Posting to the List

Once you are subscribed, you can post to the list by sending email to

twins-l@usc.edu

While we have several guidelines which make our list run more smoothly, we have just one rule for submissions:

Messages must be in plain text.
A filter will stop messages in styled text (HTML, Rich Text Format, or other MIME encoded files) from being sent to the list. Most of the list members will not be able to view any special formatting you add; in fact, your message may come out completely unreadable in most email readers. If you're not sure how to switch your mail format to plain text, please check this site: http://www.expita.com/nomime.html.
Another good reference site is http://helpdesk.rootsweb.com/listadmins/plaintext.html.

The following are guidelines only:

• When you are following up a post, please summarize the parts of the message to which you are responding, or cite only the relevant material from the original post. It is rarely necessary (or appreciated) to re-post the entire mail message.

• When posting to the entire list, try to limit discussions that are not of general interest. For example, if someone requests information on doctors in a specific area, mail replies directly to that person and not to the entire list. If such a specific-interest request has been made and you would like to be included, send mail to the requestor asking for any responses to be forwarded. Finally, if a large number of these requests are received, the original poster can summarize all of the responses to the entire list.

• Members should remember that other members may be anybody from a nanny to a grandma to a mother or father. Members are discouraged from posting messages of an adult nature, realizing that the nature and character of the discussions may necessitate such posts. When possible an appropriate warning should be included. Links to adult humor should also carry a warning.

• Grammie always said, "If you can't say something nice, then say nothing at all." The net is a big place with many different views, and differences of opinion will occur. If you feel yourself warming up your flame-thrower, wait a while before you respond.

  The fact that these exchanges occur over computer networks can sometimes cause confusion and misunderstandings. As a result, a netiquette FAQ has been compiled by members of the twins mailing list and is available at:
  

  http://www.twinslist.org/Netiquet.htm

  Please read and follow these guidelines when posting to the list.

• If you feel that someone on the list has directed abusive email to you (either privately or publicly on the list), please forward the message with explanatory comments to the list administrators at twins-L-request@listproc.usc.edu. If you feel the need to respond directly to the sender of abusive email, please respond privately to the person who has bothered you and spare the list from a possible flame war.

• Please do not post business messages on the list. If you have a twin-related business which you think would be of general interest, contact twinfaqs@yahoo.com for inclusion in the online resource guide.

Disclaimers

This list is meant for informal discussions. It may not be used for commercial purposes nor should it be used as a replacement for your doctor. The list administrators do not assume any responsibility for message content nor does the University of Southern California.

While the list administrators will need to be pushed to extreme limits before doing so, they reserve the right to deny access to the list to abusive users.

This list is administered via twins-l-request@usc.edu. Please send email there if you encounter any problems not addressed in this document.