I received this from another list, and thought it so appropriate, that I would send it on to you, my treasured list members. -- Valorie Dear List Members, It is the day after Christmas and though all the land starting Friday night, Santa delivered new computers, internet service, and genealogy software to a host of new rooters!! There will be an influx of NEW subscribers to all lists. They are excited and want to share and become involved overnight. This is good. But while you will see new cousins, friends, and contacts coming on-line, joining email lists, posting surnames, they will be asking questions you have seen posted over and over again. Unfortunate as it may be, new users mean we have to reinvent the wheel once again. Please WELCOME these "newbies" to our list, have PATIENCE with them, help them and above gently teach them the rules by not overreacting. You can help them further by refraining from using a lot of initials and abbreviations in your responses. When discussing the FHC, please take a few seconds to type "Family History Center". Be sure to explain who, what, where, when, and once in awhile how. Don't assume. It cannot be overstressed how important your patience and help will be for the next month or more. Mistakes will be made ... there will be blank messages, no subject lines, or (my pet peeve) entire digest in replies. There will be subject lines like "Searching for "Smittie" Smith, ("Johnny Johnson"), ("Aunt Mary") send all information." This is a good list and it is about helping each other. Let's be specific and clear in our responses to folks, and give a little extra in explanations. And, above all, please keep in mind, that new subscribers may know nothing about computers, the internet, and genealogy, resulting in many extremely inexperienced researchers. If you see questions regarding computers, software, etc, please respond to these questions off list if at all possible. Remember, you are the experienced one, the knowledgeable, the mentor. You can teach by example, as well as explicitly. If something not allowed slips through to the list, please let it go by without response by you. I will take care of it from this side. If it happens twice by the same person, please just contact me personally to see if I am aware of it. <valoriez@aa.net> REMEMBER one of these "newbies" just may have the proof you have been looking for for thirty years ... so be cordial, helpful, and informative as you can be! Thank you for helping to make and keep this an excellent list of helpfulness. Happy Holidays, Everyone.