I subscribe to the TUCOWS Weekly Newsletter and this week the cover story concerns "Cookies", those things that scare users to death and about which many "myths" have been created. Forgive me for burdening you users with this long email, but I felt it worth sending. It answers many questions about what a Cookie is, what it does, whether or not it is dangerous, whether or not it can dig out data from your system, etc. If you are concerned about Cookies or think they create security problems for your system, please READ ALL THIS ENTIRE ARTICLE !!!!! SgtGeorge List Maintainer **********(Start of Forwarded Article)********** So it's the day before I go on vacation and Scott says to me, "Let's do an article on cookies for the next Grazing Grounds. Explain how cookies are our friends." I muttered something about only liking cookies that come with chocolate chips. Well, that's not fair. I do like the occasional Oreo and Fortune Cookies ... but I had the sinking feeling that was not what our noble leader had in mind. So I grudgingly went out in search of cookie crumbs. I was shocked by what I learned. I consider myself a pretty hip net.junkie, but just about everything I believed about cookies turns out to be false. For those who don't already know, "cookies" are little snippets of code that help in certain interactive functions with Websites. Cookies are most frequently used in marketing and legitimate security applications. Some webmasters use them to track the number of hits, the type of browsers being used, or the number of times you have visited a webpage. Each time you visit the site, the cookie is updated and stored in your browser's directory (sort of like a passport that gets stamped each time you visit a country). Webmasters look at that information and design better sites to reflect your interests. They can even design websites that automatically update themselves depending on your preferences. Unfortunately, there is great concern that they can also be misused to violate your privacy. You can be sent cookies when you load a webpage or a graphic from a WWWServer. The concern has been that cookies might be able to "scoop" information from your browser - getting private details like your e-mail address or the past few web sites you visited. According to Andy's Cookie Page <http://www.illuminatus.com/cookie.fcgi>, cookies only store information relative to the particular site they came from - they can't read cookies from another site unless there is an agreement between sites to share cookie information. Any security risks are not with the cookie, but with data that you give out to websites through forms and online applications. It doesn't matter if a web site sells or gives your information through a cookie or through simply e-mailing that list - the only way they can do so is for you to volunteer that information at some point. So if you don't want spam, don't worry about cookies - just make sure not to give out your address (credit card number, address! , hat size ...) to just any attractive looking page that asks. Look for a privacy assurance that the web site does not sell their mailing lists. I have been using a "cookie sweeper" for the past few months, and now wonder whether or not it is worth keeping. Since I've learned that there is no security risk, that people can't get my address unless I offer it, there is no compelling reason to deny cookies at this point. Scott tells me that there is a utility built into NT servers that many administrators use to manage logins. Our Webmaster at iDirect, Greg Weir, says that this can be turned off at the administrator's discretion, but many leave it on. There are some websites that will not display the information you are seeking if you don't take the cookie. I still have mixed feelings about cookies. In most websites, cookies are helpful to Internet users. I go through 4 sets of cookies three different times when I visit my bank's website, and I'm happy to do it because it reassures me that getting through their encryption wouldn't be a simple matter (not that I have a large pile of hay there, it's just I want to keep what little I DO have). Many websites use cookies for "shopping baskets" or to help visitors create custom versions of their pages. Webmasters could resolve a lot of their reader's fears if they had a simple message on their pages explaining what their cookies are doing and why they are useful to the surfer. There would be a lot less anxiety about them then. ==== DURMAN Mailing List ==== To unsubscribe from DURMAN, send an e-mail message to: DURMAN-L-request@rootsweb.com (for individual messages) DURMAN-D-request@rootsweb.com (for Digest mode) Subject: unsubscribe In the body include only one word: unsubscribe (Turn OFF your signature file when sending this command)

Since we have so many new subscribers, and so many "newbie" computer owners (GRIN), I thought it might help if I posted again and explained how to reply to an email and NOT send back the entire message to which you are replying. As one user just stated, it is not necessary to send back the entire quoted message, just enough (maybe a line or two) to let the readers know to what you are replying. First, this section is for NON-AOL users. Click on Reply. That brings up a new message window with ALL the text of the message to which you are replying. Decide how much of the original message is necessary in order for users to understand your reply. Then, put your mouse cursor at the beginning of the text that you wish to DELETE. Hold down the left button (keep it held down) and drag the cursor to the end of the text you wish to delete. Now release the left button. Viola, all that unwanted text is highlighted. Hit the DELETE key and it disappears into the ether. What you have left is the necessary quoted text. Be sure you delete all the junk at the end of the message, you know, the "tag line" that I cause to be added to the end of every message posted here. Now, unless AOL has changed, when you reply to a message, there will be no text in the reply UNLESS you highlighted it in the original message before clicking Reply. Just do the same thing as explained above to highlight JUST that text you wish to be repeated in the reply. You might not believe it, but I have helped some users who were deleting text in their replies BY HITTING THE DELETE KEY OR BACKSPACE KEY hundreds (thousands) of times to get rid of the unwanted text. More hints. Now you know how to "highlight". Any thing else you can do with this highlighted text? Sure! How about, once you have high- lighted an email address, you want to copy it to the Clipboard? Easy. Once the address is highlighted, hold down the Ctrl key and hit the "C" key. That puts the highlighted text on the Clipboard. Next, how do you paste that address on the Clipboard into the TO: line of a message you want to send? Again, easy. Put the mouse cursor where you want to paste the text, left-click the mouse, then hold down the Ctrl key and hit the "V" key. Lo and behold, the text from the Clipboard is now in the TO: line of your message. Couple of other shortcuts: To delete highlighted text and, at the same time copy it to the Clipboard, hold down the Ctrl key and hit the "X" key. To highlight all the text AND headers of a message, hold down the Ctrl key and hit the "A" key. Now a Ctrl+C copies all that stuff to the Clipboard. To move from one open application in Windows to another open application, hold down the Alt key and hit the Tab key. The first time you do this, you will see one open application -- DON'T release the Alt key! Successive presses of the Tab key cycles you through all the open applications in Windows. To see ALL the open applications in Windows, and be able to select the one you want to go to next, hold down the Ctrl key and hit the Esc key. That brings up a Task LIst. Very handy for switching back and forth between applications. Give it a try. SgtGeorge List Maintainer ==== DURMAN Mailing List ==== To unsubscribe from DURMAN, send an e-mail message to: DURMAN-L-request@rootsweb.com (for individual messages) DURMAN-D-request@rootsweb.com (for Digest mode) Subject: unsubscribe In the body include only one word: unsubscribe (Turn OFF your signature file when sending this command)

If your ISP is @worldnet.att.net, please be advised that the service is still having problems !!!!! I'm sorry, but the bounces from @worldnet.att.net have become so numerous that they are about to overload my system. Usually, I wait until after the 4th bounce to see if SmartList at RootsWeb successfully removes the offending addresses from the subscription list. With the problems today at @worldnet.att.net, I am preempting SmartList and manually removing any addresses that bounce from @worldnet.att.net the first time. You users of ATT's service should complain bitterly to the administrators there and force them to correct the problems. One would think that with all of ATT's wealth, they could hire competent software and hardware technicians. Guess they pinch pennies whenever possible to maintain the profit margin for the stockholders. Don't know which is worse, ATT or AOL, when it comes to cheap help. Just for the record, JUNO users have almost as many problems as ATT. I get several dozen "bounces" a day from JUNO because "the user's quota has been exceeded". If you are a JUNO user, please empty your mailbox often so that your email doesn't bounce. Or, for AOL, ATT, & JUNO users, find a reputable nation-wide ISP that doesn't limit the size of the messages, nor the number that is allowed in your mailbox at one time. One that also doesn't break down Digests and screw them up, as AOL does to many users. Two services that I highly recommend are Mindspring and Concentric Net. Here is a web site URL to get a list of all the servers in the country and a little bit of info about each: http://www.herbison.com/herbison/iap_meta_list_us_nationwide.html SgtGeorge List Maintainer ==== DURMAN Mailing List ==== To unsubscribe from DURMAN, send an e-mail message to: DURMAN-L-request@rootsweb.com (for individual messages) DURMAN-D-request@rootsweb.com (for Digest mode) Subject: unsubscribe In the body include only one word: unsubscribe (Turn OFF your signature file when sending this command)

To all subscribers to the RootsWeb Lists I maintain: Here is why you AOL users are being removed by the automatic software at RootsWeb. As you should know, after a pre-determined number of "bounces" from a receiving server, the user's name is removed from the RootsWeb subscription list. Here is exactly what I receive back for each bounce from AOL: XXXXXXXX@aol.com is temporarily unavailable while we upgrade our system (The XXXXXXX is the user's address.) This has been going on for almost 3 weeks now. I receive dozens, even hundreds, of these every day from AOL. So please don't blame RootsWeb for removing you. The SmartList software is just doing what it is programmed to do. Blame AOL for continuing to reject email to its users. If enough of you were to threaten to quit AOL, maybe they would get things right there. Or, you could always drop AOL and get a dependable server. Your choice. SgtGeorge Listowner

Be sure to check out the RootsWeb web site and find out what is offered there for genealogy researchers. As you know, it is the "parent" of all our Lists. http://www.rootsweb.com Regards, SgtGeorge

Well, folks, thought I would send out a short note on joining the RootsWeb group and helping support a very worthy cause. RootsWeb is not a profit making operation. It is run by Karen and Brian, both of whom have full time jobs and run RootsWeb as more-or-less a hobby. When MAISER crashed, they accepted the 1000+ Lists there WITHOUT requiring us Listowners to join or contribute. (The normal way anyone gets a new List at RootsWeb is by contributing $24 per year; that gets them 2 Lists.) Most of us Listowners did contribute (at least the minimum, but some much more) and some subscribers sent in contributions. Since the 1000+ Lists were added, Karen and Brian have had to install new servers, upgrade the software, etc., all at their own expense. They are in no way funded by ANY governmental agency, nor any charitable organization. They've spent more than $20,000 out of their own pockets. So, if any of you out there can send in a few bucks, it would sure help out. Send as little or as much as you feel you can afford. ALL contributions are greatly appreciated. Here is a recent post by Brian Leverich about RootsWeb funding: (You will find a snail-mail address at the bottom if any are interested in contributing.) SgtGeorge ***************************************************** RootsWeb has *no* "main sponsoring org". No university, no government agency, no gensoc, no business, nobody but *you*. We are *entirely* supported by voluntary contributions. Our hardware and bandwidth budget for the last year was in the neighborhood of $60,000, of which about two-thirds were individual contributions and the rest came out of Karen and Brian's pockets. Apple Computer also donated a server to RootsWeb, which augments the other 4 main servers we've bought. Karen and I have also donated our time as system administrators, as did the other RootsWeb folks. Next year's costs will be well over $100,000 and possibly as high as $200,000, depending on whether we have the resources to start buying datasets and uploading them for everyone to freely use. RootsWeb wouldn't have happened without the support of the Internet genealogical community, and we need continued support if we're going to keep expanding the services that are available to the community. Thanks to everyone who is helping us make this happen! -B [ BTW, please feel free to redistribute this to your lists. It worries me that folks don't realize that their contributions are are the *only* thing that keeps RootsWeb alive. ] ------- Dr. Brian Leverich Co-moderator, soc.genealogy.methods/GENMTD-L RootsWeb Genealogical Data Cooperative http://www.rootsweb.com/ P.O. Box 6798, Frazier Park, CA 93222-6798 leverich@rootsweb.com

I've been playing around with Netscape Navigator 4.0 and offer the following to those of you who are having problems turning off Attachments and VCard Attachments. 1) While in the Mail utility of Netscape Navigator 4.0, click on Mail, then preferences. Find "Mail & Groups", then "Identity". At the bottom make sure that the box next to "Always attach Address BookCard to message" is NOT checked. This will get rid of those damnable VCards that are being sent with every message from a Net- scape Navigator 4.0 user. The default for this option is to have it checked. So you must "uncheck" it by putting your mouse pointer on the box and clicking it. 2) While in the Mail utility of Netscape Navigator 4.0, click on Mail, then Preferences. Find "Mail & Groups", then "Messages". Make sure the box next to the line "By default, send HTML messages" is NOT checked. If it is checked, put your mouse pointer on the box and click it. The X should disappear. This will get rid of those ugly HTML attachments that users receive on the Lists. The default for this is to have it checked, so you will have to TURN IT OFF by unchecking the box. Hope this helps to get rid of some unwanted attachments. SgtGeorge

Just in case some of you may have deleted the "Welcome Message" you received when you subscribed to this List, here are instructions for getting a new copy: Send a message to: LISTNAME-L-request@rootsweb.com (For those who use the Normal Mode.) or LISTNAME-D-request@rootsweb.com (For those who use the Digest Mode.) (Replace "LISTNAME" above with the actual name of the List for which you wish to retrieve the Welcome Message.) Leave the subject line blank. In the body, type just the following, exactly as you see it: get file welcome.txt DO NOT type anything else in the body; turn off any automatic signature lines. Regards, SgtGeorge

To All RootsWeb List Members who use AOL for their EMail: The following was sent to all ListOwners at RootsWeb by Carole Hammett, Combs RootsWeb List Co-Moderator. I have taken the liberty of editing what she sent, to make it applicable to all the Lists, rather than just the COMBS-L List. **********(Carole's Message Follows)********** Within Just the Past Week Alone, AOL'S Mail Processor has: (1) Converted a 495 byte Email from one of the Lists to a File Attachment. (2) Converted a 645 byte Email from one of the Lists to a File Attachment. BUT, the Only Reason that the File Attachment was only 645 bytes was that AOL CORRUPTED the Email and DELETED part of it, including the Address and the Header. (3) Converted a 27kb Email from one of the Lists to a File Attachment and DELETED Half of the 16 messages in it (4) Delivered a 23kb Email from one of the Lists SIX DAYS LATE! There are Many More Examples of AOL Problems with Email since their latest Upgrade, which is Definitely a DOWNGRADE. The above are only a Very Few Examples; however, as a result: (a) A copy of this message was sent to AOL'S <postmaster@aol.com>, and henceforth it is planned to forward to them Each and Every Email and/or File Attachment that is Corrupted and/or Delayed. (b) A message was posted to AOL'S Email Message Board of Each and Every Email and/or File Attachment that was Corrupted and/or Delayed. (c) It is requested that each of you who get EMail through AOL (almost half the users on all the Lists) please do the same (d) A post was made to the RootsWeb List Owner's List, asking the 1,000+ other RootsWeb Listowners to also post a version of the above to Each of their Own Lists. We need this sort of problem like we need a Hole in the Head. It HAS to come to a Dead Halt Now, and that won't happen unless we all turn into Squeaky Wheels in Urgent Need of Grease! **********(End of Carole's Message)********** As Listowner of 13 Lists at RootsWeb, I have received my share of email complaining about this same problem. Usually, it involves those who receive the Digests from the Lists, but not always. I know personally that many AOL users have had to unsubscribe from the Digest Mode and subscribe to the Normal Mode in order to receive each and every post. And, even then, some individual posts have been corrupted beyond being of use. I cannot speak for anyone else, BUT, if you are an AOL user, AND, if you are tired of the mercenary attitude of the people who run AOL, it would seem to me that if enough users complain, Steve Case will HAVE to do something. Until about 6 weeks ago I was an AOL user, and had been since AOL was first started several years ago. I just got tired of problems with AOL -- seems like every time they made an "upgrade", I had problems. I kept my subscription to AOL, even after I had started to use a separate ISP for all my Net, Web, and EMail connections. There were a few things there that made it worth the extra monthly expense to keep AOL. Then, after one recent "upgrade", I tried to access a part of AOL and was told that I would have to download additional files, which I agreed to. The "automated" upgrade down- loaded the files to my system, started to install them, then hit a "glitch" somewhere and stopped. From that time forward, I could not even get the AOL interface to load on my system. The "auto- matic upgrade" thoroughly trashed my AOL files! After several messages back and forth to and from AOL, via my ISP email connection, I saw it was just hopeless to expect any kind of response from AOL that would solve my problem. So, I made a phone call and cancelled. Haven't regretted it since and really don't miss all the grief. My advice? Get yourself a separate ISP, use your own EMail program and Web Browser. You'll experience 99% less hassle and heartache, AND you'll get all your email from RootsWeb uncorrupted and whole. The above is just my honest opinion and if any of you take exception to anything I have said, PLEASE don't reply to the List -- send to me personally at my email address. I know that getting rid of something which is familiar is hard to do, BUT, you never know how satisfied you can be with something new until you have tried it. SgtGeorge

Since several of the HOAX stories concerning viruses in EMail have been going around lately, I thought this "notice" might be appropriate. IT IS A JOKE !!!!! Do NOT take this seriously !!!!! It is meant as sarcasm -- merely to point out how ridiculous the HOAX warnings are. Most of them are just about as "real" as this one. (GRIN) "Free Money" FAKE Virus: There is a computer virus that is being sent across the Internet. If you receive an e-mail message with the subject line "Free Money," DO NOT read the message. DELETE it immediately, UNPLUG your computer, then BURN IT to ASHES in a government-approved toxic waste disposal INCINERATOR. Once a computer is infected, it will be TOO LATE. Your computer will begin to emit a vile ODOR. Then it will secrete a foul, milky DISCHARGE. Verily, it shall SCREECH with the tortured, monitor-shattering SCREAM of 1,000 hell-scorched souls, drawing unwanted attention to your cubicle from co-workers and supervisors alike. After violently ripping itself from the wall, your computer will punch through your office window as it STREAKS into the night, HOWLING like a BANSHEE. Once free, it will spend the rest of its days TORTURING household PETS and MOCKING the POPE. Some filthy, disgusting miscreant ... some no-good, low-down, good-for-nothing DIRTY SNAKE, in twisted pursuit of his own sadistic dreams, is sending this virus across the Net via an e- mail entitled "Free Money." What is so terrifying about this virus is that you do not even to have to open the e-mail for it to activate. In fact, you do not even need to RECEIVE the e- mail. You do not even need to OWN a COMPUTER. "Free Money" can infect even minor HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES. How it does this with straight ASCII code is, frankly, a matter of some debate ... but BELIEVE YOU US, if this weren't a SERIOUS situation, we wouldn't be discussing it in ALL CAPS. So for the LOVE OF GOD, forward this e-mail to all those you claim to care about, all those you purport to love. Don't do it later! Do it NOW! Now! Now! NOW! NOW! NOW! Passed on to you by a friendly Listowner, SgtGeorge

NCC Washington Update, vol. 3, # 34, August 6, 1997 by Page Putnam Miller, Director of the National Coordinating Committee for the Promotion of History <pagem@capaccess.org> 2. House Report on National Archives and NHPRC 3. The Annual Report of the State Department Advisory Committee Identifies Barriers To opening the Historical Record 2. House Report on National Archives and NHPRC -- Although the House Appropriations Committee Report on the Treasury Appropriations bill has not yet been filed and printed, the Committee endorsed the report language that had been approved by the Treasury, General Government and Postal Service Appropriations Subcommittee. The report, accompanying the recommendation for FY'98 funding for the National Archives and the National Historical Publications and Records Commission, deals with the management of the National Archives, preservation funding, classification reform, repairs and restorations, and NHPRC grants. The House Subcommittee expressed concern about the Archives' management in several areas. The report states: "that NARA is showing reluctance in adapting to more modern, and less costly, alternatives to maintaining documents in paper form." Additionally the committee noted that the Archives' strategic plan "did not go far enough in developing milestones, conforming to new Government Performance and Results Act guidelines, and providing specifics about NARA's future." On preservation, the subcommittee urged the Archives to develop a five-year funding plan for preservation. The subcommittee repeated concerns expressed last year about classification reform and directed that Archivist to submit by February 1, 1998 an update of agency compliance with the declassification requirements of Executive Order 12958. The section focusing on the grants program of the NHPRC stated: "Recently, there has erupted a controversy over whether or not to emphasize prioritizing grants to Founding Father's' projects or preserving electronic records. The committee has provided sufficient funding to ensure the priorities of NHPRC are met. Within the funds provided, the NHPRC should maintain its historical funding prioritization of Founding Fathers' and documentary editing." 3. The Annual Report of the State Department Advisory Committee Identifies Barriers To Opening the Historical Record -- On July 28 Warren Kimball, the Chair of the State Department Advisory Committee on Historical Diplomatic Documentation, submitted to Secretary Madeleine Albright and to House and Senate Committees the committee's annual report. The report states that the Committee is "unconvinced by arguments from some agencies that secrecy for 30-year old information takes precedence over the value for the democracy of openness." The primary causes for the delays in publishing volumes 30 years after events must, the committee asserted "be laid at the doorstep of the intelligence community, primarily the Central Intelligence Agency." The report makes clear that the Committee does not advocate revealing secrets that would jeopardize national security or the safety of individuals; however, the report states that the CIA has failed to declassify documents pertaining to activities that have been revealed in Congressional hearings and in memoirs by CIA agents. This fall the Committee will consider the possibility of withholding from publication some compiled volumes that do not include relevant intelligence involvement and would thus "fall grossly short of a complete record." While the Committee acknowledges that efforts are underway to develop a better working relationship with the CIA, the Committee remains skeptical as to whether new procedures will improve the situation. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * NCC invites you to redistribute the NCC Washington Updates. A complete backfile of these reports is maintained by H-Net. See World Wide Web: http://h-net.msu.edu/~ncc/ * * * * * ** * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Well, Juno and RootsWeb have been having problems communicating again. In case some of you missed the last go 'round, here is the problem: When RootsWeb sends messages from the Lists to users at Juno, it usually takes a few seconds. Juno receives the mail and then sends an acknowledgement to RootsWeb and the connection is broken. As has happened twice now, Juno, for some reason, won't receive RootsWeb's mail right away and the connection stays open. While this is happening, RootsWeb can't receive mail or send out other mail. This time Juno held the connection for a long, long time and the folks at RootsWeb had to break the connection themselves so other business could go on. Don't know how long Juno hung up RootsWeb, but the last time it was for several hours. Anyway, the only recourse RootsWeb has is to remove ALL the addresses of Juno users until the problem at Juno is remedied. These addresses are removed from all the Lists, so you Juno users will get no messages while this is going on. Karen of RootsWeb sent out a message today saying that Juno appeared to be functioning properly again and that she had added all Juno addresses back to the Lists. If you didn't receive any mail for a while, that is the reason. You should be back on the Lists again. Sorry this has to happen, but until Juno gets some tweaking done to fix the problem, this may happen again. Now, I don't want any of you replying to my post here on the List, starting a new "flame" war over whether Juno was at fault or not. IT REALLY DOESN'T MATTER! Juno wouldn't receive the mail, and wouldn't relinquish the connection, which hung up RootsWeb. I don't want to hear any arguments here on the List defending Juno and shifting the blame to RootsWeb. The folks at RootsWeb are knowledgeable enough to know what the problem is and if they say it is Juno's fault, let it be. You can email me privately, but, I say again, DO NOT start arguments here on the Lists about the problem. We have better things to do than argue over who is to blame. SgtGeorge

I think I have covered the problem caused by users of Mozilla and Microsoft Internet Mail, relating to unwanted attachments. Now a new one shows up. Seems some users have taken advantage of a relatively new "toy", called "vCards". In case some of you are wondering what some of the new unwanted attachments are, when they are downloaded, there will be a description with "vCard" in the line. A "vCard" is just an electronic "business card". It's as though every time a person sends a letter through the postal service, they stick a business card in the envelope. Except, here on the Internet, it comes as one of those insidious "attachments". I can under- stand a business person wanting to stick a business card on the end of every email, but for the life of me I can't understand why anyone would be so vain as to want to stick one on with every email they send. I mean, personal mail, mail to Lists, etc. That is just vanity, pure and simple. My suggestion to all you users. I believe we can convince the guilty parties to stop it if we reply to their posts and make sure we attach the file back to the reply. Make sure you send it to the sender via private email, NOT back to the List. Please, I don't want to see hundreds of messages back to the List with attachments. BE SURE you send to the poster of the original message. If several hundred of us do this, I believe the senders will soon see that it is in their best interest to stop sending their vCards out as attachments. Dang it, it seems that as soon as we solve one problem, someone comes up with a new twist to disrupt the Net. I think that most users just don't consider the consequences of their actions. Or, maybe they do and just don't care. Well, I think we can make them care if we show them what an annoyance the attachments are. Your Listowner, SgtGeorge

To all subscribers of the Lists I manage: First and foremost -- DO NOT reply to SPAM messages to the Lists! It is being taken care of. Secondly, and equally as important -- DO NOT post messages to the Lists about this subject !!!!! You just do not know what is going on behind the scenes -- I'm up to my ears in unread email right now. If you MUST comment on the SPAM problem, send me a private email. DO NOT POST ANY MESSAGE TO THE LISTS IN RELATION TO THIS SUBJECT !!!!!! (Thanks.) Now, some of you may know, and some may not, that we were hit last night by the $%#&$&@* from Atlanta, GA, that crashed MAISER at Indiana University. He has evidently "found" our Lists on RootsWeb and sent out the same SPAM advertisements that he did at MAISER. Some Lists got hit and some didn't. If you didn't get the garbage, consider yourself lucky. Basically, what he did is send a long ad for his "toner" products to all the Lists at RootsWeb. There are probably 2,000 Lists there now, and if each averages 200 users, that's 400,000 individual emails that RootsWeb would have had to store and process, then send out. That's what crashed MAISER. It just couldn't handle it and froze up, after one hard drive had been physically destroyed. Actually, I received 6 duplicate messages on the HOMESPUN List, and 3-5 on some of the others. It is not at all inconceivable that were the spammer totally successful that RootsWeb would have to handle a million messages all at the same time. That would not be pretty!! BE WARNED !!!!! I am asking RootsWeb to re-configure my Lists so that only subscribers may post email to them. This may cause problems for some users who have "dynamic" email addresses. Some servers can't seem to settle down and decide on a domain name, so users addresses keep changing. If any of you have problems posting to the Lists after the changeover, I will receive the posts instead of them going to the Lists. I will get in touch with anyone who is having problems. I will try to keep everyone informed on what is going on. Just be patient and remember, DO NOT send ANY email to the Lists concerning SPAM, "Toner Man", or this problem in general. SgtGeorge Listowner

The message below is from Karen Isaacson at RootsWeb. She sent it out to us Listowners just before 11:00 this morning (Tuesday). I had not forwarded it because I thought things would be back up and working before now. Since I have had some queries on this, thought I should send it out to all you subscribers. Of course you won't receive this until RootsWeb is back up again, but at least you will know what went wrong. SgtGeorge *************** (Start of quoted message.) One of the hard drives on lists.rootsweb.com (our main mailing list machine) is ailing this morning. It's =not= the drive with your mailing lists, that drive is fine. But Brian is going to have the system down most of the day while trying to salvage what he can from the failing drive, so you won't be able to access your utility pages, messages won't be flowing through your lists (they'll be spooled in a safe place until the system is up), etc. Brian didn't give me an estimate on how long this would take. Hopefully not all day... Karen (End of quoted message.) ***********************

Quoted below is a message I received tonight from AdoptionSearch. I haven't had time to check it out yet, but from the list of topics covered, I believe this will be an invaluable site for many researchers. Check it out and let the List know what you think. SgtGeorge *********************************************** (Start of quoted text.) Hello, AdoptionSearch went online TODAY! Adoption.com is very grateful to all of the sites that have provided links to us. As our way of saying thank you, we have created AdoptionSearch, the first Internet search engine focused on adoption. This new search engine and directory is for sites related to adoption, searching for lost family, parenting, pregnancy, infertility, health, families, children, and other related topics. (End of quoted text.) ********************************************** (Remainder of text deleted, as it pertained to me as owner of a specific Web Site.) To check out the site, go to: http://www.adoption.com. Happy Hunting, SgtGeorge George W. Durman To contact the Listowner, double-click the line immediately below: mailto:sgtgeorg@concentric.net Listowner of Surnames: BROYLES CULLOP CROCKETT DURMAN GAROUTTE LOVETTE WILHITE WILKINSON Other Lists: GERMANNA_COLONIES CFT-WIN HOMESPUN RESEARCH-HOWTO SURNAME-QUERY BROYLES Newsgroup Moderator (alt.family-names.broyles) CULLOP Newsgroup Moderator (alt.family-names.cullop) DURMAN Newsgroup Moderator (alt.family-names.durman) WILHITE Newsgroup Moderator (alt.family-names.wilhite) BROYLES/BRILES Family History Web Page & GERMANNA Information: http://www.concentric.net/~sgtgeorg/index.shtml

Just a short note to my Lists. On a couple of my larger Lists, some users are copying messages and passing on to their friends. Don't get me wrong, there's absolutely no problem with this. It's just that the recipients are missing a lot if they are not subscribed themselves. I just wanted to ask you to urge your friends to subscribe so they can get the messages first-hand. I feel that when people are users, they tend to participate and this leads to a lot more information being shared. That's what the Lists are all about, sharing. Also, if you reply to a post, unless it is purely personal, you can send the reply back to the List where we can all see it. I have picked up lots of important genealogy information by reading the exchange of data on the Lists. This is espec- ially true on the SURNAME Lists. You never know when some "lurker" will find the very name and data he or she has been looking for. Have a nice day, SgtGeorge Listowner

Guess it's time once again to send a gentle reminder about attachments to your email. As you all should know, if you have read the Welcome Messages that come when you subscribe, attachments are not allowed on the Lists. This rule is necessitated due to the fact that some users's email programs just absolutely freak out from attachments, especially large ones. Besides, it is very rare that all the subscribers to a List need to receive any attachment. They generally benefit only one or a few subscribers. Here's how it works: If you have an attachment you want to send, notify the List, stating the subject, generally what it contains, and how large it is in bytes. Inform the List that you will gladly send it to individual users' email addresses if they request it. AND, the request should go to you personally, not back to the List. Now a note to users of Mozilla and Microsoft email programs. These two products are notorious for taking the text in the body of a message, converting it to HTML, and then attaching it as a separate file to the email. This is caused because when the program was installed, the default configuration was HTML and it should have been "plain text". We get attachments from many users who do not know they are sending them. Some, when notified, vehemently argue that they are NOT sending attachments. They just don't know they are. If you are using Mozilla or a Microsoft email program (especially Microsoft Internet Mail), PLEASE check your configuration and make sure you have set "plain text", not "HTML". This will solve many problems on the Lists. And to the rest of you subscribers, when you receive an unwanted attachment, before you angrily blast the sender, look in the header section of the message and see if there is a line "X-Mailer". Look at that line and see if Mozilla or Microsoft show up there. If so, then chances are about 99.99% that the user hasn't changed the configuration. Instead of flaming him or her, gently remind that the configuration should be changed. These inadvertent attachments are usually very small, just a few bytes, and cause no problems to anyone's email program due to their small size; however, they are a genuine nuisance and can be taken care of, IF the sender will take the time and trouble to change the settings of the email program. Just remember, no attachments to the Lists. If you have some- thing that you feel would benefit everyone, type it into the body of the message, rather than making it an attachment. If it is long, make 2 or 3 messages and identify them as Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, etc. SgtGeorge Listowner

Just thought I would pass this along to all my subscribers. It was posted to the List for us Listowners and I think it is a good idea. If you enjoy your Lists and are able to help out a little, Brian and Karen (the Listmasters at RootsWeb) would be sure to appreciate it. ******************Start of Copied Message******************** Another way that we can all say Thank You to Brian and Karen is to send in our own sponsorship to RootsWeb. The money that RootsWeb gets from it's sponsors goes towards paying for the equipment, hardware and software that Brian & Karen use to keep things running for all of us. Let's all do our part to keep the RootsWeb Genealogical Data Cooperative moving forward and getting better with each and every upgrade! Let the members of your mailing list know about the wonderful service that Karen & Brian provide for us as well. How to Subscribe to RootsWeb http://www.rootsweb.com/rootsweb/how-to-subscribe.html Cyndi Howells Puyallup, Washington cyndihow@oz.net PSRoots-L List Pooh-Bah and Evan's Mommy! http://www.oz.net/~cyndihow/baby.gif PSRoots-L Mailing List http://www.rootsweb.com/~watpcgs/psroots.htm Cyndi's List http://www.oz.net/~cyndihow/sites.htm *****************End of Copied Message********************* I know that many of you have already sent in contributions. This message is mainly for you new users who have sub- scribed in the past 6 weeks or so. When MAISER crashed and we all lost our Lists, Brian and Karen at RootsWeb graciously accepted transfer of the Lists to RootsWeb, and waived the usual costs for Listowners. They had to purchase an entire new computer system to handle the increased mail and since have had to add even more hardware and software. Most of us Listowners mailed in our subscriptions in spite of the fact that we didn't have to do so. Some of us even sent in two or more subscriptions. RootsWeb is the home of ROOTS-L, probably the "premier" genealogy Newsgroup and List on the Net/Web. RootsWeb is not a profit-making enterprise -- it exists because Brian and Karen believe in what they do, and because of their charitable nature. Both have full-time jobs and handle all the necessary chores of keeping RootsWeb working in their spare time. (I, for one, don't believe they really have any "spare time".) So, if YOU feel charitable, please go to the URL mentioned above and check out the various subscription plans. You will surely find one that fits your budget. If I have any millionaire subscribers on any of my Lists, you can send in fifty thousand or so and we'll all appreciate it. (Just kidding -- GRIN!) Happy Hunting and Enjoy the Lists, SgtGeorge mailto:sgtgeorg@concentric.net George W. Durman 925 Kevin Rd. Knoxville, TN 37923-2540 (423)470-4853 BROYLES-L ListOwner CULLOP-L ListOwner CROCKETT-L ListOwner DURMAN-L ListOwner GAROUTTE-L ListOwner LOVETTE-L ListOwner WILHITE-L ListOwner WILKINSON-L ListOwner GERMANNA_COLONIES (Temporary) ListOwner CFT-WIN-L ListOwner HOMESPUN-L ListOwner RESEARCH-HOWTO-L ListOwner SURNAME-QUERY-L ListOwner BROYLES Newsgroup Moderator (alt.family-names.broyles) CULLOP Newsgroup Moderator (alt.family-names.cullop) DURMAN Newsgroup Moderator (alt.family-names.durman) WILHITE Newsgroup Moderator (alt.family-names.wilhite) BROYLES/BRILES Family History Web Page: http://www.concentric.net/~sgtgeorg/index.shtml

Here is tonights evaluation of EUDORA LITE from the popular site, TUCOWS. Check it out. =========== Eudora Light Version Number: 3.0.2 Beta 5 Revision Date: June 21, 1997 File Name: el302b5.exe Byte Size: 4,229,150 License: Postcardware. Also Available: Windows 95 Version Homepage: http://www.eudora.com/winlight301b.html Description: Probably the most popular email applications on the net, Eudora Light is the trimmed down version of Eudora Pro. With it's powerful and easy to use interface, it's no surprise. Rated at 5 Cows ================ SgtGeorge