Digest version now available LO383

Richard Karash (rkarash@world.std.com)
Sun, 12 Mar 1995 13:55:25 -0500 (EST)

A Digest version of the learning-org list is now available! If you are
interested in the Digest version, please read this whole message for
information you'll need.

If you are like receiving individual messages, you can ignore this
entire message.

Separately, I'm also distributing a sample Digest message.

-- Rick Karash, learning-org-approval@world.std.com, your host.

Contents:
----------
Whom do I contact with problems?
What are my options for participating in the Learning-Org list?
What is a Digest?
If I want to keep receiving individual messages, what do I do?
How do I change my subscription to the Digest option?
What are the funny numbers in the subject line? LO123??
How can I reply to messages I read on the Digest?
How does it all work?

Whom do I contact with problems?
----------
You host -- email to learning-org-approval@world.std.com

It will be most helpful if you *forward* whatever you received that
indicates there is a problem.

Who's the host? Rick Karash of Innovation Associates, Inc. is the
primary host, and Charlie Kiefer is a co-creater of Learning-org.
Other volunteers from Innovation Associates help from time to time.
The modest costs of operating Learning-org are supported by
Innovation Associates, Inc.

What are my options for participating in the Learning-Org list?
----------
1) You can receive Learning-org daily in your email in-box, either

1a) You can receive individual messages (currently approx. 10/day).
This is called the "main list" (learning-org).

...Or...

1b) You can receive one longer "Digest" message each day; this is
a compilation of all the individual messages on the main list and
this is called the "Digest list" (learning-org-digest).
.
2) You can read the messages in the Learning-org archive

...and, in any case...

3) You can create messages and send them to the list.

To receive Learning-org in your email in-box (that is, 1a or 1b
above) you must be a subscriber. **Right everyone reading this is a
subscriber to the main list.**

No subscription is required to read messages in the archive or to
participate by sending messages to the mailing list.

What is a Digest?
----------
Our mailing list is operated by a faithful robot named "Majordomo."

Majordomo automatically compiles the Learning-org messages into one
long Digest message and adds a simple table of contents at the top.
These are the full messages, *not* a condensed version. The Digest
is distributed once a day Monday thru Friday, usually late evening
US Eastern time. If there are no messages on the list (a rare
occurance) there will be no Digest that day.

If you like to be selective in reading list messages based on the
"Subject:" line, then you'll probably want to keep receiving the
individual messages. If you would rather download all the list
messages to read later or print them out to read on your train ride
home, then the digest version is for you.

Subscribers to our list are split: Some strongly prefer to have a
Digest; others strongly prefer individual messages. We are pleased
to offer both options.

In either case you can create new messages and reply to messages of others.

If I want to keep receiving individual messages, what do I do?
----------
Do nothing. You'll continue to receive individual messages, just as
you have to date.

How do I change my subscription to the Digest option?
----------
It's simple! Just tell Majordomo! Send email to
majordomo@world.std.com

The subject line is ignored; in the body of the message, start with
these three lines:
subscribe learning-org-digest
unsubscribe learning-org
end

If successful, you'll receive a welcome message with the Info file
for Learning-org. Please keep this welcome msg for reference later.

If you have problems or receive an error response that you cannot
handle yourself, then *forward* to your hosts
(learning-org-approval@world.std.com)

whatever you received that indicates to you there is a problem. If all
else fails, email us at that address.

If you want to switch back to individual messages, send a message
similar to the one above, but move the two characters "un"...; it's
easier to do than to explain.

What are the funny numbers in the subject line? LO123??
----------
Messages to the learning-org list are numbered (manually) by your
host. You can use the numbers to indicate to which message you are
replying, and they'll show you if your system has lost any msgs
(computers on the internet do "go down" from time to time).

How do I reply to messages I see on the Digest?
----------
Digest subscribers can reply to messages, and the elements of mailing
list etiquette are the same:

1) In replying to a msg, think about whether you want to reply
a) directly to the writer, or b) to the whole mailing list. You might
say different things in a one-on-one conversation than you would with
800 people listening! Learn how to do each of these in your mail
reader.

2) Please pay attention to the "Subject:" line of your reply. If you
are continuing the same thread, keep the same subject line. For
example, if you are responding to a message with "Subject: Widgets
LO123" then your reply should have the subject line "Subject: Re:
Widgets LO123"

If you are starting a new subject, then use a new subject line.

If you are replying to a digest message, you may have to type in the
subject line yourself; please do so carefully. Consistent subject
lines are important to subscribers who are selecting which messages
to read based on the subject line. They are also important for making
the archive usable.

3) Help your readers identify the message to which you are replying.
Start your message with something like:

On March 1, Joe Smith wrote in LO123, "brief quote... Just enough
so readers can tell what you are replying to."

Or, at minimum, "Replying to LO123 --"

4) Include your name and email address at the end of the message.
Some people set up their mailing program to add a "sig" at the end
of each of their messages automatically. See Emily Postnews for
advice about "really long sigs with lots of clever and interesting
quotes and intricate drawings that readers just *love* to see over
and over in all your messages." In other words, we suggest you keep
your sig short (e.g. two to four lines).

The reason for putting your email address at the end of the message
is that some mail readers do not display the "From:" address in the
message header, and their users would otherwise be unable to contact
you directly.

Whether you are receiving individual messages or the Digest version,
you can probably use the "Reply" function that is built in to your
mail reading program to send your reply to the whole list.

If your message violates one of these elements, your host may try to
correct it, or may return it to you to fix. (Remember, this is a
volunteer effort).

How does it all work?
----------
Here are some of the gory details. Skip this unless you are
interested. Or check this section later if you are trying to solve
some problem.

Here is the flow of messages:

1) All incoming messages address to either
"learning-org@world.std.com" or to
"learning-org-digest@world.std.com"
form an incoming message queue.

2) Your host reviews each message, adds an LOxxx number, and tells
Majordomo to distribute the msg to the main list.

3) Majordomo sends the message to all subscribers of the main list and
queues it for the next edition of the Digest.

4) When there are enough messages queued, or at the Host's command,
Majordomo combines all the messages in the Digest queue, adds a brief
table of contents and sends this as one long message to all subscribers
to the Digest list.

5) Your host, as a subscriber to the main list, takes the distributed
messages and adds them to the archive. The archive is updated every
few days, so at any point in time, it may not contain the very latest
messages.

Note that Majordomo keeps separate the subscribers for the
main list vs. the digest list. If you wind up getting *both* the
individual messages and the Digest messages, that means you are on
both lists and probably want to unsubscribe from one.

If you are having problems with your mail reader and how it is
addressing replies, the information below may be helpful. Although
your mail reader probably protects you from seeing most of the msg
header, the header of messages distributed to the main list contains
these things (plus much other very boring stuff):

From: Susie Subscriber <ss@yy.com> <<-- creator of msg; so you
can reply directly

Sender: learning-org-approval@world.std.com <<-- so "undeliverable"
notices come to the
host.

Reply-To: learning-org@world.std.com <<-- so the "Reply" function
in your mail reader can
automatically send your
reply to the whole list
(via process above)

Information in the header of messages distributed to the Digest list:

From: Susie Subscriber <ss@yy.com>
Sender: learning-org-digest-approval@world.std.com
Reply-To: learning-org-digest@world.std.com

...and these accomplish the same functions.

Richard Karash ("Rick") | (o) 508-879-8301 | Mac * Flying
Innovation Associates, Inc. | (fax) 508-626-2205 | Systems Thinking
3 Speen St, Framingham MA 01701 | rkarash@world.std.com | Std. Disclaimer