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Participate and Post

SMUG is an email distribution list server. Once subscribed, email should start coming into your inbox. It can be a busy list. Many people choose to filter the incoming into its own folder.

To participate, simply reply to a post.

To post your own thread, send an email to smugIT or smugMS,
smugit@smugonline.org
or
smugms@smugonline.org

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Alternatively, use the following self-service page:

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Which list do I want?

smugIT is oriented to programming and other core system and IT technical questions. It is a busy list and many people filter the incoming mail to a box they can read by thread. smugMS is theoretically for “member service” and is intended for more of a “how do I” operations-type question that those outside of IT might pose. It is a fairly quiet list.

Contact

For questions, issues or unsubscribe requests, email smugmaster-at-smugonline.org.

List Server Netiquette

Note: This entry is ancient. I am pretty sure I wrote it in like 2000. I haven’t gone through it lately, and I am sure it needs updating, but I think overall it is still relevant and applicable. Suggestions may be sent to smugmaster-at-smugonline,org.

Smuggers- In response to subscriber input and other occurrences over a period of time, the following is provided for your benefit. There are several suggestions — please read them all. Some we need help with, others are no-brainers that are included just because they should be.

Effective 5/25/2012, the list server imposes a 40K size limit* on SMUG posts. While it is regretted that such a limit need be effected, it is for the good of the list and its continued operation.

I sincerely hope this limitation does not cause any inconvenience or dissatisfaction with the list service.

You may wish to keep the following in mind:

Posts should only be a few K in size. Like 2-4 or 6K.
Send only in PLAIN TEXT. This is common courtesy.
Bigger posts are often rich text or HTML posts.
To ensure your message is posted to the list, please observe the following:
Limit your post to 10K or less.
Please avoid rich text and HTML color text, formatting, icons, company logos, and backgrounds.
Trim headers and footers when replying to the list. All but what is needed to remind us where the thread is going.
If you have questions about how to send list postings in plain text, please see your helpdesk or IT team.

Thank you for observing this adjustment. And THANK YOU for your support of the SMUG list! — smugmaster

Stay on topic.  Like any other list, the SMUG lists are dedicated to a topic – basically anything to do with credit unions using Symitar Systems’ hardware, software, support, etc. If you are a Symitar client and have questions, comments, suggestions, stuff people might want — practically anything Symitar- or credit union-related, it is probably on-topic.

Griping, bashing, flaming, and the like are no-nos.  So is plugging (selling).*  Job postings are pushing it.
If you have an axe to grind with a vendor (including or especially Symitar), contact the vendor and escalate the issue with them.  The list is not an escalation tool nor should it be used as a weapon.  To abuse a public forum to whip up a mob or spread false rumors or blow off steam or, worse yet, instill fear, uncertainty or doubts in what may be interpreted as a malicious manner is WRONG.  Remember this is a party line.  Everyone in the list will see every message you send, and anyone who sees the message can and may reply to it.  If a message is of interest to only one person, send it to only that person!  If you don’t want everyone to see it, don’t send it to the list.  This includes “Thank you’s” and “Me too’s.”  Send them to the individual intended recipient.  Also don’t embarrass yourself by sending unsubscribe requests to the whole list.

This is a private list.  Information appearing in this forum is intended for list members only.  Sharing information with the list is your decision (see above).  But sharing someone else’s information, without their permission, with a party outside of the list is unconscionable.  For example, it is one thing to reply with information about a third party that you are using, including contact information.  It’s another thing to forward that information onto the third party, possibly even quoting back to the list their response.

Use reasonable quoting.  Most email packages let you >quote the message you are replying to.  You should quote only just enough that people know what you are replying to.  Quoting a long message and then only adding “Me too!” is rude and a waste of server CPU cycles and bandwidth. Also, when you quote a message, cut the mailing list headers and any footers out of your quote.  DON’T SHOUT!  Many people find the use of one case to be annoying and hard to read.  ALL CAPS IS CONSIDERED SHOUTING.  All lower case is considered odd.  Don’t send messages while angry.  That causes problems.  Like hate mail you later regret.  So, let the letter rest for a bit before you send it.  Don’t be excessively annoying.We’re all annoying at times. But being excessively annoying, as determined by the moderator, might get you removed from the list.  Don’t send attachments.  Actually, attachments are automatically stripped out at our mail server anyway.  Set your email client to “plain text.”  This will avoid a lot of problems for many list users.  HTML formatting and mail with images and especially backgrounds are a pain for many.

Footnotes

* Plugging is a real no-no.  Short of filtering subscribers to keep vendors off the list, we are presently allowing vendors to “lurk” in the list.  But at no time should a vendor (commercial, free-lancer, CUSO, etc.) plug their wares or advertise their company.  Violations will be dealt with directly by the smugmaster of this list and may include remedies up to and including deletion from the list.