Frequently Asked Questions about the JSFG E-mail Mailing List
(jsfg_cinti@freelists.org)
The Questions:
Q: What is an e-mail mailing list?
Q: What can a mailing list be used for?
Q: How do mailing lists work?
Q: What's a "post"?
Q: What's a "flame"?
Q: What's a "moderator"?
Q: How can I join (or subscribe to) the JSFG E-mail Mailing List?
Q: Can I use more than one e-mail address with the JSFG E-mail Mailing List?
Q: How do I post to the JSFG E-mail Mailing List?
Q: What kind of material is appropriate to post to the JSFG E-mail Mailing List?
Q: Can I send files (attachments) to the list?
Q: Is there an archive of the JSFG E-mail Mailing List?
Q: What should I do if I receive SPAM?
Q: What should I do if someone on a list is bothering me?
Q: What's "Vacation" mode?
Q: What's "Digest" mode?
Q: How do I quit (or unsubscribe from) the JSFG E-mail Mailing List?
Q: Do I have to unsubscribe every e-mail address with which I have subscribed to the JSFG E-mail Mailing List?
The Answers:
Q: What is an e-mail mailing list?
A: An e-mail mailing list is a mechanism for exchanging information with a
large number of people by means of e-mail. People who wish to exchange information
with each other add their e-mail addresses to a list of e-mail addresses that is
maintained by mailing list manager software. The mailing list manager software
then facilitates the exchange of e-mails between the people whose addresses are
on the list.
When a member of the list wants to send an e-mail to all of the other people on
the list, he simply sends an e-mail to the mailing list manager software, which has
its own special e-mail address. The mailing list manager software then relays his
e-mail to all of the e-mail addresses on the list.
Mailing lists are used by people who share a common interest which is the topic of
the list. In other words, it's a discussion group. The JSFG E-mail Mailing List allows
everyone who has subscribed to the list (usually members of the JSFG or potential
employers) to exchange job tips and other information on the job search process via
e-mail.
Back to The Questions
Q: What can a mailing list be used for?
A: In general, mailing lists can be used for discussions about anything you
want! Mailing lists are discussion forums with the added convenience that not
everyone has to be present at the same time.
The JSFG E-mail Mailing List is used for communications between JSFG members
and others (such as potential employers). It is a great way for everyone on the
list to stay informed of what's going on at JSFG when you can't make it to the
meetings or even after you've returned to the workforce.
Back to The Questions
Q: How do mailing lists work?
A: That's a simple question with a complicated answer. Here's the basic
idea: A list of subscriber e-mail addresses is stored on the server. Mailing
list manager software accepts e-mails from subscribers and is programmed to
take appropriate action depending on the content of the e-mail. Each
incoming e-mail is checked according to certain list parameters, where it
may be refused (depending on how the moderator has configured the list) or
accepted and then relayed on to every member of the list of subscribers.
Also, each subscriber has a list of flags (see
FreeLists.org Flag List
for details) associated with his e-mail address that determines how the mailing
list software delivers the incoming e-mail to him.
Back to The Questions
Q: What's a "post"?
A: A "post" is an e-mail sent to the mailing list.
Back to The Questions
Q: What's a "flame"?
A: A "flame" is an insult sent between users on a list.
Generally, it's due to one list user posting a message that another list
user considers to be a "dumb question". The second list user
responds by posting cruel or inflammatory remarks. This usually results
in an exchange of rude and insulting messages. Flaming is discourteous
and foolish. DON'T DO IT!!!
Back to The Questions
Q: What's a "moderator"?
A: The "moderator" is the owner/operator of the list. He controls
all the configuration details of the list, and can manually subscribe and
unsubscribe users. If you have any questions about the list, you should
contact him.
The JSFG E-mail Mailing List moderator is the JSFG Computer Committee
Chairperson. See the
JSFG Officers and Committee Chairpersons
webpage for contact information. You should also be able to contact the moderator
by mailing
jsfg_cinti-owner@freelists.org.
Back to The Questions
Q: How can I join (or subscribe to) the JSFG E-mail Mailing List?
A: You can subscribe to the list in two ways:
Easiest Method: Go to the
JSFG E-mail Mailing List Subscription Entry
webpage and follow the instructions you find there.
Alternate Method: Send an e-mail to
jsfg_cinti-request@freelists.org
and put "subscribe" (without the quotes) in the Subject line of
the e-mail.
Back to The Questions
Q: Can I use more than one e-mail address with the JSFG E-mail Mailing List?
A: Yes, you can use more than one e-mail address with the JSFG E-mail
Mailing List. But each e-mail address must be subscribed to the list by
means of the subscription procedure. The JSFG E-mail Mailing List cannot
read your mind and subscribing just one of your e-mail addresses will not
result in all of your e-mail addresses being "automagically" subscribed to
the list.
Please note that if you use more than one e-mail address with the list, you
will receive all of the postings from the mailing list at each of the e-mail
addresses you have subscribed to the list. This may be more of a nuisance
than a benefit and the JSFG therefore advises against subscribing to the
mailing list with more than one e-mail address.
Back to The Questions
Q: How do I post to the JSFG E-mail Mailing List?
A: Simply send an e-mail to
jsfg_cinti@freelists.org .
Assuming you're allowed to post to the list (i.e., you are a subscriber and
have not been banned) your e-mail will be sent to everyone on the list,
including you. If this doesn't work, you should contact the list moderator
whose contact information is given above.
Back to The Questions
Q: What kind of material is appropriate to post to the JSFG E-mail Mailing List?
A: The JSFG E-mail Mailing List is dedicated to sharing information that
is of interest to JSFG members. This includes:
- Job postings
- Other job tips
- Tips on interviewing.
- Advice on resume writing.
- Requests for company contact information.
- Other requests for help with the job search.
- Short quotes from articles about businesses of interest to JSFG members.
- Short quotes from articles about the economy.
- Short quotes from articles about the job market.
- Other information about the job search
Posts on other topics (known as "off-topic posts") are not permitted.
Violators will be warned and then banned from the mailing list if they persist in
such an abuse of the mailing list. Also please use civil (and clean) language appropriate
for polite company. No crude language is permitted. Persons who post e-mails containing
crude language or prurient material will be banned immediately.
In general: keep your post on-topic, don't use any crude or questionable language,
don't flame anyone, and don't ask a question that's answered in this FAQ or elsewhere on
the JSFG website.
Back to The Questions
Q: Can I send files (attachments) to the list?
A: No, the JSFG E-mail Mailing List does not permit the posting of e-mails
with attachments. Sending file attachments to a mailing list is a bad idea.
Even small files (images, for example) take enormous amounts of network resources
in order to send them to every user on the list. Thus, transmission of such
attachments is disabled. The same goes for HTML e-mails too.
Back to The Questions
Q: Is there an archive of the JSFG E-mail Mailing List?
A: Yes, our mailing list service provider (
FreeLists.org
)
maintains a web-based, fully-searchable archive of every
list they host. To view the JSFG E-mail Mailing List archive, please visit
http://www.freelists.org/archives/jsfg_cinti.
Back to The Questions
Q: What should I do if I receive SPAM?
A: If you receive SPAM through the JSFG E-mail Mailing List (usually mail
asking you to go someplace and buy something), you should immediately report
it to the JSFG E-mail Mailing List moderator. He will take the appropriate
action.
Back to The Questions
Q: What should I do if someone on a list is bothering me?
A: If you're being bothered or hassled by someone through the JSFG E-mail
Mailing List, notify the JSFG E-mail Mailing List moderator and he will take the
appropriate action. Often, if it's happening on the list, the moderator will
already be taking the steps necessary to remove the offender.
Back to The Questions
Q: What's "Vacation" mode?
A: Vacation mode is a flag you can set on the JSFG E-mail mailing list.
(see
FreeLists.org Flag List
for details). Normally you will receive e-mail from the mailing list after you begin
your subscription since the default setting of the Vacation flag is off. When you
set the Vacation flag on, you won't receive any e-mails from the mailing list until
you reset the Vacation flag off. And so, you can use the Vacation flag to temporarily
stop delivery of mailing list posts if you don't want to receive e-mail from the list
for an extended time. That way you can avoid having your mailbox filled with postings
from the list when you are away on vacation or otherwise preoccupied.
If you are a subscriber to the list and want to turn vacation mode on, send an e-mail to
jsfg_cinti-request@freelists.org
and put "set vacation" (without the quotes) in the Subject line of
the e-mail.
If you are a subscriber to the list and want to turn vacation mode off, send an e-mail to
jsfg_cinti-request@freelists.org
and put "unset vacation" (without the quotes) in the Subject line of
the e-mail.
Back to The Questions
Q: What's "Digest" mode?
A: Digest mode is a flag that you can set on the JSFG E-mail mailing list.
(see
FreeLists.org Flag List
for details). Normally you will receive individual e-mails for every e-mail that is
posted to the mailing list since the default setting of the Digest mode flag is off.
When the Digest mode flag is set on, you receive only a daily digest of the postings
made to the mailing list. To return to receiving individual e-mails for every
posting made to the mailing list, reset the Digest flag off.
If you want to receive digests of the list, subscribe as above
and then send an e-mail to
jsfg_cinti-request@freelists.org
and put "set digest" (without the quotes) in the Subject line of
the e-mail.
If you want to turn to turn digest mode off, subscribe as above
and then send an e-mail to
jsfg_cinti-request@freelists.org
and put "unset digest" (without the quotes) in the Subject line of
the e-mail.
Back to The Questions
Q: How do I quit (or unsubscribe from) the JSFG E-mail Mailing List?
A: You can unsubscribe from the list in two ways:
Easiest Method: Go to the
JSFG E-mail Mailing List Subscription Entry
webpage and follow the instructions you find there.
Alternate Method: Send an e-mail to
jsfg_cinti-request@freelists.org
and put "unsubscribe" (without the quotes) in the Subject line of
the e-mail.
Back to The Questions
Q: Do I have to unsubscribe every e-mail address with which I have subscribed to the JSFG E-mail Mailing List?
A: No, not necessarily. That is entirely your choice. You may have as
many e-mail addresses subscribed to the JSFG E-mail Mailing List as you wish.
The JSFG advises against having more than one e-mail address subscribed to
the list.
But if you have subscribed to the list with more than one e-mail address
and you wish to completely quit the list, you MUST individually
unsubscribe each and every e-mail address with which you have subscribed
to the list using the instructions above. The JSFG E-mail Mailing List
cannot read your mind and unsubscribing just one of your subscribed e-mail
addresses will NOT result in all of your subscribed
e-mail addresses being "automagically" removed from the mailing list.
Back to The Questions
