Hello all, We have several new members on the list. List administrators are reminded to periodically send out reminders of some of the administrative details to make the best use of the list for yourself and other members. So here they are: (1) The list archives. This is fully searchable from this URL: http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/index?list=va-northern-neck >From this site, you'll see a link to list to messages by month and year, but more importantly you will notice the "search" link on the upper right. From there, you can search, say, TARPLEY, either if it is in the subject line or buried somewhere within the body of some message--you'll have choices to make there. It's a great little tool if you are like me and don't keep each and every e-mail in your inbox. (2) If you are subscribed in "list mode" you will receive each message sent to this as a separate email. If you find that this is causing too much unwanted clutter in your in-box, you may change your subscription to "digest mode" and you will receive the messages in a bundle as one email, and you can see a group of emails at one time. This depends on the number of new messages sent at any particular time. This has its ups and downs. See next. (3) If you do NOT want to contribute any messages to the list, NOR receive any emails from the list, you can unsubscribe but still read what is being discussed by going to the list archives, above. (4) When replying to a message, PLEASE highlight ONLY the portion of the message to which are replying. PLEASE delete the rest of it. This is particularly important to a) save bandwidth and b) not annoy our members who are on digest mode. If you reply to the entire original message(s) without cutting out what has already been said, the people on digest mode will have to wade through the same thing over and over and over. This includes cutting out the rootsweb trailers at the end of EVERY email. (5) If you are switching subjects, then change the subject line. If the original thread was, say, "Tarpley" but the conversation morphs into, say, "Ball", then change the subject line to reflect the new topic. This is important for a lot of reasons, which should be obvious. If I am not interested in the Tarpleys but I am interested in the Balls, I may delete your message if the subject line is Tarpley but the message is really about Ball. This is doubly true for people in Digest mode. (6) If you are in digest mode, and want to reply to a message, you must highlight the message to which are your are replying (or it's pertinent parts) and be sure to include TO WHOM you are replying. (e.g., On 4 Sep Craig Kilby wrote....). If you simply hit reply you will end up copying the ENTIRE digest in your reply. Further, the subject line--if you do not change it--will simply say "Digest Vol. 12345, Vol. 12345"--which is pretty meaningless as a subject line. (7) Try to limit your messages to one specific topic/issue at a time. Do not post multi-generational charts and talk about multiple people and generations all in one message. Be as succinct as you can and be specific in what your point or question is. You will have a much better chance of getting replies this way. Just a friendly reminder and I might add our group here is one of the best on rootsweb. Thank you to everyone for all you contribute and discuss. Craig Kilby List Administrator