Use Plain Text Only

This list is a "plain text" mailing list. When posting to the mailing list, set your email client to send plain text only. Do not use HTML, XML, Rich Text (RTF), or stylized text attributes. That means no HTML code (except for standard web links), no colored text, no font substitutions, or any other text or paragraph attributes. Use blank lines to separate paragraphs, and use the ">" quoting character to quote a paragraph (rather than indentations).

Using stylized text, HTML, or Rich Text (RTF) are not always consistent for the recipient members, and are often illegible. They also corrupt the list digests as well as the list archives.

Edit Your Replies (Eliminate List Noise)

When replying to a post, edit out unnecessary noise. This includes extraneous blank lines, email headers, and excessive amounts of quoted text. Try to limit the amount of quoted text to be less than your reply. When replying to a lengthy post, only quote the portions of the post that you are directly replying to. Activate your email clients spell checker, and always proof and edit your replies before clicking "Send".

NOTE: If you are having trouble configuring your email client to make this kind of editing easy, the next best solution is to simply enter your reply without any quoted text from the prior posts. Both the digests and the list archives maintain a history of the thread.

Unnecessary "noise" makes the messages unwieldy, distracts from the key points, and makes the digest format difficult to read.

When Replying, Quote Properly

On replies, only include quoted material that is relevant to your reply. In other words, do not include the entire history of the thread. Always use the ">" quote delimiter for quoting text (some email clients automatically convert ">" to a vertical bar). Do not use indentations to quote. When forwarding information from another source (not from this mailing list), you do not have to delimit the text, but be sure to indicate the source of the forwarded information.

Keep a balance between quoted material and your added response. Try to ensure that the amount of quoted text is less than the amount of text in your response.

NOTE: If your email client is "quoting-challenged", then simply type your reply without including the text to which you are replying. Both the digests and the list archives maintain a history of the thread.

Without proper quoting, people may not know what you are responding to and your post may be ignored. When duplicate unquoted text shows up in the digest, it makes reading the digest extremely difficult. Retaining the entire history of a thread in email replies is okay for person-to-person email, but is completely inappropriate for mailing lists. The history of mailing list threads can be obtained from the list archives.

Remove or Limit Unnecessary Signature Lines

Remove unnecessary signature lines, including signatures of the post you are replying to and footers added by the mailing list. The Mac Guild mailing list automatically adds a signature to each post, so remember to delete those lines when replying; otherwise, the signature propagates.

Limit how many lines are in your own signature block. If you have a lengthy signature, trim it down when posting to the list. A few lines is okay (the only thing required is your name).

Unnecessary signature lines distract from the post and make the digests difficult to read. Additionally, posts that have only a few lines of text accompanied with a 12-line signature can be quite annoying.

Always Sign Your Posts

All posts must be signed. Use your full name, your first name, or a nickname, but always sign your posts. If you are forwarding information, indicate the originator of the forwarded text, but still sign your name at the bottom to indicate who is posting the information.

NOTE: Do not use digital signature certificates in your signature, as these will appear as attachments to the mailing list, and will cause your post to bounce.

While it's true that your email address may show in the "From" header of the post, not everyone looks at the headers. When reading posts, the end of the post should always end with the person who is responsible for posting the information. It's the polite thing to do, and shows that you're willing to take responsibility for your post.

Understand the Moderator's Role

The Mac Guild mailing list is moderated, so posts that do not adhere to posting guidelines will be bounced back to the poster (usually with a reason for the bounce). In those cases, you are invited to correct the problem and try again. By understanding the guidelines, and with just a little work on your part, you can avoid bounced posts as well as ease the burden on the moderator.

Do not blame the moderator for bounces caused by posting violations. The moderator works hard enough to keep the list managed, and does not need the harassment of those who don't want to follow the guidelines. If you simply do not want to adhere to the guidelines, then please locate a different unmoderated forum.

The moderator is strictly a volunteer position, so understanding and respecting the moderator's role is essential for the longevity of this mailing list.

Do Not Send Attachments to List

Quite simply, do not send attachments to the list. Never. If you have graphics you would like to bring to our attention, post the graphics on your own web site and put links to those graphics into your post. No attachments includes inadvertent attachments as well, such as VCF cards, GIFs in your signature, etc.. When posting to the mailing list, be sure to use signatures and personalities that do not contain any graphical elements.

Attachments are simply inappropriate for mailing lists. They tend to bog down the list server, and are often unwanted by most recipients of the list.

Include an Appropriate Subject

Always include an appropriate subject in your posts. Do not use blank subjects or digest subjects. When replying to a single post, the automatic "RE:" subject is fine. When replying to a digest, however, you must change the subject to indicate the specific post in the digest you are reply to. If you are changing the focus of the post, it is good etiquette to change the subject accordingly. For example, if the original post subject is "New iMac speed", and your reply discusses a promotional discount on the iMac, then change the subject to something like "iMac discounts (was: New iMac speed)".

Subjects are key to members for organizing and managing their incoming email. Inappropriate subjects can be misleading and frustrating, while applicable subject lines allow readers to search their subject lists to find articles interesting to them without having to read all messages.

Macintosh Topics Only

The Mac Guild mailing list is dedicated to the topic of Apple products, such as Macintosh computers, iPhones and iPods. Posts should relate to Mac technical problems, technology advances at Apple, or Mac related issues which may be of interest to the Mac community. It is not a Windows-bashing outlet, nor is it an "eBay" for Mac items.

NOTE: Offering free Mac items or promoting Mac discounts available to all members is acceptable.

We all must contend with unwanted email on a daily basis. Those who sign up for this list do so for Apple-related help or discussions, so straying from Apple-related topics increases the amount of unwanted email.

Take Discussions Offline When Appropriate

Sometimes it is appropriate to take discussions off-line (i.e., to email individuals directly rather than on the mailing list). For example, if the topic strays from the original Mac topic to something beyond Mac, or if the original post asks for "direct" replies, or if the discussion starts to become more personal where a national audience is no longer appropriate, do not reply to the list. Grab the email address of the one who made the post and email them directly.

EXCEPTION: Sometimes the moderator will post announcements that ask for direct replies (such as review requests). Feel free to reply to the mailing list on all such requests, as the moderator will catch these posts and process them individually (rather than pass them through to the mailing list).

If you are posting an email to which you prefer direct replies, be sure to include your email address in the text of your reply to make it easier for those responding. If the topic leans towards being a Lockheed Martin issue, then move your post to the MacPeople mailing list.

Taking discussions offline when it is no longer appropriate to the list is the courteous thing to do.

Be Professional and Courteous

This mailing list is made up of members from the professional community, so keep a professional tone. Email which may be deemed as offensive, or include too much negativity, will not be posted. Gripes and conflicts are welcome, as long as they are delivered in a professional tone, and argued constructively. Do not type in upper case as that is construed as SHOUTING!

Remember also that contributions on this list are strictly voluntary. Members post at their own convenience and help out of generosity. No one is expected to help anyone else beyond reason. Please be respectful of your fellow members' time. Before asking for help, try to find the answers yourself. When you do ask, include what you've already tried so people don't waste time repeating what you've already thought of.

The tone of posts affect the attitudes of all members. Constructive and courteous posts encourage more participation, while excessive negativity, offensive language, and unreasonable demands tend to drag down the list and send members away.

Do Not Send List Commands

List commands are keywords that the list server recognizes for changing your list preferences. Do not send list commands to the mailing list. If you are looking to change your mailing list options, use the Mailing List -> List Options navigation link. If you are looking to unsubscribe and deactivate your Mac Guild membership, use the Membership -> Deactivate navigation link.

The list server will automatically bounce list commands that are posted to the mailing list, and your requested action will be ignored.

Other Resources:

• The Net: User Guidelines and Netiquette, by Arlene Rinaldi
• How to Write Effective Mailing List Email, by Matthew Haughey
• Of proper quoting, by Professor Tino Salmi

Thanks to Deborah Shadovitz for these links.

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Etiquette Quiz:

To take the Posting Guidelines quiz, go to the Mac Guild Members page, and then click on "Etiquette Quiz" link.