1.  Please use a subject line in your e-mail messages, and be specific.

2.  It's OK to type your message in upper and lower case.  Although many file names and e-mail addresses are in lower case letters, it really is OK to write your messages using upper and lower case letters, just as you would write a letter.   reading all lower case messages i know can be difficult.  On the other hand, using all capital letters is considered SHOUTING.  The accepted way of emphasizing a word or phrase is encasing it in two asterisks,  *like this*.

3.  Your signature file.  Some may disagree, but I would strongly recommend that you not publish your "signature" including your home telephone number and address on messages to mailing lists.  These list messages are archived and can be read by anyone via the Internet.   For the same reason, be cautious about posting personal information about living people (especially full names and contact information).  It is a breach of privacy and security!

4.  Unsolicited mailings to a large number of addresses is considered SPAM.  Most SPAM is commercial advertising.  However, any mass mailing that is unsolicited by the recipients is considered SPAM.   It is prohibited on all mailing lists.   The next time you send a mass mailing to your entire address book, please consider that many people are doing well to read and respond to their personal e-mail messages.  Cute sayings, cartoons, jokes, profound poems, etc., should be sent to your personal friends who have expressed a desire to receive them.   For those who receive an average of 100 messages a day, about 60% are SPAM.  It is the equivalent of Internet JUNK MAIL.

5.  Chain letters are considered SPAM.    They bog down the entire Internet system.   If you receive a message of any kind that asks you to forward it to five other people, or ten, or everyone you know, it is a chain letter...even if it asks for you to support breast cancer research, or pray for little Johnny in the hospital, or to show your friends how much you love them.  Before forwarding a chain letter, make sure your friends don't mind (I mind).  Don't ever send them to mailing lists.

6. Never send an attachment, such as a document or image file, without the permission of the recipient.  Be sure to fully describe the file you are attaching and be sure it is free of viruses!

1.  Please, always use a subject line and be as specific as possible.   If you are searching for a John Smith who was born in Norwich, Connecticut around 1750, your subject line should be something like "John Smith, Norwich CT 1750".  If you use the subject line "Genealogy" or "Research", or no subject at all,  chances are your message will never be read.  

2.  The body of your message should be very specific, including any dates, parents and spouse's names, and  how you need help.  If you need a look-up from a specific census record, be sure to say it.  

3.  If you are responding to a list message but are changing the topic, be sure to change the subject line.   Folks (like me) who receive hundreds of e-mail messages a week, scan the subject lines and often do not open messages that are not of personal interest.

4.  RootsWeb mailing lists do not accept attachments or HTML.   According to McAfee, a virus can be scripted in the .html code of an e-mail message, and can be transmitted directly to the recipient of the message.  Aside from the threat of viruses,  it is a good habit to use simple text in e-mail messages.  Many older browsers have a hard time with fancy fonts and "stationary".

5.  Messages posted to genealogy message boards and lists are permanent.  Be careful what you say!  If you need to change your e-mail address,  you'll need to post a follow up message to your original post. 

Good luck in your search, and have fun!
 

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©2004 Pat Sabin for the Gwinnett County GAGenWeb Project
Part of the USGenWeb Project