Apart from the mailing lists which Rootsweb hosts for different localities
and surnames, it also has Message Boards for surnames and localities. The main
difference between the two is that you have to log on to the message board site
in order to send and receive messages, rather than get them as e-mails.
Because both boards and lists have a similar remit it is possible, if the
list and board administrators both agree, for messages sent to the message boards
to be posted to the mailing lists automatically, this happens with the
Merioneth list. All such messages start with
>This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing
list.
>
Unfortunately it only works one way, letters sent to the list do not get sent
back to the Message Boards - so if you reply to a gatewayed Message Board
Post by way of the list, the person who sent the query will not see your reply.
To reply to a Message Board Post you should use the link that usually appears
in the message to go to the Website in order to post your reply (which, will
in turn be gatewayed to the list).
http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/JiC.2ACE/241
All the best
Alwyn