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Archiver > OHMERCER > 1999-05 > 0927499584


From: Wally Garchow <>
Subject: [OHMERCER-L] ListAdmin message - subjects
Date: Sun, 23 May 1999 15:46:24 -0700


Please, let's not have a WAR on this list about this topic. We already had
one elsewhere (-many- elsewheres) <grin>. No one in actually forcing you to
comply with Diane's message. But....

If you are new to the Internet and messaging, you should know that good
Netiquette REQUIRES what Diane suggests. It is the most basic rule of
messaging - ALWAYS make your subject line reflect the actual content of your
message. I have not yet seen any modern message software that does not
permit you to change, when necessary, the subject line. In genealogy, with
so many lists and messages flying around, good subject lines make all the
difference. Old-timers to messaging mostly read subject lines to determine
whether they even open a message or not. They won't open it if they don't
see a surname of interest. Posters who DON'T CHANGE subject lines -may- be
missing the contact they most desperately desire.

Also in respect to genealogical messaging, surnames are more important than
a subject like "looking for information" or "lookup request". Put the
surname in which you are interested in the subject field. People can read
in your message that you want a lookup or other information. Genealogy is
the second largest user/topic of Internet resources and good subject lines
mean better-focussed genealogy.

For example,

If someone posts a message about "Marriage Lookups", that subject line is
appropriate for that message since no surnmes are involved (but I would
remind you that there is also a LookUps page which list volunteers to
perform looksups in most of the publicaitions fot he Mercer Co. Genealogical
Society!).

http://www.rootsweb.com/~ohmercer/lookups.htm

But if you want to reply to the message and have a lookup made, please
CHANGE the subject to the surname of your interest and quote back enough of
the original message for reference.

>From the Message Archives point of view, it is critical that subjects
reflect the message content. In the Threaded Archives, messages are sorted
by the content of the subject lines. That could mean that all requests for
lookups will be strung together without any regard to which message was or
was not answered and EVERY post will have to be read to find out - a serious
waste of busy genealogists' time. Not keeping subject lines current with
the actual subject of a message defeats the purpose of Threaded Archives.

If you start a new 'thread' by changing the subject to your surname(s) of
interest, that message jumps up in the Archives hierarchy to be seen as an
individual message and it might spawn more surname-specific responses. If
you have never visited the Threaded Archives, point your browser at:

http://archiver.rootsweb.com/archives/OHMERCER-L

You may be pushed back to a 'create new account' page as you need to
register as a user with your name and password (-any- name and -any-
password). This feature is to prevent those who harvest e-mail addresses
from having automatic access to the files. For this system to work you
should accept cookies while you are using these Archives. Take a look at
what happens when the subject line is not changed as it should be.......

You help more than just yourself when you CHANGE subjects lines routinely.
Clicking reply is only the first step in preparing your message to post to
the list. The second step should be CHANGING that subject line.....

....please.........??????

At 11:07 5/23/1999 EDT, DianeG wrote:
>
>PLEASE folks, could you remember to write in the CORRECT SUBJECT for
>the e-mails you are sending to the lists...we try to do the best we can for
>you
>but it really helps to keep this in mind, especially when you are requesting
>help on research. Cheers, Diane G.
>
>

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