FAQ – Mailinglists

General
What is a mailinglist?

New Comers:
This is utterly new for me. Is there somewhere a step by step guide? 
What do I need to know about the do's and don'ts on mailing lists?
I don't want to receive too many emails. What can I do?


How to join a list
I have received an invitation to join a list. What happens now? 
How can I subscribe to a list on my own? 
What happens once I am a member of the list?

List use:
How can I post a message?
Where can I find the list's email address?
What to keep in mind before hitting the send button?
How can I check whether my email has reached the group?

Changing mail delivery and settings:
Where can I change my settings?
How can I change my subscription name? 
How can I change my subscription address?
I would like to receive a daily digest instead of individual emails. What can I do?
How can I receive individual mails instead of daily digests?
Can I post from multiple addresses?
I will be out of office for a while. What should I do?

View and seach the archives
How can I access the list archives?

Passwords:
I need my password but can't remember it. What can I do? 
How can I change my password?

Leaving the list
How can I unsubscribe?

Troubleshooting
I don't seem to be getting mail? How does this come? 
Some archives seem to be empty. Why?

Additional information
I have come across terms that are unfamiliar to me. What do they mean?
Where can I find additional information? 
Is there also information available in other languages?

Electronic mailing lists are basically email based discussion groups. They allow community members to subscribe and unsubscribe on their own and make it easier for members to share their thoughts and ideas.

Once subscribed sending an email to the mailing list’s address will send mail to all other members of the group. This way Unit Coordinators can easily provide the group with newsletters and updates and invite discussions. But you are also welcome to start a discussion on your own.

The mailing lists are all free to use for IUFRO members, however, you will need to subscribe to post questions or replies.

If you are currently not a member of IUFRO, we encourage you to join our international network (see: http://www.iufro.org/membership/)

Yes, there is a quick guide on how to subscribe and post with pictures (screen shots).

Click here to open this guide (file size: 190 KB)

What do I need to know about the do's and don'ts on mailing lists?

This is how to make the mailing lists enjoyable for everyone

Wait and see how many emails you get in the first couple of days.

The lists are initially moderated so you do not have to fear another wave of test mails. Only 'real' emails will be approved by the moderator and forwarded to you.

If you still feel that you want to receive less emails from the mailing list you joined you can opt to get only one bigger mail a day in which all posts are grouped together. This bigger mail is called a "digest".

Click here to learn how to change your mail delivery settings.

If you are an IUFRO officeholder you were probably invited to join the list by the IUFRO HQ Team. All you need to do if you wish to participate is follow the instructions in the email you received.

To write your first message to the group open an email and copy the list's email address in the "To" field. Then proceed as with any other email.

To reply to a message received from other subscribers of the group proceed as with any other email.

If you do not wish to join ignore the invitation email.

To subscribe visit this page http://www.iufro.org/science/iufro-mailing-lists/overview/ and click on the list name (link) of your choice.

Fill in the subscription fields (enter your real name and choose a password) and check your email account for further details.

What happens once I am a member of the list?

Once you have accepted the invitation to join or subscribed on your own you will start receiving group mails.

You can reply to these messages or start a new discussion of your own by sending an email to the list's email address.

There are several ways to post. Here are some of them:

• Open a new email and copy and paste the list’s email address in the “To

  Where can I find the list’s email address?

  Go to the overview of all IUFRO lists.
  

  • Clicking on the list name (link) will get you to the list's information page.
    On this information page you can find the list's email address.
    

  The most relevant links can also be found in your welcome mail and in the footer of each group mail.

  Can I send attachments?

  For security reasons it is not possible to send attachments (the same is true for PDF or Word newsletters). You are, however, most welcome to forward your newsletter electronically to the web administrator who will post it for you on the web pages of your Unit and will provide you with the link address.

  You can then inform the group of your latest newsletter and provide them with the link for downloading it.

  What to keep in mind before hitting the send button?

  Please remember that mails sent to the list’s address will be send to ALL group members which is great if you wish to do so but sometimes rather embarrassing if unintended.
  
  And there are a few notes on netiquette – please take a few seconds to read how you can make the mailing list enjoyable for everyone.

  How can I check whether my email has reached the group?

  You can check this by visiting the archive pages of your group where your post should be listed. The web address of the archive can be found here.
  

  Where can I change my settings

  

  You can change your settings on your list's information page (click here for an overview – clicking on the list name will get you to the information page).

  How can I change my subscription name?

  If you are subscribed with an other name than your real name we kindly ask you to change your subscription name. To do so please:
  

  • Go to your list’s information page (click here for an overview – clicking on the list name will get you to the information page)
    
  • Go to the section " Changing your ... membership information" and enter your real name in the appropriate box

  This can also be done for multiple lists at the same time if you are subscribed to more than one list. To learn how to change this globally kindly refer to the user manual (section 10, change settings globally). If you need assistance with this we will get back to you mid October.

  I would like to receive a daily digest instead of individual emails. What can I do?

  To receive all messages in a bundle go to the list's information page (click here for an overview – a click on the list name will get you to the information page).

  • Scroll down to the bottom and click the "Unsubscribe or edit options button".
  • Scroll down to the box saying "Your Mailman … Subscription Options". Right on the top you will find the option "Set Digest Mode" – now you just need to select "ON".

  How can I receive individual mails instead of daily digests?

  To receive individual emails go to the list's information page (click here for an overview – a click on the list name will get you to the information page).

  • Scroll down to the bottom and click the "Unsubscribe or edit options button".
  • Scroll down to the box saying "Your Mailman … Subscription Options". Right on the top you will find the option "Set Digest Mode" – now you just need to select "OFF".

  Can I post from multiple addresses?

  Yes, it is basically possible to post from multiple addresses but receive incoming postings at only one of them. This is done through the "Disable Mail Delivery" option on your list’s information page (overview of links to this page – clicking on the list name will get you to the information page)
  
  To give an example let’s say you are currently subscribed and read your mail under address A, but would like to be able to post from address B.
  
  

  • First go to the list’s information page (click here for an overview – clicking on the list name will get you to the information page) -- we will take the test list as an example.
  • Enter your address B in the Subscription section, pick a password and click "Subscribe". You should now receive a confirmation mail for address B. You will need to reply to this upon which you will receive a welcome mail.
    
    
  • Now please return to the list’s information page and log in under address B. Under the section "Unsubscribing and Change subscription option", type in address B and click "Edit options".
    
    
  • Once the next page opens, scroll down until you read "Disable Mail Delivery". If you change this to "ON" mail delivery for address B will be disabled as desired.
  • Scroll down to the bottom where it says "Password", enter the password for address B and click on "Submit my changes".
    

  It is now possible to post from either address A or B, yet you will receive mail only at address A.

  How can I change my subscription address?

  To change your email address:

  • Go to your list’s information page (click here for an overview – clicking on the list name will get you to the information page)
  • Scroll down and enter the 'old' email address into the box next to the button "Unsubscribe or Edit options)
  • Go to the section " Changing your ... membership information" and enter your new email address

   

  I will be out of office for a while. What should I do?

  To limit the amount of messages you can opt to receive the digest instead of the individual messages. More
  
  To stop receiving messages for a while you can opt to temporarily unsubscribe. More
  

  Important note: If you are going to have an “Out of office

  How can I access the archives of the lists?

  To open the archive of your group(s) follow the "Visit Archive" links in the overview .
  

  Alternatively you can also use the navigation on the left-hand side.

  While the archives might be rather empty in the first couple of days they fill up as group members start posting.

  [Note: The archive of the IT group can only be accessed after login. If you are not yet registered for the IUFRO member zone please visit: http://www.iufro.org/registration/]

  I need my password but can’t remember it. What can I do?

  Your password is listed at the bottom of the monthly reminder that is sent to you at the beginning of every month by default.

  You can also retrieve it by doing the following:
  

  • Go to your list’s information page (click here for an overview – clicking on the list name will get you to the information page)
  • Click on the "Unsubscribe or edit options" button (leave the box empty)
  • Click the button under password reminder.

  How can I change my password?

  To change your password open your list's information page (click here for an overview – clicking on the list name will open the information page).

  • Go to the password changing boxes and enter your new password.
  • Then click "Change my password".

  [It is recommended not to choose a valuable password as it will be sent to you regularly via email.]

  How can I unsubscribe?

  To unsubscribe, you need to go to your list's information page (click here for an overview and click on the list name of your group to open this information page).
  

  • Scroll down to the bottom and click the "Unsubscribe or edit options" button.
  • Scroll down to the "Unsubscribing from …" box, tick "Yes, I really want to unsubscribe" and click the "Unsubscribe" button.

  I don't seem to be getting mail. How does this come?

  There may be serveral reasons:

  a) no one has sent any messages to the list
  To check if this is the case visit the archive of the list (overview)

  b) mail delivery was disabled by the list server
  This can happen if your mail provider sends too many error messages to the listserver. To check if this is the case please refer to the user manual and read the chapter on "Mail Delivery".

  c) the moderator has not yet approved the posts (e.g. on public holidays or over the weekend)
  

  d) there is a delay or break in the network

  Some archives seem to be empty. Why?

  The archives will fill up once the tool is launched and group members start posting.

  Is there any general information on the upcoming plans?

  In this first testing phase of the mailing list tool all IUFRO officeholders will receive invitation emails to join the “test list

  Where can I find additional information?

  A very detailed user manual can be found here:
  http://www.gnu.org/software/mailman/mailman-member/index.html

  Please note, however, that some features are different.
  

  Is there also information available in other languages?

  Yes, see links below:
  http://www.gnu.org/software/mailman/mailman-member-es/index.html (Spanish, manual)
  http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/GNU_Mailman (very basic information in French)
  http://www.zbs-ilmenau.de/~frank/henkelreisser/mailliste/mailman_benutzerhandbuch.htm (German, manual)
  

  I have come across terms that are unfamiliar to me. What do they mean?

  Here are explanations for some common terms:

  "a post" – is an email message sent to the group
  "to post" – means sending an email to the group
  "a thread" – refers to a topic, starting a new thread means to start a new discussion
  
  "list name" – is the name of your list (e.g. "test list")
  "list information page" – is the web page where you can subscribe and edit your settings. All other points and options you might want to reach can be accessed from this point.

  "digest" – you can either opt to receive group emails individually or in bundles. These bundles sent to you daily are called digests.