23 March 2005


MDOsprey Rules and Guidelines


A.  Formatting Guidelines:

 1. Send replies either to the list or to the sender but not to
both.  
    The default with MDOsprey is that replies go to the sender only.

 2. Make sure the time and date are set correctly on your computer.

 3. Turn off e-mail features (like VCards) that create attachments.

 4. Use ASCII text and keep your line length to 70 characters or
less.

 5. Messages sent to MDOsprey in html-only mode will be rejected.

 6. Append a short signature block with your name, location, and 
    e-mail address at the end of each posting.  ***

 7. Quote original text sparingly in your replies.  ***

 8. Avoid using tabs or other non-ASCII characters as they might not

    display properly on other computers.

 9. If you use an "out-of-office" message on your e-mail, please set

    MDOsprey to NOMAIL before you turn on the message.

10. Take your time when composing a message to MDOsprey.  Use proper

    grammar, spelling, and punctuation.

11. DON'T SHOUT AT PEOPLE!.

12. Include full URLs when posting them, as in
<http://www.mdosprey.org/> 
    rather than mdosprey.org.

13. Surround URLs with angle-brackets.

14. Don't send e-mail attachments to MDOsprey.



B.  Content Guidelines:

 1. Stick to the list subject matter--no religious, political, or
other 
    discussions outside the charter of MDOsprey.  ***

 2. Consult the list archives before posting a question. This is
also a 
    good way to become familiar with a list's acceptable topics.
***

 3. Make an effort to create meaningful subject lines.  If you
respond to 
    a previous post and change the subject in your posting, change
the 
    subject line to reflect that.

 4. If you wish to post a commercial message or announcement of
hearings, 
    exhibits, or other functions, check first with the list owners
for 
    permission.  Bird club field trip announcements are not subject
to 
    this restriction.

 5. Never send UNSUBSCRIBE or other LISTSERV commands to the list
(see 
    C.3, below).

 6. Send messages with little or no substance ("Congratulations",
"Attagirl!", 
    "Nice posting", "Thanks", e.g.) to the individual and not to the
list.  ***

 7. If you use information not your own in your posting, give proper
credit.

 8. Do not forward copyrighted material to the list unless you have
per-
    mission to do so.

 9. If you must flame, do it in private.

10. ALL of the states surrounding Maryland have birding discussion
lists.  
    We're glad you had a great weekend in Delaware but please post
it to 
    the DE-BIRDS list and not MDOsprey.  For addresses of other
state-
    specific birding lists see: 
    <http://americanbirding.org/abalinks/linkspage5b.htm>.  ***

11. If a rare bird shows up in a neighboring state, post the news
ONCE 
    to MDOsprey, along with information on which list to visit for
further 
    details.  ***

12. Don't cross-post--take the time to split your large,
all-inclusive 
    message into smaller messages that are relevant to each list
posted to.  ***

13. Want information on that newest birding guide to Gandwanaland?
Consider 
    searching for it on the American Birding Association site or at
the 
    Buteo Books site.  If you must ask for input, please ask that
responses 
    be sent to you off the list.  ***

14. If your posting doesn't immediately show up on the list, be
patient.  
    Check the MDOsprey archives to see if it did indeed make it to
the list.  
    If not, wait at least 6 hours before re-posting--delays are
sometimes 
    unavoidable.  ***

15. Please, please, please keep it civil.


C.  Getting Help:

 1. You received two e-mails when you subscribed to MDOsprey.  The
first 
    contained technical information about LISTSERV commands.  Read
this and 
    save it.  The second is a MDOsprey-oriented introduction and
welcoming 
    message.  Read this and save it.

2. A LISTSERV Users Guide is at: 
   <http://www.lsoft.com/manuals/1.8e/user/user.pdf>.

3. Send your requests for list assistance to
  
   Try to be as explicit about the problem you are experiencing as
possible or 
   as detailed as possible about what you need help with.  The more
you tell us, 
   the easier it will be to fix problems or clear up confusions. 



Do you think we've gone overboard with our rules?  Believe it or
not, we began 
MDOsprey with only a short set of guidelines.  Since then, all of
these items 
have been at issue at one time or another, some worse than others.
Those marked 
with '***' are perennial problem areas.  If you would like to
discuss one or more 
of these guidelines, please send us your comments off the list.

Many new subscribers see MDOsprey as a public utility, but you have
to keep in 
mind that it really isn't that, nor is it a democracy.  Respect the
list, the 
list subscribers, and the list owners.  Live by the rules, and we'll
have one 
of the best birding lists in the country to show for it!

Thank you!


Norm & Fran Saunders
MDOsprey List Owners

MDOsprey Guidelines		23 March 2005