is a more appropriate forum for sending it.
In principle, such should never be sent through the list server. In
practice, it is sometimes useful to do so.
As many of you know, I often mention Newsletters and web sites that
research our surname. This is advertising. Some of those listed make their
livings providing these services.
It seems however, that this is in the best interest to our discussion group.
As a guide, please consider carefully any message that you post to the
group and ask yourself some important questions before forwarding it.
* Does this message have direct application to this group?
* Can it be sent personally and have the same impact?
* Is there a more appropriate forum for it?
* What reaction will my message prompt?
If you have gone through this process and still feel your message should go
to the group, it is probably appropriate to send it.
PEOPLES IS HUMAN TOO. (Opinion)
Having said this, I know (and I know that you know) that the rules and
guidelines are going to be broken on occasion. Often it is out of
inexperience. Sometimes the sender just doesn't know differently (that's
another way of saying that the moderator (me) has failed to educate the
group appropriately). It is rare that such things are done intentionally.
The challenge is to see the offense for what it is...a mistake. Usually it
is one that is made with the warmest and most generous intentions behind it.
Sometimes:
-Subscribers send inappropriate messages to this forum.
-Nonsubscribers send inappropriate messages to this forum.
-Flames are sent to offenders.
-The moderator is left out of the loop.
-The moderator is the offender.
-Feelings are hurt.
Always:
-There are things Evil, things Inappropriate and things Fattening.
-Each of these events described above are inappropriate.
-All of them are correctable.
-All of them are forgivable.
Please direct any comments (or flames) DIRECTLY (NOT TO THE GROUP) to my
address...jj