[DML] ADMIN: How to use the DMCNews Mailing List

["Dave Swingle" <dswingle@xxxx>]

It's been a long time since we posted this, and many new members have
joined. I can tell from some of the questions being asked that it's time
again. This is a (not so) quick view on how to best use the list and
resources:

Most all of the instructions on utilizing the list are contained on the main
DMCNEWS website at www.dmcnews.com. Here you can find out how to :
----Unsubscribe
----Change your type of delivery (Individual Email, Daily Digest , Daily
Summary (headlines), or "read on the web"). Too many emails? Try the Digest
version.
----How to be a happy list member - the basics
http://www.dmcnews.com/Admin/rules.html
----Who are the moderators? Check us out at
http://www.dmcnews.com/Admin/moderators.htm
----and other cool stuff like photos of list members' cars, a place to buy
and sell DMC stuff, cars for sale, links to the vendors, the FAQ on All
Things DeLorean, and a great technical library.

Another very valuable resource to the list is the main eGroups page at
http://www.egroups.com/group/dmcnews/info.html This is your own access to
your "account" on the mailing list. You may modify your personal
description, change your subscription, and view (and post things like photos
and scans to) the "vault". This is also where the archive of all messages
since last spring are kept. ( We also keep an archive on the web page that
goes back to the beginning of the list in 1995, but updates take longer.)
Your login ID is the same as your subscription email address. If you have
never logged in to this before, hit the "forgot password" link and eGroups
will instantly email you a temporary password that you can then use to log
in, and change to something that you will remember.

Here are the important Posting points:
---No Flaming - on or off line. "Just Be Nice"
---Do your homework. Please read any relevant FAQs or manuals first. Check
the archives.
---Stay on topic. NO chain letters or political endorsements. "The Man, The
Machine, The Company"
---KISS -- Keep It Short and Simple. Trim quoted material, and keep your
signatures short. Messages carrying more than one prior message quote will
probably be rejected.
---Use an appropriate subject. Summarize your post in the subject line.
Descriptive subjects get more attention.
---Use discretion. Post prudently, and send private emails when
appropriate. When you hit "reply" your message will be directed as a post to
the whole list. Please remember to re-address private messages.
---Please do not attempt to post picture files or other attachments to the
list. It may or may not go though, and ends up as hex gibberish in the
digest. Postings are limited to 5Kbyte in an effort to block this. Put
pictures in the vault and reference them.
---Set your email program to submit inline text. HTML or other formatting
trashes up the archives. If we ever figure out how, we'll block it. Don't
know how to do this? See
http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/1236/nomime.html.
---If you are posting something for sale, or otherwise looking for private
answers, put your email ID in the body of the message. eGroups filters out
the last letter of your address in the archives in order to inhibit spam
robots from picking
addresses out of the archives. Mention that last letter separately in your
post.
---Moderators will usually comment rejections. Be sure to look through the
rejection notice and see what you can correct.

As there are 6 moderators, each serving for a week at a time, the moderation
characteristics of the list may vary from week to week. We each have our own
standards, and consider this variation an acceptable quirk of this type of
format. We each have our own schedules in "real life", so some moderators
only moderate during the day, some only at night. The schedule and bursts of
messages will change from week to week.

Topics that are not likely to be posted (there are always exceptions, at the
discretion of the moderator-of-the-week)
----"Me Too" postings
----"I want to buy a Cheap DeLorean" (check the want ads on www.dmcnews.com,
and www.hemmings.com)
----"Back to the Future" items NOT directly related to the car. Please take
this to the BTTF discussion group hosted on eGroups. HINT - log into
eGroups, and search on BTTF.
----"I saw a DeLorean on 45th street - are you here?" postings.
----"Can I borrow your DeLorean for the Prom?" postings.
----Video Game postings after an initial DeLorean sighting

DMCNEWS - the DeLorean Mailing List is not affiliated with or funded by any
commercial enterprise. It is operated by the Moderators. It is funded
through occasional sales of DMCNEWS merchandise and out of the pockets of
the moderators.

Thanks; Dave Swingle for the Team (Mike S, Knut, Mike G, Bruce, Marty).