Beginning March 2nd, 2020 the Mailing Lists functionality on RootsWeb will be discontinued. Users will no longer be able to send outgoing emails or accept incoming emails. Additionally, administration tools will no longer be available to list administrators and mailing lists will be put into an archival state.
Administrators may save the emails in their list prior to March 2nd. After that, mailing list archives will remain available and searchable on RootsWeb
These Hints and Guidelines have been created by a Joint effort of two List Administrators who have kindly given me permission to use their Hints and Guidelines. They Being "Sandie"from AUS-TAS-Convicts who I admire in the way she operates her Lists.And 'John A Hanson " who was the Admin of KOFOED Mailing List. also the rest have been placed by myself.
I have Modified the memo's to cover our particular situation.
Hope these are useful to you.
++E-MAIL COPYRIGHT ++.
Recently in the Rootsweb magazine there appeared a notice concerning mailing list netiquette and the 'Golden Rule' of e-mail content written by another person/s that a subscriber posts to the list from another List or one received privately. What this is, a breach of that persons copyright if you have first not sought their permission to forward it to the List.We often see "seen on another List",or,"thought this may be useful to someone".Please do not assume that the author of the original,wanted their E-Mail (or part thereof) read by anyone other than to the holder of the Address they sent it to in the Beginning.If you think that you would like to post it somewhere else contact the Author and ask their permission first.
The Rootsweb AUP(Acceptable use Policy) at
http://www.rootsweb.com/rootsweb/aup.html Discusses the original e-mail content ownership.
++ MANAGING E-MAIL++
People utilizing Rootsweb.com mailing lists usually subscribe to more than one List therefore you may like to keep them separated. Most e-mail software contains a facility for creating folders and for filtering e-mail to those folders. Makes e-mail life much simpler,that is of course assuming that your e-mail software has this capability.If you are unsure of folders and filters then refer to your own e-mail software's help facility to determine exactly how to do this. Personally,I find this system keeps my various mailing lists messages organized.I need not worry about which Mailing List what message came from if I do not Subscribe to the Digest Mode.
The Digest Mode is a much simpler method of receiving list messages. For Instance instead of receiving 10 separate messages you receive One listing all the 10 e-mails.If their is one specific message you want to retain highlight it and copy it into Word or wordpad.to keep for future reference.What I do if it is something I want to keep in my e-mail folders, Is I copy and paste it to an e-mail addressed to my self and send it back to myself then put in the Folder that I want to keep it in. I use Digest Mode on the busier Lists that I am subscribed to.
++ SUBJECT LINES
Do include your surnames(in caps) in the subject line>location>dates and then include them again in the body of your message where you give the full details of your Ancestor. If your details are sketchy at this point, then just put in what ever you do have ;sometimes the most minor of details can often provide the breakthrough that you are looking for.
Subject Lines such as "HELP" may not get you any help."New Subscriber" may only get you a HELLO if you are lucky.The reason is not because you are intentionally being ignored,but rather because our wonderful members with the Resources to help you are very busy,So they can scan the subject lines looking for a subject about which they have knowledge.Sometimes they have no time to open every message and peek to see if they can help,So do yourself a big favor by drawing the right kind of attention to yourself and giving and assist those with the Resources and knowledge who can help.
If you are making a general or other emigration/immigration inquiry take a moment to read your subject line first,to check if it is meaningful for your query.Put as much information in the Subject Line as can be reasonable done.Try not to begin your Subject Line with number,as the robot handling the List Mail sometimes Rejects those.
Ps.A List Member (who is one of our big helpers)has also suggested that when any of us respond to a message with an inappropriate Subject Line,that we alter it slightly.I do this sometimes,but on a busy day I sometimes overlook this.
++ANSWERING ++
If you are able to answer another member's query,then please share that answer with other List members...UNLESS,the reply is very specifically directed to the poster(Such as ,"We have a Bill Smith living next door to us..could be yours)
If your answer will be of Interest to other List Members,such as immigration,marriages,dates,ports,microfilm numbers,"how-to "Research immigration/emigration ,shipping related resources etc..etc.. Then please share that with the List.
++ MAILING LIST PARTICIPATION.++
I ask that people participate more actively to the list that they are subscribed to,Although some Lists,such as SURNAME LISTS are usually the most inactive because of their nature.However in order to MAXIMIZE your opportunities your participation is necessary.You are only going to get out of a subscription what you put into it.
For those people who are Subscribed to a Surname Mailing List...You are able to actively participate by posting your Interests to the List...Please remember to include THE YEAR(or thereabouts).When you put the Town/City in, also remember to include the County/State and Country...Not everyone on the List is a Walking /Talking geographical encyclopedia.Remember to put your SURNAME in capitol letters for easy recognition.(Administrators are usually the only ones who use capitol letters in messages to the List).Also if you can help other List Members with some Knowledge or Expertise that you have by all means do so.
Remember ...We are all subscribed to the list with a common goal in mind...to reclaim our heritage from the history books and to help others find theirs....if you Don't participate you cannot maximize your opportunities.
++THANK YOU++
Please Never forget to send a thankyou to someone who has answered your query. It is so nice to send some appreciation to those who have helped you. These should be in the form of a private message,but I won't mind if you have been overwhelmed by the number of responses, And you wish to thank everyone by means of the List.It only takes a moment, and shows that you don't take any contribution for Granted.
++COMMERCIAL ADVERTISING.++
This is a gentle reminder that Advertising for Commercial Gain is not permitted on this List--or any of Rootsweb Lists.
++ TEXT ++
Please -
(a)DO-NOT send attachments to the List- Rootsweb.com does not forward these to Mailing Lists.
(b)DO-NOT Insert Graphics into e-mails sent to the List.
(c)DO-NOT Use fancy Fonts etc-Rootsweb.Com Mailing Lists only accept plain text.
++POSTING TO THE LIST.++
All Inquiries and mail should only go directly to the Mail List.
The Address post to post a message is XXXX-L(a)rootsweb.com (Where XXXX is the name of the list) Messages Sent to the
XXXX-L-request(a)rootsweb.com Will bounce back to me.Since most of those bounces are misc.they wind up getting deleted.So your pleas to get help to find that one elusive Ancestor is gone into the other someplace Any other address will bounce to me and then be Deleted.There are many ways that various Spam Artists are trying to post to the list and wind up bouncing to the Admin.
They are all Deleted. So your important message regarding an Ancestor Line or a response to someone will probably be lost.
++ADDRESS CHANGE ++
We all have address changes in our Lives.It's a fact of life in this internet world that we live in.So to update your address:
A: Send an e-mail to Unsubscribe. Please note that you need to use the original email address to do so.On almost every email software program,you can install or keep the original email address.It's there in the from box of the original message.You might have to call up the "Option"tab to see it.
B:Then send an email to Subscribe the new Address.Please use the new address as it looks in your email server when you created your new account..
++USE YOUR ONE AND ONLY OFFICIAL SUBSCRIBE ADDRESS.++
Most of the problems regarding posting,Unsubscribing etc are due to a difference in the "From" address in your E-Mail program and the "Reply to".You were subscribed to the "Reply To"Address automatically .The Computer (HAL) looks only at your from address. That "from" Address must match the subscribed address. So if you changed the "From"address for some reason then no message will be posted.
The computer will only accept mail from Registered Subscribed Users.When the address does not match exactly,It bounces. I sometimes get a copy but not always.Take a look at the welcome message that you received for this list .Please keep that Message.It Tell you Exactly what Address was Subscribed and will be accepted for posting.Make Sure all email you send is "From" that address.The Rootsweb Computer "HAL" just never sleeps and never lets a message get by with "an almost correct" address . Remember this is " HAL"
++ VIRUSES &VIRUS WARNINGS ++
Please do not post any material regarding Viruses to this list(If you are concerned ,contact me off List.)
This List or myself do not claim to be an expert on Viruses.There is a very good Virus Mailing List here at Rootsweb.Join by sending a
E-Mail to VIRUS-DISCUSSION-L-request(a)rootsweb.com with subscribe in the body of the message.
There are many Websites where Information can be found about how to prevent being Infected and the Steps to take if you are. I strongly suggest that if you are not already aware of Viruses and Worms .You should take some time off your research and Educate yourself. If you do get infected, then I will Delete your account and send you a notice.The Second time results in a reject notice being placed on your Account.I will send out Virus Alerts to the List after verifying that they are a threat to the List Members.
++VIRUS SOFTWARE &UPDATES ++
It is of absolute importance that you have ANTI-VIRUS Software operating and up to date if you are operating on the Internet and using Mailing Lists.You cannot get a Virus from Rootsweb But there is a possibility that other Members,Friends and people who reply to you personally are infected
Updates. There is an important fact that everyone needs to know.The ANTI-VIRUS Software program is out of Date when you purchase and install it.The Software program work on checking a pattern of words against a known database of viruses.There are new Viruses introduced each day of the week.So your Anti-virus Program needs to be updated very often(At least once a week )I currently have an Auto-Update Feature which updates every day.Don't lean back and say that everything is ok because you have got the latest A-V Update on.The A-V Software should be your last line of Defense;Not your First.Don't open Attachments,etc,etc Some of these new viruses are really tricky in their Description(Warning from Microsoft come to mind)and double Extensions etc.There are Viruses now being sent in the pure text messages. As I said you cannot get a Virus from Rootsweb .Its your Friends,Family and people that you correspond with that do you in :-)
++BE NICE ++
Last but not least Have fun and Enjoy yourself in your Genealogy and research work The search for your Ancestors and your heritage can be the most satisfying and Enjoyable Hobby that you will encounter ,So Enjoy
BE NICE.
No Flames,No Selling,No Religion,No Politics.
These are all interesting and Emotional items.
Trying to Admin a List under those circumstances just to much time and enjoyment from my own Genealogy.
Hope all this helps
Best Regards
Your Genealogy Friend
Bill Dob
List Admin