Dear List Members: I feel that this is an appropriate time to post to the list an excerpt of the "Welcome Letter". Sorry that it seems lengthy, but it seems an appropriate time to post for everyone's benefit. Please treat each list member as you wish to be treated. There are, however, some common sense practices and Rootsweb Rules for this list to follow. Information on Rootsweb's ongoing and proposed genealogical programs, and how you can help to support and expand these efforts can be viewed at: < http://www.rootsweb.com/> If you have a problem or cannot access the URL site, please contact me personally and I will be very happy to provide the RootsWeb information, privately. With your added support and input, we can make this list a friendly, pleasant and exciting site to discuss our ancestors from the near and distant past and perhaps provide or receive a missing link. Through Rootsweb sites, such as this one, I have found some wonderful people that have turned out to be my cousins and great friends, as well. PLEASE KEEP THIS MESSAGE FOR FUTURE REFERENCE. If you will print it, it may prove helpful in the future. NOW!!!...Rootsweb Rules........ DO NOT send Spam e-mail messages to the mailing list. DO NOT send attachments (attached files) of any sort to the mailing lists. This includes URL shortcuts, v-cards, GEDCOM files, zipped files or any other type of attachment. DO NOT forward virus hoaxes or chain letters to mailing lists. DO NOT use HTML or RTF (rich text format, such as colored text and/or colored background) in messages sent to mailing lists. DO NOT crosspost messages to multiple mailing lists on the address to line or the Cc line of the e-mail message. DO NOT send e-mail messages to the mailing list for which the topic is inappropriate, such as political announcements, current events, missing children reports, test messages, jokes, etc. DO NOT "flame" other members of this mailing list. Common Sense Rules There are some common sense DOs and DON'Ts for this list, as follows: 1.) DO post all follow-up responses to the list for the benefit of all those interested and for archival purposes. 2.) DO NOT post idle chitchat messages to the list or someone might yell at you. 3.) DO NOT send messages greater than 20,000 bytes (20KB) to the list. They will not be processed. 4.) DO have fun and generate some excitement in searching for and finding your ancestors and new cousins. You will probably enjoy an additional benefit of also making some great friends too. NOTE: Please DO NOT ever send anything to this list that even resembles a “commercial ad”, genealogical or otherwise. I respect the fact that we are all zealous about our favorite cause, however, this is not the appropriate forum for advertising that cause. Likewise, any advertising for records, books, publications, CD’s, etc., will not be tolerated. Due to a trend to abuse members of other lists, with such advertising, it must be restricted from this list. This restriction is not to be construed as meaning that sources cannot be shared on the list. They can be and in fact are encouraged. Any information that can be provided to our members to assist our research is always welcome. I feel sure that we can all distinguish between an attempt to assist another member of the list and the abuse of the list with a “commercial ad”. AND PLEASE do post any Minnesota related information that is passed on to you or discovered by you in your research which may benefit other list members, now and in the future, even though this information may not be related to your line. When posting this information, if possible, please include any document and/or source information that you might have. This is your list. Please feel free to comment on any information that is posted to this list, within the aforementioned guidelines. Anyone receiving a rude message from anyone on this list, please forward the entire message to me for action. By forwarding to me for private action, we can avoid any flaming, or confrontations on the list. This list is for us to gain valuable information and to enjoy and even enhance our genealogy experience. We won't allow anyone to interfere with those goals. If you have any suggestions, comments, questions, or problems, concerning this list, please feel free to contact me privately. If you need assistance, I will do my best to help you. However, comments, pro or con, that are of general membership interest should be posted to the list. 7. HAVE FUN!!! Come on and join in and post your Minnesota links and surnames or any other appropriate Minnesota information. Again, WELCOME to the list! Jerry and Scarlett, List Administrators