Hello, Lately, there have been several **OFF-SUBJECT** matters being posted to several of my lists and it is a real good time to remind everyone about this. These lists are given to us to freely use in the matters of genealogy and the eternal pursuit of our family trees. Whenever anything else is posted to one of the lists, VIRUS WARNINGS, > \ MISSING CHILDREN, > \ FLAMING, >>-----> ALL SPAM / ATTACHMENTS, > / TEST MESSAGES, > ADVERTISEMENTS CUTE JOKES <Yea, even mine>, I have just learned that it is all considered SPAM. We have many new subscribers so this is mostly for them. I have been fortunate to have been given the honor to run these lists and I take this very seriously. There have been times when I have departed from good list manners and I may do it again. But, because I run these lists, it is my call and priviledge. However, I do try to set a good example. All I ask is that if you have anything 888-OTHER-THAN-GENEALOGY-888 to post, that you contact me first. You will gradually notice that the tag lines that follow each message will change to reflect this policy. Alas, there are only 4 lines that we can add to the bottom of the posts, never enough space, never enough time. Recently, I have received several off-subject messages. One for a missing child---HOAX. One for an ill child that was dying--HOAX One for a contest in which Bill Gates would give you a prize--HOAX One for a --JOIN THE CREW-- virus--HOAX One for an ill child to get cards that would benefit RED CROSS--HOAX One for an FCC warning--HOAX and settled in March 1997 There are others. What I have been told by BRIAN & KAREN and others who run Rootsweb, is all of this unneccessary garbage takes up space on the listserver computer that we all rely upon to allow us to contact each other. Recently, because of someone who posted a HOAX to many of the lists, BRIAN was so busy dealing with it that he was unable to get the archives up and running as promised. It was so serious, to them, that they <BRIAN & KAREN> TEMPORARILY unsubbed the person just to make a lasting impression. Trust me, the person needed a VERY LOUD wake up call. Some of the listowners get so upset that they not only unsubscribe the person who sends these kinds of messages, they block them from resubscribing. Believe me, it would have to be pretty serious for me to go to such lengths. As to attachments, we all HATE them. Some people who post are not aware that their E-mail programs send out an attachment with every message. They are gently asked to reconfigure their mailing program to remedy this. Some E-mail propgrams also send out strange markings known as HTML code with a lot of weird markings. This is not serious, only annoying. The bad ones are the attachments that are sent to mailing lists. Not all computers can take a large attachment and it can hurt their hard-drive and/or lock up their computer and/or mail program. The wisest thing to do if you have a really hot item to share is to explain it in a message to the list and ask persons to E-mail you privately for a copy of the attachment IF THEY ARE INTERESTED. Funny, my lists have over 2000 subscribers and this message is directed to the 2% who do not know my wishes, have forgotton, are newbies or just plain do not care. But, imagine that the 2% =EQUALS= over twenty persons who go outside our guidelines for these lists. Of all of the lists that I run, I am constantly amazed at how wonderful they are. There have been no flames, and few of the above stuff so that I really cannot complain. However, because I have seen things get out of hand very easily, I try to nip the little stray parts before they go crazy. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Perhaps you should just ask yourself, DO MOST OF THE PEOPLE ON THIS LIST NEED TO SEE THIS MESSAGE? You know, sometimes I get a message with just an answer because they did not leave a little bit of the old message so I that could follow....like... Yes, Joe, I see your point and I like that method also. Huh? Who is Joe? What point did he make? What method do they both like. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Now, your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to go surfing with just one word NETIQUETTE. I have done this recently and that is why I am making subtle changes in the way I manage the lists. Sorry, the bigger we get, the more management we need. Just stay on subject and you will be fine. If for some reason you cannot surf, E-mail me privately and let me know & I will do it for you and send. One list thing, and not a real big one. Someone told me, that when you have many names to send a message to, it is better to place the addresses in the __Bcc: part of the header.__ This stops anyone from replying to all, even in error, stops the SPAM SCUM who troll for E-mail addresses and all in all, makes for a better looking message. ======================================================================== Yes, this is getting to be a very long message, but I feel that it is needed right now. Here is an example of a pretty good genealogy message. Subject: DUNCAN, George W., Sr. b. Abt. 1818 KY Descendants of George W. Duncan, Sr. 1 George W. DUNCAN, Sr. b: Abt. 1818 KY ..+Elizabeth MOUNCE b: Abt. 31 May 1814 KY d: 27 Dec 1891 Daviess, MO 2 Lanah I. DUNCAN b: 1840 IL 2 Polly E. DUNCAN b: 1844 IL ...+Mason(?) M.(?) PALMER(?) Father: Mother: 2 Martha E. DUNCAN b: Abt. 07 Feb 1844 IL d: 27 Jan 1863 Daviess, MO ...+Franklin C. PALMER Father: Mother: 2 William M. DUNCAN b: Abt. 31 Dec 1848 d: 19 Apr 1875 Daviess, MO ...+Eliza(?) MC CLASKY(?) Father: Mother: 2 Elizabeth M. DUNCAN b: 1849 MO d: 19 Apr 1875 2 Nancy A. DUNCAN b: 07 Jun 1851 Gallatin, Daviess, MO d: 19 Dec 1878 Daviess, MO ...+G. W. FLETCHER ----- Descendancy from: 2 George W. DUNCAN b: Mar 1854 Daviess, MO d: 06 Dec 1915 Richland, WI ...+Margaret Elizabeth "Maggie" PENNINGTON b: 19 Mar 1855 Stewartsville, MO d: 12 Mar 1942, prob MO; Father: Robert PENNINGTON Mother: Martitia PIERSON ----- 2 Frances DUNCAN b: 1856 MO 2 Julia E. DUNCAN b: 1859 MO ...+James M. MC CLASKEY This is not a hard and fast rule, only a suggestion.!