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FAQs FOR MAILING LISTS
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Here are some FAQs - Frequently Asked Questions - that may help you understand how mailing lists work. If there are any other questions you may have that are not on the list, mail Terry. If you know about Mailing Lists and want to find one go here.
Q. WHAT IS A MAILING LIST?
A. A Mailing List (or e-mail List or simply "List")
is e-mail that is shared between subscribers to a List that is devoted to a particular
topic or interest. It might be a group of professionals talking about technical
matters or people talking about a hobby or a lifestyle or just people chatting
about whatever they want to talk about. For those diagnosed with prostate cancer,
that's the subject on their Lists.
TOP
Q. HOW IS THIS DONE?
A. When you sign
up or subscribe to a list, you are given an email address where you will send
your mail. A message or posting to that address is distributed to all the other
subscribers or members on the List. They will all see oyur message and you will
get whatever anyone else sends to the List. Then if you want to reply or respond
to it, you do it just like regular email. You hit REPLY, or, on some lists REPLY
TO ALL, and it will go back to everyone on the list. The software at the other
end does the distribution for you. It is all automatic and very simple.
Q. CAN I EMAIL ONLY ONE
PERSON ON THE LIST?
A. Just about every List will include the email address
of the sender. On some Lists you eould have to manually delete the to-the-List
address and insert the person's email address if you want to send it just to them.
Others give you the option. It depends on the List and the program you are running.
Sending something to the entire List when you meant it as private is one of the
harsh lessons of this technology. It has probably happened to everyone, so just
check on the address shown in your mail before you hit "Send".
Q. CAN I KNOW WHO ELSE IS ON THE LIST?
A. Sometimes. Some Lists might give
you access to the subscriber list but most don't. It is up to the moderator or
owner of the List. Otherwise, the only way to tell is to see who sends messages
to the List.
Q. HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE ON A LIST?
A. Some have only a few people, such as
a few close friends who like to chit-chat, or the List may have over a thousand
subscribers. Some are "public," meaning that the List can be found via
Web sites and people can join merely by sending a request that is handled by the
computer. Other Lists are private and are known only to the subscribers, for example,
a family with relatives around the world might all keep in touch through a Mailing
List. Everyone gets the same news.
Q. CAN I LEARN HOW MANY ARE
ON THE LIST?
A. That is usually pretty easy. Some Web sites that list Lists
will give the number of current subscribers. The ACOR
lists are a good example. Otherwise you can always ask the owner of the List.
You will be given someone's email address for that.
Q. HOW DOES ONE FIND A LIST TO
JOIN?
A. There are "lists of Lists" or Web sites where one can look
up a topic of interest and sign up right there.There is a page on this site where
current prostate cancer lists and message boards are shown. Go to Mailing
Lists. If you want to look for others, a good start is to go to Google
and put in your topic with the words MAILING LIST or you could go along to CataList.)Others
have to be chased down via the Web site or group or person that owns the List.
Q. IS IT DIFFICULT TO JOIN A LIST?
A. Usually not. There are different methods but most are pretty simple. Some have
very specific instructions that you must try to follow very precisely as to where
you send your message, what you put in the SUBJECT line or maybe in the TEXT/BODY
to get them to work.
Q. WHAT IS A MODERATED LIST?
A. This means there is someone who approves
each message before it is forwarded to the list. This can sometimes slow down
distribution because moderators don't work 24/7/365. But some moderated lists
will give you an automated response to tell you that your message has been received,
which is a nice courtesy.
Q. ISN'T A MODERATED LIST CENSORSHIP?
A. Some moderators merely watch that
the post is relevant ("on topic") or not merely for advertising or if
it is legally questionable, e.g., potentially libelous. Some moderators may kick
you off the List if they don't like what you write. So, yes, there can be censorship.
But some subscribers like it because it keeps the List focused. Others hate it
and leave. Such is life with the Lists.
Q. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I JOIN A LIST?
A. Usually you will get a little "welcome"
note that is generated by the software. It will tell you how to leave the List
(unsubscribe) or maybe the List offers a digest where all of the day's messages
are in one long email (some people prefer that) and other features. From that
point on, the List mail will start coming to your email In Box. This welcome note
will also tell you what the basic rules of the List are - if there are any restrictions,
how the owner or moderaor feels about off topic posts and so on. It is worth reading
these as some owners are fierce about breaches. Keep this welcome note, because
it will usually tell you how to leave the List if you want to at any time, or
how to suspend your membership - going nomail - if you are away on vacation for
example..
Q. DO THE OTHERS KNOW I'VE SUBSCRIBED?
A. No, that is rare. Usually only the
owner/moderator knows, until you post. Until then, you are known as a "lurker,"
which is Net-slang for someone who reads but does not post.
Q. SO I'VE JOINED LIST. NOW WHAT?
A. It is suggested that you spend awhile
reading the emails to get an idea what is happening. It is considered quite rude
to join in an existing discussion or thread, as soon as you join. But it is okay
to post something (if you want) that introduces yourself and why you've joined
the List and to start posting questions, if you want some help. You may find that,
if you do ask a question, you get answers from list members 'Off List'. This sometimes
happens if you have asked a question that has been dealt with recently on the
List. But don't let that put you off asking your question - and remember that
there are no dumb questions on prostate cancer lists if you are newly diagnosed
- everyone had to go through a steep learning curve. Meanwhile, spend time reading
and learning how the List works. Each is different and they go through phases.
A List can go quiet for a week and then flare into activity, for example.
Q. IF I POST TO THE LIST, IS IT PRIVATE?
A. By subscribing, you agree that
your post can go to all the other members on the List, so it goes to all the members
on the List and you can't control who is getting it or what they do with it. Most
Lists try to prohibit the forwarding of posts from their Lists to other Lists,
but it happens. . Second, some Lists archive their messages and these can be found
on the Web. So if you are concerned about privacy, find if there is an archive
before posting or set up a seperate mailing address with a different name.
Q. CAN I JOIN A LIST ANONYMOUSLY?
A. Some accounts let you change names, e.g.,
AOL. If not, go get another account under another name with one of the free email
services such as Yahoo or
HotMail.
No, this is not illegal. It is done all the time by people who want anonymity.
TIP: When you do it, send some email to your regular account from the new account
to see what it looks like, so you didn't make a mistake. If you did, maybe you
can go back and change it. If not, go get another account and start over. The
down side is that your mail is now in two locations but it might be worth the
effort if you want the anonymity. It also helps with spam. List owners try to
protect their members e-mail addresses but they are sometimes raided. If you start
getting a deal of spam on your second address, you can simply register another
and use that.
Q. IS IT DIFFICULT TO LEAVE A LIST?
A. Usually not. Just be sure to keep the
instructions that are sent you when you join. It will tell you what command to
send to unsubscribe. You don't have to leave most Lists if you are going on vacation
or want to leave the list on a temprary basis. This is known as going NOMAIL and
is usually coverd by the instructions. It is handy to just create a folder called
LISTS and toss the joining instructions as they come in. Even if you unsubscribe,
they are handy to keep around in case you want to return.
Q. WHAT IS A MESSAGE BOARD?
A. Messages to subscribers appear at a Web site
and you can go to read them. They don't come to your mailbox. Otherwise, the protocols
are pretty much the same.
Q. WHAT IS A NEWS GROUP?
A. A news group is part of the Usenet which was around
long before the Internet became a fad. There are tens of thousands of news groups.
The best thing is to see if your Internet provider offers Usenet, which is different
than the Web. If so, there is usually a way to search Usenet by topic to find
if there are any groups of interest. But be forewarned: Posting to a Usenet group
can make you the target of a lot of junk mail, called "spam," not to
mention hate mail. Usenet should be posted to only with experience and caution.
Q. WHAT IS A CHATTING?
A. This is when messages are sent live from one computer
to another. Again, this takes some experience and caution. And remember, these
conversations can be archived by anyone who is there.
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