To: Subscribers of the TXELLIS mailing list: From: Rob Yoder - listowner - agsa@fwst.com Please read. - ------------------------------------------------ A mailing list can be of great help to you in your research, but misunderstanding the functions and communication styles of a group can irritate many people. Contributing items to a discussion group is is a form of electronic publication: within a few hours of submission, your item will have been distributed to over 250 TXELLIS subscribers and stored in Rootsweb's archives. * Read contributions for a while before trying to compose and send your own. * Identify yourself in your messages. Some messages come through with only an email address and some e-mail readers don't show this. If you must remain anonymous, you do not belong in this group. * If you wish to respond to a posted item, it is often more appropriate to e-mail your response directly to the poster. If you think your response will be of interest to many others, then send it to the group. * If someone offers to do look-ups, it probably best to e-mail the volunteer directly. * If you wish to thank someone for what they have done, use direct e-mail. If you want to thank the group for the response you have received, then by all means, use the list to do so. * Use the subject line to describe your topic briefly and accurately. Many people depend on this to determine whether or not to read an item. * Ask yourself if your message is on topic. The topic is Ellis County genealogy. There are lists for other topics. * Do not quote the entire message when replying to other posts. Use only enough of the original message so that readers understand what you refer to. We all have seen the original. * Use upper and lower case characters when you type and place SURNAMES in caps so that they stand out. TYPING EVERYTHING IN ALL CAPS IS CONSIDERED TO BE A FORM OF SHOUTING ON THE INTERNET. * If someone posts something that upsets you, it is always best not to reply. Contact me if you think that someone is abusing the mailing list. I would prefer that matters like this be handled privatly. If anyone gets involved with a battle on the list, all partys involved will be suspended from participation.