Q. How long has this List been around?

A: This List has been around April of 1996. WOW!!

Q. How do I post messages to this List?

A: To post message to the list, address them to: woodcarver@six.pairlist.net

Q: Is this Listserve Free?

A: Yes, it is free. There are no subscription fees. In keeping with the tradition on the internet of free access to information, anyone will be allowed to access this list without charge.

However, in keeping with the principle of good management, this List needs to pay for itself. There are costs involved in securing internet access and the services of an ISP, and the list owner needs to have some of his time reimbursed so he can continue to manage and upgrade the list over time.

So we are asking all list subscribers for a voluntary donation, on a yearly basis, kind of like what the Public Broadcasting System (PBS) does in the U.S.A. during its funding drives. The recommended donation for each subscriber, on a yearly basis is $25.

See the Woodcarver Mailing List home page for full details on how to send in your donation.

See the Woodcarver Mailing List Supporters page for a list of current supporters.

Q: What do I get for this donation?

A: You get 365 days/year access to the list. Averaging about 25 messages each day, that works out to 9,125 messages per year. That also works out to under 7 cents/day for access to the nearly 600 online woodcarvers who are subscribed to the list.

You also get the list in TWO FLAVORS... regular or digest. The REGULARt (subscribe here) gives you all the daily messages individually as they come to the list. The DIGEST version mails out the messages in a large document called a digest, containing up to 40,000 characters of list messages.

Best of all, you gain access to a thriving, vibrant, imaginative and friendly community of carvers whose combined experience is impossible to measure. Many of these carver/subscribers will become friends over time. You cannot put a price on that!

Q: How do I make my donation?

A: Go to the Woodc@rver Mailing List home page for this information.

Q: Who owns this list?

A: By "ownership", we mean who operates and maintains this list, and who has the password to the configuration files for the list. That person is:

W.F. (Bill) Judt
46 Harvard Crescent,
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan,
Canada
S7H 3R1

But the list is really owned by its membership. Without member/subscribers, this list is nothing.

Q: What happens if I cannot afford to contribute?

A: Not everyone can afford to contribute. If you are one of these individuals, then please feel free to enjoy the list without charge. Someday, perhaps, you will be able to repay this free access by passing on the favor to someone else.

Q: What do I do if I go on holidays? I don't want hundreds of messages piled up in my mailbox when I return.

A: Simply unsubscribe from the list. You can subscribe when you return from holidays.

Q: What advantage does the digest have over the regular list?

A: It reduces the number of messages you receive in your mailbox from the list. Instead of an average of 25 messages each day, you might get one or two digests each day, depending on list activity.
You can also more easily export the digest contents to a word processor for editing and archiving.

Q: What disadvantages are there to the digest version?

A: One big disadvantage is that you have to copy and paste in order to reply to messages you read in the digest. That makes it a little harder to respond to individual messages.

Q: What common mistakes do people make on the list?

A: This is a BIG one ;-)
Let's take them in order of most frequent appearance.

1. People sometimes make the mistake of SENDING PRIVATE REPLIES TO THE LIST where they are available for everyone to read. This is terribly embarrassing at times.
How do people do this? Well, it seems they click the "reply to" button without checking the email address to which the message will be sent.
On the list, the "reply to" button AUTOMATICALLY sends the message to "woodcarver@six.pairlist.net" which is the list mailing address. To direct your message to an individual, you must substitute the LIST address with the address of your intended receiver.

2. Some people tend to use the list to CHAT WITH THEIR FRIENDS. This is OK to a certain extend, as it helps build community and friendship on the list. But CHAT really belongs to private conversation. Email your friends directly, and keep your CHAT off the list unless there is a good reason to have everyone read your message.

3. People forget to CHANGE THE SUBJECT LINE in their messages when they are changing the subject of their messages. The subject header should always reflect the content of your messages.

4. Sometimes people LOSE THEIR TEMPERS on the list, and "flame" someone else for comments they have made or silly things they have done. FLAMING IS A NO-NO. The reason is that immediately after you have flamed someone, you will certainly make a mistake at least as bad as the person who bore the brunt of your disapproval only a short time earlier. This will put you in an uncomfortable position, for sure. <grin>

5. People sometimes interact with the mailing list using MORE THAN ONE EMAIL ADDRESS. This happens most often because people access the mailing list from their workplace, where an outgoing email address and an incoming email address are required for EACH person in the workplace, for security reasons.
Smartlist (the automated listserve software program that runs the list) is particularly fussy about people having two email addresses. It will only receive and send messages to and from EMAIL ADDRESSES THAT ARE SUBSCRIBED.
If you subscribe to the list as:
joeblow@windy.net
and then try to send messages to the list from a second email address, say:
joeblow@mail.windy.net
...Smartlist (the LIST) will reject your message as coming from an unsubscribed address, and then BOUNCE it to the list owner, who then has to take time out of his busy schedule to explain to you that you are using two email addresses to interact with the mailing list. Whew!!!

6. People forget to TRIM their messages of repetitive headers/footers/signatures, and to remove unnecessary "quotes" of previous messages. One's messages should always be compact and efficient when one is interacting with a mailing List.

Q: My messages don't reach the list?

A: That's because you have either:

1. Not yet subscribed to the list.

2. You are subscribed but are sending messages to the list from an UNSUBSCRIBED email address (see above).

3. You were subscribed, but the list was unable to deliver the messages to your email address, became frustrated (as much as computers can get frustrated, that is) and placed your email address on a "bounces" list, where it will sit forever until you contact the list owner for help. The "bounces" list is like PURGATORY... where your email address is neither alive nor dead. Your email address ends up there so Majordomo does not have to endlessly keep on trying to send email to an address that is unable to receive it, for whatever reason.
Many AOL subscribers experience this problem because their tiny mailboxes fill quickly, and then email from the list is refused.

Q: I get messages from the list but cannot send messages to the list?

A: This is much like the previous problem. Check and make sure your outgoing email address is EXACTLY THE SAME as your subscribed address. If you are in doubt, contact the list owner for assistance. He can check to see what email address you used for subscription and help you get things straightened out. That is what your donation pays for ;-)

Q: I cannot unsubscribe, and am getting inundated with unwanted mail?

A: Don't panic. You either forgot how to unsubscribe, or are trying to unsubscribe an address that is not on the list of subscribers. Probably, you are trying to unsubscribe:

joeblow@windy.net
when you are, in fact, subscribed as:
joeblow@mail.windy.net

You cannot unsubscribe an address except the one you originally subscribed. However, if you are DESPARATE, and cannot figure out how to get OFF the list email me (the List Owner).

Q: May I attach images to my messages so others can see my (excellent) work?

A: No, no, no, no,... and again we say NO!!!

Images clog up the mailing list like nothing else, since their files are so large. And few people wish to wait 5 or 10 minutes for your large (and unsolicited) image to download.

The best way to let people see pictures of your work is to create a web page, where the images will be stored, and then send the URL for this page to your friends on the mailing list. This allows them to visit your page at their convenience, allowing other subscribers on the list to ignore your message if they wish.

Q: May I use the content of messages (or portions thereof) found on the list for newsletters, article and the like?

A: Not without first OBTAINING PERMISSION from the original author. Some people are pretty fussy about having their words used (misused) in other contexts. It is a very simple matter to email the person whose words you wish to quote or reprint, asking permission to do this. Usually, permission is granted, but sometime it is denied. Please respect the wishes of the original author. That is the courteous thing to do.

Q: May I use the list to promote my business?

A: If you operate a woodcarving related business, and see the list as an oportunity to promote your business, then you are COMPLETELY NORMAL :-)

Nevertheless, you must be careful to respect the wishes of subscribers to enjoy the list relatively free of advertising intrusions. If you step over the line of what is reasonable and courteous, the list subscribers will let you know quickly and pointedly.
On the other hand, if you are wise and discerning in the way you use the list, you will gain the respect of the people who interact with you and your company on the list. Business reputations are enhanced or damaged depending on the choices you make. If in doubt, ask the members of the list what they would prefer.

The best alternative here is to send your ANNOUNCEMENT to the List Owner who can then send your announcement to the List on your behalf.