[lisa] Updates to list FAQs

LEM listers,

We've got 26 email lists up and running on Google Groups and just a few that haven't been moved yet. The transition hasn't been without some problems, and we've discovered that some long-standing practices (such as our preference for "bottom posting") have never been incorporated in the list FAQ.

I've added sections to the FAQs on bottom posting, being unable to post to Google Groups, and not receiving a copy of your own messages. I've also added a note to the "I subscribed, but get no messages. What's up?" section.

I'll be making more changes to the FAQs once all the lists have moved to Google Groups, as some sections only apply to the lists as they were handled on Maclaunch.

• - -

Do you have rules for replying to the list?

Yes, we do.

We ask that you only quote relevant portions of the original posting in your reply, and we recognize that the Google Groups online reply system doesn't allow that.

We also ask that you "bottom post" your reply, an old convention going back to the Usenet era. Bottom posting is when your reply appears after the quoted material you're responding to, and we realize that many modern email clients default to "top posting" - putting your reply before the quoted material in your reply.

• - -

What are the advantages of top posting?

Top posting puts your reply right in front of your eyes when you open the email. This is more immediate than bottom posting, and it's great for rapid-fire email exchanges among individuals.

That said, it's less effective for lengthy replies or responses in email forums.

• - -

What are the advantages of bottom posting, and why does Low End Mac recommend it?

Bottom posting, and its cousin "interleaved posting", puts the reply below the quoted material it's written in response to. It's a more logical flow, particularly if someone hasn't read the previous message recently. It gives the reader a reminder of what you're replying to before reading your response.

That is the primary reason we recommend bottom or interleaved (your replies go between quoted sections - even more like a dialogue) quoting on our email lists.

We realize that some email clients and the online interface of Google Groups make top posting easy and automatic, and while top posting may result in a reminder from the list nanny, it is not grounds for action. We do ask that you use bottom posting if possible.

• - -

I subscribed, but get no messages. What's up?

Google Groups can be set so that "no email" is the default option, and all of our lists were inadvertently set that way. We have since set them so subscribers will receive individual emails as the default. My apologies.

• - -

I sent a reply to the list, but I never received a copy.

Google Groups makes the assumption that you know what you've posted, so you don't need to receive a copy, and there's no way we can change that behavior. However, your posting will show up online and you will see it if you receive the list in digest form.
I subscribed, but I can't post.

Google Groups requires you to confirm and verify your subscription before you can post. And, like most email lists, their software may not me_at_recognize mail.domain.com and me_at_email.domain.hidden as being the same. Make sure the From: and Reply-to: address in your email client match the address you used to join the list.

I have had reports of people who are subscribed and unable to post. If this happens to you, please forward your message to List Mom so I can investigate. We're still learning things about how Google Groups works.

• - -

I sent a message, but it never appeared. Why?

There are several possible reasons a posting can bounce.

• You may not have confirmed your subscription yet. Until you do so, you are not officially on the list and thus unable to post.
• Your return address may not match the address you subscribed from (for instance, the server sees "yourname_at_email.domain.hidden" and "yourname_at_email.domain.hidden" as different addresses). The list server uses your return (reply to) address to confirm that you are subscribed to the list and allowed to post.
• You may have sent email which contains an attachment, styled text, or something other than plain text. All such messages will be bounced; the list only allows plain text.
• You may have inadvertently sent your message to the wrong address. Never use the "listname-requests" address.
• Your mail server may have appended something to your email which changes your return address so that it no longer matches the subscribed address. I've only seen that with Yahoo mail so far.

Dan Knight, List Mom, Low End Mac email lists

"Good cannot be accomplished by evil means."

--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "LisaList" group. To post to this group, send email to lisalist_at_email.domain.hidden To unsubscribe from this group, send email to lisalist-unsubscribe_at_email.domain.hidden For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/lisalist -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~--- Received on 2006-03-18 07:29:52