>From the Listowner: Hi, folks, Just a couple of reminders. I know that everyone is swamped with too much email and can get very sensitive about it. But I have been so proud of EAST-TEXAS-ROOTS members for being so friendly and helpful and for basically staying on topic, but even responding helpfully when someone asked a somewhat off-topic question. Lately, a couple of times I've noticed someone has left a message that I am sure was intended to go privately, and there have been a few questions and other things that haven't been directly on topic, but nothing that has gotten at all out of hand. Recently, though, someone expressed, in large caps, distress with off-topic conversations on the list, and someone else responded, again, publicly, and with some impatience and unfriendliness. I want to nip this kind of thing in the bud. I've written privately to each individual. Let's not continue the controversy on the list, okay? And, if someone writes something that doesn't seem appropriate, write to me privately, and I will see what I can do. Please don't respond to the list itself, or write an unfriendly private note to the person. Remember that what you are trying to accomplish is to have this list be on topic and full of helpful information. Neither a public nor a private *unfriendly* note is likely to accomplish that. Please do remember that in almost *all* cases people's intentions are good. People who don't realize all caps is shouting are glad to stop when they realize it. People who post off topic messages to the list have usually done so inadvertently. And so on. Most of all, folks let's continue our tradition of friendly, helpful East Texas hospitality, okay? *********** Other topics: The *Computer Interest Group* of the Nacogdoches Genealogical Society will meet this coming Tuesday 17 June at 7 p.m. in the Parlor (the normal meeting room) of the First United Methodist Church. We'll have a question-and-answer session especially on genealogy software. Everyone is welcome. There are way over 250 of us on EAST-TEXAS-ROOTS now. In addition, some of the counties we have been covering are getting their own mailing lists. Those who are researching in Shelby and Sabine counties now have that as an added resource -- you are certainly welcome to stay here, too, of course. Check the Shelby and Sabine Co Genweb pages for those counties for further information. There is a Surname registry on the Nacogdoches Genweb site now. I am not going to assume you want your email address associated with any particular surname, though, unless you specifically submit it for the Surname registry. If you put your email address next to a particular surname, then you will undoubtedly hear from quite a few other people who are researching that name. Be sure that the name you want to add is one where you have Nacogdoches County connections. If you are researching a particular surname, but the only connection you have to it is in New England or California, it doesn't belong on the Nacogdoches page. But if you have a Nacogdoches connection to that surname, and want to have it in the registry, let me know and I will put it up. Submit to webpsalms@iname.com. Sincerely, Pam Phillips Listowner EAST-TEXAS-ROOTS webpsalms@iname.com