Please remember that this service is not peculiar to RSARS in that there are no restrictions as to who can join and send and receive messages: neither is the traffic moderated.
If the List Server cannot, for any reason, deliver a message to a subscriber, then that subscriber is automatically removed from the list. (See below for details of how to subscribe.) This is done so that people sending messages to the list do not now get error messages from others whose mailboxes are not working. (This always irritates someone.)
Typical reasons for mailboxes not working are: mail box full, Internet connectivity failure, recipient's mail server offline, recipient's mailbox non-existent, a user (having changed his ISP) not re-subscribing under the address of his new one etc. Experience has shown that mailboxes are not automatically removed very often, typically about one every month or so.If you find you are not receiving mail, check that you are still on the list by re-subscribing as shown below. The list isn't that busy, but there is normally at least one message per week.
Many subscribers DO get concerned when there appears to be a dearth of traffic and unfortunately begin to send "TEST" messages - all this serves to do is to annoy most of the other users (if not all of them) - the way to allay your fears that you may have been removed or that things are not working as they should is to follow the subscribing procedure: if you are already on the list you will be told so automatically by the List Server (which is a computer and not, as one member thought, an individual human), if not subscribed then the automatic joining procedure follows. So if you don't receive anything from the list for several days, don't become too concerned but take minimal action. As for the method of subscribing (or checking if you are already subscribed) to the list - here's what to do:-
- If you wish to join or check if you are on the mailing list:-
1. First check that your e-mail program is configured correctly to the extent that the "From:" field in your outgoing mail contains your correct e-mail address and that you are able to receive messages from this address. (Most e-mail programs do this automatically, but if registration fails, then it is worth the scrutiny).
2. Then send a message to:-
members-request@rsars.org.uk
with the word 'join' (without the quotes) in the text of the message. (You do not have to include a subject). The server (no human is involved) will then respond within seconds:-
(A) If you are already subscribed, ie listed and receiving all messages sent to the subscribers - with a message telling you that it is "sorry but you are already on the list"
or
(B) If you are not listed and thus receiving no messages sent to the subscribers - with two simultaneous messages.
One has the subject of "Welcome to the members@rsars.org.uk list" and contains useful information.
The other has the subject "Please activate your list membership". This second message contains instructions on how to activate your listing.3. Follow the instructions in the second message. It will ask you to send a message to:-
members-request@rsars.org.uk
with, typically, the single line "activate jim@milnet.uk.net 1234" where 1234 is a random four-figure number. This is known as the "cookie". If you do not follow the instructions in this second message, you will not be subscribed to the list, and will receive no messages from it. When the server receives the "cookie" back, it responds with a message with subject "DLIST: Command processing log" which indicates successful activation. - To leave the list please send
a message to members-request@rsars.org.uk with the single word LEAVE in the body
of the message
- To obtain further information by e-mail, send a message to members-request@rsars.org.uk with the single word HELP in the text.
Once you are subscribed to the mailing list you will automatically receive the circulating traffic on that list. If you wish to email the whole of the subscribers to a list simultaneously (and please do not send them a "Test" message) then address your messages to:-
These instructions and procedures might seem long-winded, but are designed to keep the administration of the list as easy as possible. The "cookie" second message is required so that only known humans can join, not Internet robots!
PLEASE NOTE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO ADDRESSES ABOVE (members-request@rsars.org.uk and members@rsars.org.uk). Sending a TEST/JOIN/LEAVE/HELP message to the latter means that ALL SUBSCRIBERS (in excess of 150) will receive your cryptic one-word message and it will not achieve the desired end in the latter three cases!
Please note that sending "join" to members@rsars.org.uk only indicates to all members of the list that you do not understand how to join!!
Sometimes if you perform a "Reply to" action (if your e-mailing composition supports this) to a message received by you which was sent to the whole of the subscribers on a list, your reply may go to all those subscribers: please therefore use your discretion and reply direct to an individual where this is warranted and would be preferable. Your software Options may enable you by default to reply automatically only to the individual sender with the alternative of taking a positive step to reply to the group where the subject matter warrants it. Care on your part will enhance the day-to-day working of the system.
As the RSARS CALL BOOK (first published in 1999) inevitably goes out of date between re-issues you can obtain a list of Members who have specifically asked that it be known that they are available via e-mail on request AT ANY TIME (either as hard copy printout or as an emailed text file) from the Webmaster although this is by no means a list of all the subscribers nor is it kept up-to-date by contributors!
EASYMAIL is something entirely different from the E-mail List Server: it is purely a list of members (and their e-mail addresses) who wish to be listed on it: it is created in hypertext so that clicking on the member's callsign brings up your own mail composition window and you are thus immediately ready to write a message to that member.
A tip regarding the EASYMAIL facility as a local source of E-mail addresses:- If you download the page from this website (easymail.htm), anticipating seeing the equivalent
of the Editor's E-mailers' List and "save as" decoded ascii or .txt format you will be disappointed.
If you "Save as" .htm format and then open the same in your Browser, off line, you will be able to chose from the VIEW item on your top menu bar "Source" and will see the HTML language from which you can abstract by copy/paste or other means the Members' E-mail addresses and transfer them into your own Address Book if that is your preference.
Even this is a tortuous way having regard to the complexity of HTML and its tags and attributes etc. so the nifty trick is to RIGHT-click on a Member's callsign on the page (saved to your hard drive and used off-line): your drop-down Menu will then give you the opportunity to "Copy Link" which you can then paste into your Address book - accuracy is of course guaranteed this way - no slip-ups with missing fullstops, hyphens etc. - do a manual removal or a "replace" of the "mailto:" element of course.