May 24, 2005
Q1. I want to cancel my subscription to the list. How do I do it?
A1. Go to our portion of the Google Groups website, http://groups-beta.google.com/group/CIRCLIST
Q2. What’s a digest?
A2. A digest is a concatenation of a whole day’s messages put together in a single (though potentially rather large) e-mail. Digests are generated automatically by the list server each night. Note that the digest generation process strips off MIME attachments from the individual messages.
Q3. My mailbox is cluttered. I’d prefer to receive a digest each day instead of a separate e-mail for every message that people send to the list. Can I change my subscription?
A3. Yes. Go to our portion of the Google Groups website, http://groups-beta.google.com/group/CIRCLIST
Q4. Having tried digests I realize that I prefer to receive each message as a separate e-mail after all. Can I change back?
A4. No problem. Go to our portion of the Google Groups website, http://groups-beta.google.com/group/CIRCLIST
Q5. There are problems with my mail server or I’m going away for several weeks and I won’t be able to read my mail. I want to remain a member of the list but for the time being I don’t want to receive any more messages. Can you help?
A5. Go to our portion of the Google Groups website, http://groups-beta.google.com/group/CIRCLIST
Q6. My mail server is fixed and I’m back online. I’d like to take part in the list again. Can you lift the suspension?
A6. Go to our portion of the Google Groups website, http://groups-beta.google.com/group/CIRCLIST
Q7. What happens if a non-member tries to post a message to the list?
A7. Members are identified by their e-mail addresses. Any message received by the server that comes from an address it doesn’t recognize is silently ignored.
Q8. Do you mean it’s bounced to the list owner or back to the sender?
A8. No, the server simply deletes the message and doesn’t make a fuss about it.
Q9. Can a non-member read the messages on this list?
A9. No.
Q10. So what constitutes membership?
A10. A member is the same as a subscriber. I use the terms interchangeably. In order to have access to the list (to post or to read) you have to apply to be a member and you have to have your application accepted by one of the moderators.
Q11. Are you saying that the list is moderated?
A11. No. Perhaps "moderator" is the wrong word but it’s the term used by the owners of the server at GoogleGroups.com. Perhaps "list manager" would be a better description.
Q12. So is the list moderated or isn’t it?
A12. Memberships have to be approved by one of the list managers (moderators) but once you’re a member your messages are posted straight to the list and do not need further approval. So think before you post and try to understand other members’ feelings. In particular you must not flame other members: it’s quite possible (and very stimulating) to have a reasoned argument with someone without losing your temper.
Q13. Who are these list managers/moderators and how many of them are there?
A13. David & Vernon. You can send email to us at circlist@comcast.net
Q14. So what else does a moderator do?
A14. We contribute to the general chat on the list, try to sort out any problems with subscriptions, maintain this FAQ and safeguard against undesirables, spammers and those too young to join the list.
Q15. Aw. That sounds a bit boring. Do you ever get heavy and ban people from the list?
A15. Look, we’re really nice guys - honest! All we want is for people to enjoy using the list. But yes, if needs be, we’ll get heavy and ban people, but unless they’ve done something really stupid (like discussing taboo subjects which could get the list closed down) they’ll get a warning first.
Q16. Cool! That sounds more like it. How much do you get paid?
A16. You must be joking! It’s a labor of love.
Q17. Who hosts the list?
A17. A commercial company called GoogleGroups.com . Their servers host thousands of mailing lists on all manner of subjects. If you want to know more about them take a look at their Web site at http://www.GoogleGroups.com
Q18. Can I post a message to CIRCLIST without going to the website:
A18. Yes, if you are a registered and approved member of CIRCLIST, send email to: CIRCLIST@googlegroups.com All members of CIRCLIST will receive your posting either via email, daily digest, or read it online.
Q19. If GoogleGroups.com is a commercial company who pays for their service?
A19. It’s paid for by advertising.
Q20. Uh-oh! Does that mean our mailboxes will be filled with advertising e-mail?
A20. Certainly not. GoogleGroups.com pledges not to use your e-mail address for any purpose other than to forward mailing lists to which you have subscribed. They will not pass on your e-mail address to third parties. Please, if you have any doubts, check them out for yourself.
Q21. So where do the ads come in?
A21. At the end of each posting that they forward they add a three-line tag advertising their own services. That’s all you’ll see. I think it’s a small price to pay for a "free" service.
Q22. Advertising their own services isn’t going to make a lot of money. How do they stay in business?
A22. They run ads on the various pages of their Web site.
Q23. Whoa! Slow down. What Web site? Do you mean the CIRCLIST Web site?
A23. No. I mean GoogleGroups.com’s Web site (http://www.GoogleGroups.com) . David maintains the CIRCLIST website at http://www.circlist.com . The two are totally different.
Q24. Is GoogleGroups.com’s Web site likely to be of any interest to me?
A24. You’re under no obligation to visit it. Your membership of CIRCLIST will run just fine by e-mail if that’s all you want. However, do you remember that I told you that the list server automatically generates a digest each night of the previous day’s messages? Well, those digests are archived away and if you want to you can go back and read them.
Q25. Can anyone read the archived digests?
A25. Only members of a particular mailing list (incidentally, GoogleGroups.com calls a mailing list a "community") can access its special area on the GoogleGroups.com Web server. I’ll explain. GoogleGroups.com communities can be either open or restricted. An open community is freely readable by anyone but in order to post to it you have to be a member. Our community falls into the restricted category. This means that membership must be authorized by a "moderator" and it means that only members can read the archived digests by registering their e-mail address and a password first.
Q26. How do I register with the GoogleGroups.com Web site?
A26. Go to http://www.GoogleGroups.com and following the onscreen instructions, or go directly to our page on GoogleGroups at http://groups-beta.google.com/group/CIRCLIST.
Q27. Is there any point in going to all that trouble?
A27. You’re under no obligation. If you’re happy reading and contributing to the list via e-mail, that’s fine. You’ll get all the messages and you won’t miss out on anything. The Web service is an extension to the mailing list, not a replacement for it.
Q28. Does the GoogleGroups.com Web server give us any Web space of our own?
A28. In a round about way, yes it does. See the answer to question 33.
Q29. Apart from allowing us to browse through the archived digests is there anything else on offer?
A29. There are special pages that only moderators can access so they can manage their lists.
Q30. Well, bully for them! What about us mere mortals?
A30. You can manage your subscriptions if you like. You can switch between normal and digest mode by clicking instead of by e-mail. You can post a message to the list instead of mailing it in. But really, you can’t do much that you can’t do via e-mail.
Q31. Is there *anything* you can do via the GoogleGroups.com Web site that you can’t do by e-mail?
A31. Well, as a member can have a profile which allows you to state your year of birth, your home town, your sex, your occupation and your interests chosen from a dozen or so pre-set options. I’ve completed mine but as it doesn’t allow you to specify your circumcision status it really isn’t much use for us.
Q32. Anything else?
A32. The GoogleGroups.com Web server allows us a small amount of storage space. It amounts to 5MB for each community and all CircList members can access it.
Q33. 5MB, eh? Could be useful. What’s this storage space called and could we store Web pages or JPEGs there? Do outsiders have access?
A33. It could be useful and I’m open to suggestions as to how to make best use of it. It’s called the "shared file area" which means that it’s shared amongst the members of our community. Outsiders don’t have access. We could store JPEGs, HTML files or any kind of file there and members could retrieve them with their Web browsers.
Q34. Is this shared file area available to those members who don’t want to be bothered with Web browsers and are happy reading and contributing via e-mail?
A34. Not directly. One suggested use for the shared file area is that it could contain FAQs or other information files which are sent out to all members on a regular basis - say once a month. If used that way e-mail-only members would of course receive the files each month.
Q35. What news of the CIRCLIST Web site, http://www.circlist.com ?
A35. David and Vernon have been very busy with it. It’s now back on-line but the download area is not yet available.
Q36. What about the ftp archive? What was the address again?
A36. It is not available on line at present, but we would love to find someone to host it free for us.
Q53. Any other no-nos?
A53. We are NOT a pornographic list. Obviously, because of the nature of the subject the penis will feature prominently but a scanned picture that is posted to illustrate an interesting color change at the scar really need only show that. It doesn’t need to include the rest of the orgy that happens to be taking place in the photograph. Please crop the pictures carefully and be especially careful when children are involved. Just show the organ in question and crop out the rest.
Q54. What if I’m not sure?
A54. If you’re not sure, then please don’t post. Send a private e-mail to David or Vernon.
Q55. Are there any other points?
A55. Just apply the usual rules of netiquette when posting. Please don’t post HTML. A number of e-mail agents these days come pre-configured to send e-mails as HTML by default and it’s a big nuisance. One of the more popular ones configured this way is Microsoft Outlook Express so please turn it off. Try to avoid excessive quoting and try to post something worthwhile. Quoting the whole of a thirty-line posting and adding "I agree" at the end is bad on both counts. If you’re following up someone else’s posting edit out the unnecessary bits but don’t change the sense of what the person originally said. All this is pretty much common sense and it ought to be second nature to anyone with a bit of Internet experience. Finally, above all: enjoy the list!
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