[Paddlewise] Rules and a tirade - from the list admin

As I close in, or possibly pass the first anniversary of my tenure as
list admin I feel a need to share some rules and expectations.  Plus I
want to tirade ;-)  Traffic also subsided a bit.

For posting: stay on topic and stay civil.  Virtually everyone has done a
great job of this.  Thanks.  (I think I finally shot the car maintanance thread)

Don't forward virus warnings or chain letters to the list.

Don't post copyrighted material post a link to the material.  Doing so
creates a lot of work for me to get the material expunged from the list.

No commercial posts.  Try to avoid pushing the limits, I've got better
things to do than proof read posts.

No forwarding/reusing/publishing paddlewise posts outside of paddlewise
without the permission of the original author.  Doing so is grounds for
joining the list of banned participants.

All attachments get removed by the mailing list software, don't bother
trying to send pictures, post a link to any pictures you want to share.

Edit your posts.  I've gotten some grumbles on the requirement that
people edit their posts.  Some people have been under the impression that
they have to remove all previous comments.  My request is that people
keep the portions of the previous post that they are replying to so that
people can understand what they are talking about.  Personally I like to
see what you are replying to immediately before your reply.  That way if
you have comments on multiple portions of someone elses post we can read
each section you are replying to as you get to it.  Unedited posts get
forwarded to me.  If I'm in a good mood, and have time, I edit them and
forward them to the list.  New subscribers get them back.  If I think
the unedited post doesn't add anything to the discussion, or it's too
hard to figure out the quoting, I'm likely to just delete the message.

If you decide to use a vacation notice when you are out PLEASE use one
that only notifies an email address once while you are away.  If I get
reports that someone is using one of the inept vacation notifications
that reply to every email I will bounce your subscription.  

Bouncing a subscription consists of unsubscribing you from paddlewise and
subscribing you to a bounces list.  When on the bounces list you will be
notified once a day, for about a week, that you've been unsubscribed. 
You will need to resubscribe on your own.

Now for my tirade ;-)  Some ISPs appear to have hired chimpanzees for
support staff.  I consider it the responsibility of each subscriber of
the mailing list to use an ISP that is capable of receiving email.  If
there is a problem with an ISP I consider it the responsibility of the
subscriber to work out any issues with their ISP.  I'm quite willing to
assist if there is an issue, I've learned a tidbit or two about email,
and can do my best to point people in the right direction (sometimes done
as providing the text to send to support).  I can't guarantee success,
refer back to my comment about chimpanzees...

I don't like getting bounce messages.  Ideally I would not get any bounce
messages.  If I get "user unknown" bounces I will bounce your
subscription.  For addresses that I _know_ are real, contributors have an
advantage here, I will usually wait a day or try and contact you
directly.  With the frequency of screwed up ISPs I should give more
leeway, but I don't have the time or interest, right now I'm getting a
bounce for every post made in the last 10 days to several subscribers at
adelphia (and it's a screw up at adelphia).  

If I get "Out of space" bounces I will usually wait about 10 posts - for
hotmail subscribers I show no mercy and they get bounced immediately -
hotmail has messed up too many times to be an acceptable ISP.  I've
started greeting new hotmail based subscribers with the suggestion to
change ISPs :-)  

Finally if a subscriber uses an ISP/configuration that causes me to get
bounce messages, it is the subscribers responsibility to make the bounce
messages stop.  After a few messages about making the bounces stop I will
unsubscribe the user.  I don't like doing that but I've got better things
to do than read unjustified bounces.  That may seem harsh but with 1200+
subscribers (I run 3 lists) extraneous email can add up fast.

owner-paddlewise_at_paddlewise.net is a guaranteed way to get to me.  I've
been through a few email addresses in the recent past.

Have a lovely day.

Kirk
The apparently grumpy paddlewise admin.
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