[at-l] For the NEWBEES and list volume updated

[kahley@ptd.net (kahley)]

If you have signed up looking for info on the AT and hiking,
you have come to the right place!  But you will also see messages
and discussions of other things, from the environment to society
to movies and even b-ball sometimes.

Most of these discussions start out in relationship to hiking but
then develop beyond that scope.  When that happens, we
usually label the post "OT" or Off Topic to make them easily
deleted for those that choose.

Also, since some of these issues are flash points in society
in general (especially B-ball <grin>) we try really really hard
to keep the discursion civilized.  We try to discuss dis-agreements
without being dis-agreeable.

Many of us have been involved with this list for years and are friends
in the real world so it's natural for use to slip off the AT trail from
time to time.  Just delete the OT stuff if you like!

The list is growing everyday!  This is good because the more
people involved, the more varied and valuable the info becomes.
But...the mail volume can seem overwhelming.  Try to think of
it as a newspaper.  You don't read every word written there.
You pick and choose which articles you think will interest you.
You can do the same thing here.  The Monday, Tuesday and
Wednesday editions are usually the biggest as we get caught
up with what's been happening over the weekend.

One helpful hint is to set up a separate folder and filter
for your AT-L mail.  Then it won't "invade" <g> your regular
mailbox.

If you feel overwhelmed by the volume of mail, you can go to:
http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/at-l
and enter your the email address you used to join, in the box labeled
Edit Options and click.  This will bring you to a page containing
Your AT-L Subscription Options

Here you can set it up to get all the posts lumped together into one or
two large packages a day (select 'yes' for Set Digest Mode ).  Two
hints...when you respond to a digest, please copy the subject line
from the particular post to which you are responding and PLEASE
"cut" out all the other messages in the digest before you send.

You can also select to stop the posts from being delivered altogether.
(select "yes" for Disable mail delivery)  There are other options available
as well.  Make your choices and click submit and you are done.  You
may ask, "Why would I want to stop getting the messages?"
Two reasons are most common.  Number one is that you are getting
a lot of messages and the other is if you are going to go hiking, or
away for some other reason.  Setting to Disable Mail Delivery will
stop all the mail while you are busy or away.

The good news is you can still keep up with the messages if you want to
in several ways.

Are you familiar with the USENET system of news groups?  Ryan
has set up a private usenet server which holds the backcountry lists
for the AT, PCT. CDT and a number of other backpacking and outdoor
related lists.

Go to http://www.backcountry.net/usenet.html for newsreading information.
Once you get this system set up, the message's subject lines will be
displayed in your newreader window of OE or Netscape and you
can sort them by subject, date or sender.  When you find a message
you want to read, just click on it and the body of the message will be
downloaded.  This keeps your mailbox clear but since it is a "read only"
option, it does making asking questions or replying a bit harder since
you must copy the subject line into an e-mail message and then write
your message as usual but it's a good option if your email can't handle
the flow.Totally sortable, and you can even designate thread to "WATCH"
or "IGNORE". Totally cool....


Another option is
http://forums.backcountry.net/forumdisplay.php?s=7a36958f8aece428c1bb96f953d 
b5ca9&forumid=3
This option functions just like a regular message board.  You can ask
or answer messages directly in the forum.

And
http://mailman.backcountry.net/pipermail/at-l/
which is the "instant achieve site" (read only)

And
http://www.backcountry.net/cgi-bin/marc-search.cgi
which is the achieve which goes allll the way back
but it is sometimes cranky.  Right now it seems particularly
obstinate....

Lots of ways to join in on our campfire, thanks to Ryan, our LIST ADMIN <grin>.
One last thing.....DON"T BE SHY!!!!   Ask and answer hiking questions.  We
tend to "stray" more if things get quiet on the hiking front <VBG>.  One 
last thing...

WELCOME NEWBEES!!!!!