About the Single Sourcing SIG: The List FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions: STC Single-Sourcing List
FAQs and Answers as of June, 2004
The STC Single-Sourcing List has over 1500 members. Please read this FAQ for guidelines about appropriate list topics, as well as instructions on managing your list subscription. Note that questions with updated answers have been marked as *UPDATED* in the question index; new questions are marked as *NEW*. Thanks to Thomas Neuburger who supplied the e-mail methods for managing your list subscription.
Q1. What are appropriate topics for this list?
Q1.2. Is advertising OK on this list?
Q1.3. Can I post a message or question about the list itself?
Q1.4. Can I introduce myself to the list?
Q1.5. If it's not about single-sourcing, can I post my message? *UPDATED*
Q1.6. How do I post a message to the list?
Q2. Can I get this list in digest mode?
Q3. Are there archives of old messages?
Q4. I prefer to read messages off the web. Can I stop getting messages without unsubscribing?
Q8. How do I update my e-mail address?
Q9. Can I send HTML (formatted) messages to the list?
Q1. What are appropriate topics for this list?
A1. To quote the description of this SIG on the STC web site: "The Single Sourcing SIG helps STC members develop knowledge and practical skills for researching, developing, and implementing single sourcing solutions. The SIG provides information on the following topics: information models, cost justification, tools (editors, content management systems, publishing, DTD), XML, strategic planning, collaborative authoring, structured writing, and low cost single sourcing alternatives." Any of those topics are appropriate for this list. [Return to Top of Page]
A1.1. Yes, but please keep to single-sourcing topics. To give an example with FrameMaker: discussing problems with index markers when single-sourcing would be appropriate, but discussing how to create a "see also" entry in the index would not be appropriate. [Return to Top of Page]
Q1.2. Is advertising OK on this list?
A1.2. Yes. All messages relevant to single-sourcing (books, tools, classes, services), are acceptable. If this is in response to a message or thread, you do not need to preface the header with a special tag. But vendors should make clear their interest (i.e., make clear that they are the vendor or work for the vendor when recommending the product or pointing out problems with a competitor). If the message is an announcement (not in response to a message or thread), then either "ANN:" or "ANNOUNCE:" should preface the subject. Some people prefer to skip these messages. Others want to make sure they don't miss these messages. [Return to Top of Page]
Q1.3. Can I post a message or question about the list itself?
A1.3. If it is not about single-sourcing then: no. Please send a message to the list coordinator (owner-stc-single-sourcing-l@lists.stc.org) with your question/comment and the list coordinator will respond, add your information to this FAQ, or post an administrative message, as appropriate. If you really must post the message, then preface the subject with "OT:" (off topic). [Return to Top of Page]
Q1.4. Can I introduce myself to the list?
A1.4. Yes, and please mention your interests in single-sourcing. [Return to Top of Page]
Q1.5. If it's not about single-sourcing, can I post my message?
A1.5. No. There are over 1500 members of this list. The only way to keep list traffic reasonable is to keep on-topic. If you feel it should still be posted (for example, it is about the SIG or list), please preface the subject with "OT:" (off topic). This will make it easier for people who want to skip or filter out off-topic posts.
WARNING: If you post an off-topic message, the list owner may set your status to "moderated". This means that your messages to the list must be manually approved, before they show up on the list. Approval may take up to 24 hours. After several on-topic posts, you will return to normal status.[Return to Top of Page]
Q1.6. How do I post a message to the list?
A1.6. Send an e-mail message to stc-single-sourcing-l@lists.stc.org. Note that you must use the e-mail address under which you are subscribed. [Return to Top of Page]
Q2. Can I get this list in digest mode?
A2. Yes. To do this on the web, go to:
http://lists.stc.org/cgi-bin/lyris.pl?enter=stc-single-sourcing-l
Sign in with your e-mail address; leave the password blank. Click "Your
Settings" and change your status to digest. I recommend that you choose
the first digest option, unless you are sure you want one of the others.
To do this by e-mail, send an empty e-mail message to:
digest-stc-single-sourcing-l@lists.stc.org. [Return
to Top of Page]
Q3. Are there archives of old messages?
A3. All the past messages are available for browsing or searching at: http://lists.stc.org/cgi-bin/lyris.pl?enter=stc-single-sourcing-l. Sign in with your e-mail address; leave the password blank. Then click "Read Messages". [Return to Top of Page]
Q4. I prefer to read messages off the web. Can I stop getting messages without unsubscribing?
A4. Yes. To do this on the web, go to:
http://lists.stc.org/cgi-bin/lyris.pl?enter=stc-single-sourcing-l
Sign in with your e-mail address; leave the password blank. Click
"Your Settings" and change your status to "nomail". If you want to return
to receiving messages, follow these instructions, except change your status
to "mail" or "digest".
To do this by e-mail, send an empty e-mail message to:
nomail-stc-single-sourcing-l@lists.stc.org. [Return
to Top of Page]
A5.1 No, because the reply from the person who is "out of office" goes directly to you, and not through the list. If I post a message and receive an "out of office" message, and the person who is away will be out for at least 3 more business days, I will set that person to digest mode, and also send that person an e-mail about their digest status and how to resume receiving individual messages.
A5.2 But if you are going to be out of the office or on vacation, please do one of the following:
- If possible, limit your "out of office" message to not reply to messages on this list.
- Set yourself on digest mode (see A2 for details). This will send your "out of office" messages to the list server, which will dispose of them. It will also keep your inbox tidy.
- Set yourself "nomail" (see A4 for details). You won't receive any list messages until you return and set yourself back to receiving mail, and won't bother list members with "out of office" messages
You can always browse the message archive when you return (see
A3 for details). An easy way to handle your vacation or other extended
absence is to send an empty e-mail message to one of the following addresses,
as appropriate:
Start vacation hold: nomail-stc-single-sourcing-l@lists.stc.org
Start digest: digest-stc-single-sourcing-l@lists.stc.org
Start/restart normal mail: mail-stc-single-sourcing-l@lists.stc.org
[Return to Top of Page]
A6. You can stop receiving messages from the list without unsubscribing (see A4 for details). If you really want to unsubscribe, you can send a blank e-mail message to: leave-stc-single-sourcing-l@lists.stc.org. If this doesn't work, you can contact the list coordinator (owner-stc-single-sourcing-l@lists.stc.org). [Return to Top of Page]
A7. This list is only open to members of the STC Single-Sourcing SIG. Within 2 months of joining the SIG, you should receive a confirmation message asking you to confirm your subscription to the list; when you follow the instructions to confirm, you will be subscribed to the list. If for some reason you did not receive a confirmation message, send an e-mail message to the list coordinator (owner-stc-single-sourcing-l@lists.stc.org). The list coordinator will confirm your membership in the SIG and subscribe you. If you are a member of the STC, but not a member of the Single-Sourcing SIG, you can find a PDF of the SIG sign-up form at: http://www.stc.org/PDF_Files/sigform.pdf [Return to Top of Page]
Q8. How do I update my e-mail address?
A8. If your e-mail address changes, you can update it from the web site: http://lists.stc.org/cgi-bin/lyris.pl?enter=stc-single-sourcing-l. Sign on with your old e-mail address (and no password). Then go to "Your settings" and change the e-mail address. Don't forget to save your change. There are no automatic e-mail commands, but you can contact the list coordinator (owner-stc-single-sourcing-l@lists.stc.org). Please include both the old and new e-mail address in your message. [Return to Top of Page]
Q9. Can I send HTML (formatted) messages to the list?
A9. Please don't! Please set your e-mail to be sent to the list in plain text (not HTML or some other encoded formatting). And please do not include pictures either. If you send HTML messages to the list, people reading the digest will see all the HTML mark-up codes (and your mailer is likely putting in extra coding) in addition to the message. If you include a picture, it is even worse, because in the digest there will be many lines of "garbage" characters. (Yes, the real frequent question is about why HTML codes is showing up in the digest.)
I am trying to set up the list to reject messages that include pictures or are sent with HTML formatting. [Return to Top of Page]
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