Email Etiquette

Write directly to your friends. Use your words.
Do no harm to the list.
Do not forward anything to the list. Do not pass along anything that may, or may not, be amusing.
Do not send any files or attachments.
Do not advertise anything.
Do not solicit money.
Do not inflame.

Why we need some rules for the email list.

The main reason we need rules is that every member on the email list gets the email, and we do not want to mess up our friends email routine. Nor do we want to infect their system accidentally with viruses, trojans, or spam.

It is a good thing that everyone gets the emails, if the information that is being passed to the group is something that unifies the group. Anything that brings us together, enhances the group. It is a bad thing if the email incites discord or dissent. Any lightning rod conversations will drive members from the email list, so, sometimes we do have to be careful of what we say.

Who owns the email list?

In the literal sense, my server owns the list, and we are just participants. I have set up some rules that are useful for protecting the email lists, and the server follows these rules for everyone. There are no exceptions. The server deletes my emails if I do not follow the rules.

In a more real sense, the list is owned by the class, but it is not a freeway for expression, some things need to be abridged in order to facilitate the bringing together.

Do this! Or "Write This Way!"

The best way to write to the email lists, is to write a plain text email to the list. Tell us something you want to tell us, that we would like. Write directly to us in your own words. We will like it.

Emails are not letters. They do not have to be long emails because many small emails become an enjoyable conversation with your friends.

Here are some reasons emails get bounced by the server

Multiple address in the address fields of your email.
The list bounces any email addressed to more than the list itself. Spammers send emails to multiple email addresses. The list thinks multiple addresses are from spammers. People send shotgun mailings to many friends with colorful attachments and music, the list thinks shotgun mailings look too much like spam.
The list automatically deletes any email with attached files. (Poof)
No history, and no recourse. Viruses are transmitted in all kinds of files. We do not transmit any files.
The list removes all RTF, or HTML, formatting codes.
Viruses, and phishing links, can be transmitted in hidden codes, so we delete them.
Images are a type of file. They also get removed.

Here are some guidelines for conversations that should be avoided.
I will ask the conversations that violate these guidelines to be moved off the list. I will even provide a separate list for those conversations to be continued if you wish, just not on the main email lists because people have different, deeply held beliefs that will cause some of our friends to leave. Over the line means that anyone could be bothered at all, and I do mean anyone.

Politics, over the line
Religion/Faith, over the line.
Sex, over the line
Flames I.E. Hate or Anger, any hate is out.

This is a definite No-No.

Do not flame anyone

Recourses of the list for any infraction, in levels of seriousness.

Warning - The list manager will have first and final say, either follow the rules, or not.
Moderation - The list manager has veto power of any postings of a member that is moderated.
Inability to post - If problems persist through the moderation, removal from any postings whatsoever, but still receive emails from the list.
Removal - If problems still exist, the poster can be removed from the list.

This is a final thing, a real Yes-Yes.