PAGAN MINDCRAFTERS LIST

Please use good practice, which makes things easier for other subscribers, and avoids difficulties for some. Try not to waste their resources. For help, please e-mail one of the list managers, John Norris and Vanya Tucherov. Vanya helps in particular with the best ways of using the list with consideration for other subscribers.

Please do

• Write your postings in plain text, not HTML.
• Make the lines of your e-mail "wrap", rather than having paragraphs appear as a single long line which runs off the right hand edge. 72 characters or slightly less is a good width.
• Use short paragraphs, which makes e-mail easier to read.
• If quoting from others' posting(s) to reply on the list, quote only the bits needed to read yours, and make clear who wrote which bits.
• Keep your postings on the topic under discussion. Check that the subject title you're using shows what the posting is about. If not, give it a new title. If a discussion and your posting go beyond the broad limits of what this list is really for (see our list introduction), put "OT" (off topic) in front of the title to let readers know. Try not to stray too far.
• If referring to a Web site it helps if you give the URL, if inviting e-mail to give the address to send it to, and if listing a book to list the author, title and ideally ISBN.
• Remember when writing that we have a wide range of subscribers, of different countries, backgrounds, levels of experience and ages. Try to make your posting understandable and appropriate to all interested. Please take particular care when writing a reply to or intended for younger subscribers.

Please don't

• When writing, don't SHOUT by typing your posting all in capitals. We can hear you well enough without them. In bulk capitals are actually harder to read than ordinary text.
• Don't write your postings in HTML, which some subscribers cannot read without extra trouble.
• Don't send postings with attached files without asking the list manager.
• Don't post to the whole list a message meant just for one or two others, such as the list manager; send it direct instead.

When replying to another's posting on the list:

• Don't quote the whole of the previous message(s), including the standard list footer. People have had them already.
• Don't post replies just saying "I agree" or "hello, I've read your introduction", without adding anything to the discussion. If that's all you want to say, send it direct to the person concerned.
• Don't use long "signature" files every time, often longer than the actual content of the message. Such sig files may be interesting the first time, but ....

Never

• Never post "spam" - commercial advertising, chain letters and other such rubbish wasting other subscribers' time and money. Letters preying on people's guilt feelings or financial needs are despicable.
• Never post personal abuse, "flaming". Disagreeing with others' ideas is fine, and part of a healthy discussion. Attacking them personally is not. For example, you may criticise a posting as blasphemy in terms of another faith, but attacking the person who posted it to the list as an infidel or blasphemer is not acceptable.

If you're on the receiving end of such abuse, please don't inflict a reply on the whole list, but ask the list manager to sort it out. Whether you respond to the perpetrator off-list is up to you.

Sending spam and flaming can get you thrown off this list without further warning.