Thank you, nell -----Original Message----- From: Margaret Scheffler <[email protected]> To: [email protected] <[email protected]> Date: Thursday, September 03, 1998 11:34 PM Subject: Research Etiquette >I have been reading the range of responses of a few people out of the >thousands who subscribe who are apparently irritated because they are >unable or unwilling to follow a few simple rules of list etiquette. >Since new people join the list everyday, what is the problem with the >list owner sending out a message that we can ignore if we have already >read it. Genealogical research demands of us patience, self >discipline and the ability to attend to details. We all start out >knowing little and hopefully learn with practice. Most of us have >made mistakes, but hopefully we learn from them. Personally, I >appreciate the reminders to be specific in what goes on the subject >line. > > I am sorry that a few of you are unaware of all the really nice and >helpful people that subscribe to the list. Just because there are a >few "jerks", it is unfair to judge the many nice people who share >their time and expertise, including the list managers who care about >genealogy and volunteer to help others. Most anyone who has >accomplished ANYTHING meaningful in life has had to follow some rules, >even ones that may be inconvenient at times. > > This evening I spent over an hour looking up and e-mailing >information to someone who shares a surname. In general I find as >much pleasure in helping others out as discovering one of my own >ancestors. On the other side I have had people go out of their way to >help me even when I had nothing to give them in return. Most of us >would know little of our heritage had not our ancestors, our >governments, our volunteer historical society workers, our town clerks >kept records. Genealogy is a wonderful hobby. Let's share willingly >and cheerfully. > >Sincerely, >Margaret Scheffler > > I > > >==== SURNAME-QUERY Mailing List ==== >APPROPRIATE SUBJECT LINES: > In an effort to provide meaningful Subject: lines in posts to the > SURNAME-QUERY List, the Listowner asks you to try to adhere to the > following format: > > SURNAME, First MI;dates;places > > An example would look like this: > > BROWNING, Arthur C.;1795-1876;PA>VA>OH > > Users of this SURNAME-QUERY List do not download every day in order > to read each of the hundreds of posts. They are looking for certain > SURNAMES, on which they are doing research, or are willing to help > others with research of said SURNAMES. Therefore, if you do not > provide meaningful Subject: lines, chances are good that your posts > will be deleted without having been read. > > Also, the accepted standard in conducting genealogy research via > the Internet/Web is to spell all SURNAMES in CAPS. > > > > >