Mercedes Lackey Mailing List FAQ

Part 1 of this FAQ, which deals with administration of the mailing list, will be posted approximately monthly to the mailing list. All parts are available by the following methods:

[@] mail: send mail to listproc@herald.co.uk, with a blank Subject: line, and message body: 

        get mercedes-lackey lackey_faq.1
        get mercedes-lackey lackey_faq.2
        get mercedes-lackey lackey_faq.3
        get mercedes-lackey lackey_faq.4
        get mercedes-lackey lackey_faq.5

This will send the FAQ to you, in 5 separate messages.

[@] FTP: ftp://ftp.herald.co.uk/pub/lists/lackey-archives/

[@] HTTP: http://www.herald.co.uk/local_info/lackey_faq.html

Contents of Part 1:

  1. What is this list anyhow?
  2. How do I subscribe to the list?
  3. How do I unsubscribe from the list?
  4. How do I send messages to the list?
  5. I'm getting too much mail from the list. Is there any way to cut it down?
  6. I've written this really great story in one of Misty's universes. Should I post it to the list?
  7. Who is the list owner, anyway?

Part 1. The Mailing List

Version 2.0, May 24th 1995
Compiled by Melanie Dymond Harper

History: 

New in version 2.0: Rewritten to reflect change of site. Added information 
                     about 'POSTPONE' setting. Changed feedback address.
                     Swapped bibliography and administrative parts of the
                     FAQ (admin now part 1, bibliography now part 3)

New in version 1.4: External group information removed (now in part 5 of 
                     FAQ)

New in version 1.3: changes to external group information.

New in version 1.2: information about other ML-related groups (AOL, Genie &
		      USENET); explicit address for feedback.

New in version 1.1: information about release form; way of getting release
 		      form; 'new in ...' list.

1. What is this list anyhow?

This is a mailing list for discussion of the works of Mercedes Lackey, including both her fantasy and non-fantasy work, either solo or in collaboration with other authors.

It is currently unmoderated.

2. How do I subscribe to the list?

Send a mail message to

listproc@herald.co.uk

with subject blank and message body

SUBSCRIBE MERCEDES-LACKEY your name

If you have problems with this, contact the list owner (see below).

3. How do I unsubscribe from the list?

Send a mail message to

listproc@herald.co.uk

with subject blank and message body

UNSUBSCRIBE MERCEDES-LACKEY

Again, if you have problems with this, contact the list owner.

4. How do I send messages to the list?

Messages for the list at large should be sent to

mercedes-lackey@herald.co.uk

(rather than to the list processor address)

There is no requirement to follow any threads that may already be in progress. Feel free to start discussion on anything you like -- as long as it's at least vaguely relevant.

Flaming, and rudeness in general, is strongly discouraged.

Note that if you're not subscribed, or if you're subscribed from a different address, the listprocessor will not accept your messages. If this becomes a problem, let me (mel@herald.co.uk) know.

5. I'm getting too much mail from the list. Is there any way to cut it down?

Yes. Assuming that you do not want to leave the list altogether, mail the list processor (listproc@herald.co.uk), subject blank and message body

SET MERCEDES-LACKEY MAIL DIGEST

If you would prefer not to see copies of anything that you have sent to the list, use the following message body instead;

SET MERCEDES-LACKEY MAIL NOACK

(Note that these two options are mutually exclusive. To return to normal mail from either of them, use the message body

SET MERCEDES-LACKEY MAIL ACK

instead.)

If you will be absent for some time, you may wish to consider the POSTPONE setting. This is like NOMAIL for lists run under Listserv; you remain subscribed to the list, but do not receive mail from it until you specifically request to start receiving mail again. To do this, send mail to listproc@herald.co.uk with message body

SET MERCEDES-LACKEY MAIL POSTPONE

- to cancel it, use one of the options above (ACK, NOACK, DIGEST).

Do not forget the 'MAIL' part of the command - it won't work without it.

6. I've written this really great story in one of Misty's universes. Should I post it to the list?

No, please don't. Reliable information (Judith Louvis who runs Queen's Own, the offline Misty fan club), indicates that you MUST get permission from Misty, in writing, before writing fan fiction in Misty's universe(s). Since I, as list owner, have no way to verify that you have received such permission, a decision has been taken not to allow posting of stories on the list. What you do between yourselves is, of course, entirely up to you.

The release, however, is not valid for online fiction, only for printed fiction. As far as I am aware (as of 6th July '94) there is no way of getting permission to release fiction in Misty's world(s) online.

A copy of the release for printed work is available from the listowner on request (private email; please don't post requests to the list).

7. Who is the list owner, anyway?

All problems, or queries about the running of the list, should be directed at Melanie Dymond Harper;

mel@herald.co.uk

-or-

mel@servalan.demon.co.uk

The second address should only be used if mail to the first address does not get a reply (this most likely means either the site is down for some reason or that I'm away - if the latter, the second address probably won't help either).

Do not send problems and such to the list at large. If it's something I've done, or not done, they won't be able to help you!

I will try to announce any absences of mine in advance, so that the list members know if problems are likely not to be solved quickly.

Any feedback on this post cheerfully received at mel@herald.co.uk or mel@servalan.demon.co.uk.

[left arrow] Back to Lackey FAQ page

HTML version by Melanie Dymond Harper (mel@herald.co.uk) 25th May 1995