To Subscribe:
Send an e-mail to
ILFAYETT-L-request@rootsweb.com

Nothing in the subject line!

Put  the word    "subscribe" (minus the quotation marks)   only in the body of the letter. (NOT in the subject line)Nothing else, and turn off all signatures.  You don't have to sign your name even!This comes in 2 modes *grin* if you prefer the digest mode just do the same as above
                         only change the address to this -
ILFAYETT-D-request@rootsweb.com . (everything else is the same)

To send a message
Kind of forgot a few things, didn't I  :-)  sorry about that...well to send a message on the list address it to ILFAYETTE-L@rootsweb.com   I am not sure if that needs to be in upper or lower case.  I don't guess it really makes any difference.

Now, someone asked me what the difference between the List and Digest was.  So, after getting with those in the 'know' I have the answer.  The List mode gets you the messages as they come in!  Where the Digest only goes to you (depending on how busy the mail-list becomes) about every 3 days, or 60k characters - whichever comes first.

Now, I have discovered that if you go to reply to a message on the list...if you want it to go to the whole list, you have to hit your 'reply to all', or if you want it to go only to the person you are replying to, just hit your 'reply' button.  I do realize not all mail programs are the same, and you might not have a 'reply to all' button.  So, all I can say is for you to experiment to find how you can do it within your mail program.

There are some 'do's' and 'don'ts' to mail lists.  So, lets get to the 'don'ts' first.

Please DO NOT  send queries or obits for the Fayette County ILGenWeb on this list.  It will not get to me, and will not be posted in the query or obit pages.  Some County coordinators, that have mail lists for their counties (such as I have done) encourage people to send the queries through the list.  I just have too many counties (and mail lists for them) to do it like that.  In the very near future there will be another Query Bot (called QueryExpress) that will be installed on the Fayette County page.  For now all the queries have to come to me..lewis@csuol.com

Please, if you are working on a project that requires a lot of messages to go to you, have them send to you privately, and not on the list.  This list has developed fast, and is very busy.  I am so very glad that has become so useful to all of you.  However, one thing I've learned about mail-lists - they are nice until they get too busy, and just wind up filling up a persons mail folder, without anything useful for them.

Don't send large files on the list, as attachments or otherwise.  From what I understand they can really clog a list up, and shut it down.  All kinds of problems getting it fixed!  So, please, if you want to send a file to someone on the list, do it directly, and not on the list.

For those of you that are newbies to the Internet, there are some simple rules of thumb that might help you communicate in a list.  (Now, I've done a lot of chatting, e-mailing and so on, but am still learning).   One of the first things I learned was that the written word does show emotion.  I know that sounds funny, but it really does.  USING ONLY UPPERCASE...Don't do this!  It is considered yelling!  Odd as it may seem a simple   :-) (smile) *smile*, or *grin*  :-> <g> or <VBG>,  goes a long way.    If you are sitting saying 'this is silly', I don't blame you. It does seem silly, sometimes.  If you've
 

To unsubscribe:
Send an e-mail to
ILFAYETT-L-request@rootsweb.com
do the same as above, only put "unsubscribe" (minus the quotation marks)
in the body of your e-mail. (NOT in the subject line)

Note:  Should you be going on a vacation, or simply want to stop getting mail for a while,
simply unsubscribe.  It's easy enough to subscribe again when you are ready.  Also, should
you decide you want the Digest mode, instead of the List mode, you will have to first
unsubscribe from the List mode, then subcribe to the Digest mode.
I hope this will help all of you in your searches for ancestors.  I think it will!  There have
been a lot of success stories from other counties, and I sure hope for some here.  Please
remember this is for your benefit, and do not abuse it!  As is the case on any mail list,
courtesy, etiquette and just plain kindness is what will keep this list going.  I will be posting
announcements of new and good sites that might help you, and when time permits just pop
in to say 'HI'!  If you do have any problems subscribing, or unsubscribing, e-mail me direct  and I'll do my best to help!
Have fun!

Penny