** What is a Mail List? **

A mail list is a method of distributing e-mail messages to a private list of subscribers. The Saratoga Museum Foundation maintains one type of mail lists - the read-only Saratoga Announcements Mail List. Once you have subscribed to the list, you will start to receive messages from the list. The read-only Saratoga Announcements Mail List only sends messages that are sent periodically from the Saratoga Museum Foundation - you cannot reply to these messages, just read them.

How it works is simple enough - the computer (called a List Server) that maintains the mail list keeps a SECURE list of e-mail addresses that have subscribed to the list. The e-mail address list is available to no one except the list administrator, and is not accessible or downloadable. When an e-mail message is sent to the mail list address, then that message is then sent back out to all the people that are on the subscription list.

1. How does the Saratoga Mail List work?

First, there are TWO email addresses you need to know about. The first address is for subscribing to the mail list. The second address is reserved for unsubscribing to the mail list. Again, when you subscribe to the Saratoga Announcements Mail List, you will not be able to reply to any messages you receive - these are "read-only" messages.

2. How do I subscribe / unsubscribe to the Saratoga Mail List?

Preferred Method:
If your web browser is capable of sending email, simply click on this link and send it - nothing needs to be added or changed to the message (nothing is needed in either the Subject line or the message body):

• Subscribe to the Saratoga Mail List
• Unsubscribe to the Saratoga Mail List

Nothing is needed in either the Subject line or the message body.

If you have a valid email address, you will soon get a reply (immediately, if the timing's just right). This reply consists of a verification message, asking you to reply to that email message. Simply reply to that message - don't change a thing in either the subject line or the body of the message. This step helps to a) ensure that you have a valid email address of your own, and b) minimize the chances of someone subscribing you to or unsubscribing you from the mail list without your knowledge.

Again, within a few minutes of your replying to the verification message, you'll receive a confirmation message, welcoming you to the list.

3. I subscribed, but get no messages. What's up?

Messages sent to the Saratoga Announcements Mail List are infrequent, at best. Historically there have been only a few sent each year, though that may pick up as the Saratoga project picks up steam.

It is possible (though very unlikely) to successfully subscribe with an incorrect email address. A record of all bounced messages is maintained by the server. Sometimes the messages may bounce for a valid email address if the subscriber's mail box is full. Normally most well-behaved email servers will send a message back to the mail list server notifying the server that this is so. This is called a "non-fatal" bounce. This is allowed to happen no more than five times - after that, the recipient is automatically unsubscribed.

Sometimes the recipient's email server will report that the email address of the recipient is invalid. This is called a "fatal bounce." When this occurs the recipient is immediately unsubscribed. This is most often seen with subscribers who use a temporary email address, such as what is given with the free trial period for AOL and EarthLink. Other reasons can simply be that the recipient has moved to a different email service, has decided to do away with email altogether, or has died.

Of course, since there's a problem with the email address, there's no way I can contact you to tell you of the problem. :-(

One other thing - we take a hard line against spam. To prevent spam, certain domains are blocked at the mail server. Anyone who is unfortunate enough to belong to a mail service that supports spammers is not allowed to subscribe to the Saratoga Announcements Mail List.

4. How do I set digest mode?

The interactive Saratoga Mail List is set to default to individual message mode. If this keeps you too busy, there is a digest mode. Digest mode lets you read several messages in a single email, which will be sent periodically to Digest subscribers.

To switch from individual messages to digest mode, follow either procedure below:

Preferred Method:
First, if you are currently subscribed to the Saratoga Announcements Mail List, you must first unsubscribe to the regular list. Do so in Step 2, noted above.

Next, if your web browser is capable of sending email, simply click on this link and send it - nothing needs to be added or changed to the message:

• Subscribe to the Saratoga Mail List - Digest Mode

If you can't send email via your web browser, open your favorite email application and send an e-mail message to the administrative address - saratoga_announce-digest@wbwip.com.

Nothing is needed in either the Subject line or the message body.

If you have a valid email address, you will soon get a reply (immediately, if the timing's just right). This reply consists of a verification message, asking you to reply to that email message. Simply reply to that message - don't change a thing in either the subject line or the body of the message. This step helps to a) ensure that you have a valid email address of your own, and b) minimize the chances of someone subscribing you to the mail list without your knowledge.

Again, within a few minutes of your replying to the verification message, you'll receive a confirmation message, welcoming you to the list.

If you have any problems with this, please email me at webmaster@saratogamuseum.org.

5. How do I turn off digest mode?

Simply unsubscribe as noted in Step 2, above, then resubscribe to the regular Saratoga Announcements Mail List. You will then be configured to accept messages from the list in real time.

If you have any problems with this, please email me at webmaster@saratogamuseum.org.

6. How can I remove my name from the list?

Preferred Method:
If your web browser is capable of sending email, simply click on this link and send it - nothing needs to be added or changed to the message:

• Unsubscribe from the Saratoga Announcements Mail List

Nothing is needed in either the Subject line or the message body.

If you have a valid email address, you will soon get a reply (immediately, if the timing's just right). This reply consists of a verification message, asking you to reply to that email message. Simply reply to that message - don't change a thing in either the subject line or the body of the message. This step helps to a) ensure that you have a valid email address of your own, and b) minimize the chances of someone unsubscribing you from the mail list without your knowledge.

Again, within a few minutes of your replying to the verification message, you'll receive a confirmation message, welcoming you to the list.

If you have any problems with this, please email me at webmaster@saratogamuseum.org.

7. Who is on the list?

You can't actually find that out, since that option is disabled for this list. We have no intention of publishing the email addresses of the subscribers of the Saratoga Mail List.

8. What other commands are available?

There are no other commands available.

Note that quick links to this page, the Saratoga Museum web site, and other miscellanea are posted at the end of every mail list message. The footer of each message looks like this:

---> This is the Saratoga Museum Foundation Announcements List  <---
Get your Saratoga Museum news here:   http://www.saratogamuseum.org/
List FAQ:           http://www.saratogamuseum.org/subscriptions.html
List Administrator:              mailto:webmaster@saratogamuseum.org

#############################################################
This message is sent to you because you are subscribed to
 the mailing list <saratoga_announce@wbwip.com>.
To unsubscribe, E-mail to: <saratoga_announce-off@wbwip.com>
To switch to the DIGEST mode, E-mail to <saratoga_announce-digest@wbwip.com>
To switch to the INDEX mode, E-mail to <saratoga_announce-index@wbwip.com>
Send administrative queries to <saratoga_announce-request@wbwip.com>

9. How do I send a message to the list?

You cannot send a message to the Saratoga Announcements Mail List. To prevent the lists from being spammed, the Saratoga Mail List is a closed list, which means only the list administrator may post messages.