List Rules and Guidelines
GUIDELINES
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DO NOT post virus warnings, test messages, chain letters, political
announcements, current events, or personal messages. For information on
virus hoaxes and urban legends see
Vmyths.com: Truth about Computer Virus Myths & Hoaxes.
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Please do not send file attachments (messages with files appended) to
the list. In fact, never send anything but plain text. Turn off HTML
and MIME. Write me if you need help with this. If you have a file you
would like to share with the members, announce what you have to offer,
then send the file only to those who request it, via private email.
There are many branches to our families, and not everyone will want the data on
your line.
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No rude comments or flaming in the list! No discussion of flaming
on the list. For definitions of flaming and related information see
Flame War.
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Don't try to regulate this list. I'm the List owner. If you don't like
the way someone formats their queries or responses, or the content of
their subject titles, take it up with the me, NOT in the list. Our list
is for Genealogy and History. Email Me.
- Try to keep quoting to a minimum. "Quoting" is repeating text of the message you are replying to. Some quoting is necessary to remind other readers what the thread is about but do try to use good judgement. Quoting the previous writer's signature block, surname list or the tagline is totally unnecessary (and annoying).
TIPS
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Accuracy is important and sources are vital. Ancestor lists are
worthless if the information is wrong.
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All information need not be accompanied by source citations, but I
do recommend that posts either include sources, or a note stating that
they are available on request.
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If information is speculation, then label it as such!
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When posting your query try to give as much information as you know,
such as dates and places of all vital events if known, along with enough
other family members so that the reader can positively identify if they
are researching the same family. "Anyone out there researching our surname?"
just doesn't cut it!
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When replying to the list (this also can apply to private replies) try
to quote some portions of the previous message so that other readers are
reminded what the "thread" is about. Make clear what is quoted material
and what you are adding. Most mail readers take care of this for you by
inserting greater-than signs ">" at the beginning of each quoted line
or possibly double brackets "<<" before and ">>" after the quoted piece.
Use standard Windows procedures to cut unnecessary material. Ask me if
you need help learning to do this. Email Me. Also, change the subject line, if necessary. Some people get lots of mail, and only scan the subject lines. Make it good and accurate!
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Post your queries and information to our Message Boards, and they
will automatically be posted to the list, too. That way anyone searching
the Message Board system will be able to find you. Put in links to the proper
counties, states, or websites if known, too. If your email address changes, just log in to the Boards with your old email address, and then click on My Profile. Once you update your email address, it will automatically be updated across the entire Message Board system.
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Please send genealogy replies to the list, not just to the original
poster. Other members may benefit from the data that you provide. If you
have your "reply to" set with your own address, that will over-ride the
automatic list reply. It's best if you leave that blank in your own mail
software. Please keep private information such as information on living people off the list -- always send it privately.
Last, but not least, the *NITTY-GRITTY*
RootsWeb was founded in 1996 by Dr. Brian Leverich and Karen Isaacson.
Due to their foresight, expertise and financial contributions, we're all
here enjoying one or many of the mailing lists and other marvelous
services to genealogists which reside here at RootsWeb. We are
fortunate, indeed, to have all this genealogy at our disposal. To find
out more about what else is available, go to Rootsweb.com and
explore a bit. If you are not yet a contributor to RootsWeb,
consider volunteering. Your efforts added to that of any others can help
sustain and nourish this wonderful resource. Share Your Research.
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