TOPIC
SSLIVESTEAM (which stands for Small-Scale Live Steam) is about small-scale (1:13.7 to 1:32) live steam railroad engines (that's generally 45mm or 32mm gauge). It is not about ride-on engines and it's not about electric garden railroads (that's not to say those are perfectly fine endeavors, just that we don't discuss them). This list doesn't care where you run your small-scale live steamer, just that it ain't too big and it ain't electric. Discussion topics will include relative merits of different kinds of steam oil, the availability of iso-butane and butane, the differences between types of coal and the various offerings of commercial suppliers. Kit-builders, kit-bashers and scratch-builders are welcome to share their experiences and post questions.


GORY DETAILS
SSLIVESTEAM has a List Mom -- David M. Cole dmc@colegroup.com. SSLIVESTEAM is run off his personal server and at his personal forbearance.

To get onto the list, send e-mail to sslivesteam-on@colegroup.com. To get off the SSLIVESTEAM list, send e-mail to sslivesteam-off@colegroup.com. To get the digest version of SSLIVESTEAM, send e-mail to sslivesteam-digest@colegroup.com.

Archives for this list are at http://www.mail-archive.com/sslivesteam%40colegroup.com/. This service specifically hides e-mail addresses so that they can't be "harvested" by e-mail spammers.

Below, you'll find the guidelines for participating on SSLIVESTEAM. Please keep a copy of this message so that you can unsubscribe easily and so that you know the rules of the road. These guidelines are archived at http://colegroup.com/miscellanea/w-mrrr/sslivesteam_guide.html.


ENCOURAGEMENTS

When you sign up, post a little note identifying yourself and your background. This helps others understand the underpinnings of your questions and comments.

Keep postings as short as possible. People are flooded with information every day. If you want to be noticed, much less heard, you need to keep it brief.

If you include quoted material, EDIT IT RUTHLESSLY. Pass along the smallest amount necessary for context. Please do NOT simply leave it stuck to the end of your message, since this REALLY screws up the digest's users. Edit, edit, edit! (Please note the prohibition about copyrighted material below.)

Keep signatures as short as possible.

Make it as easy as possible for people to read your message, and people will. Putting a little time into cleaning things up before you send your missive can mean the difference between silence and getting the answer you need. (This cleanup also distinguishes a good 'Net citizen from a 'Net slob.) In general, the harder your message is to read, the less likely the person with the answer to your question will bother to respond.


PROCEDURES

In posting an item, keep the "Subject" line relevant. If the topic changes, change the subject. If you are a digest reader, CHANGE the subject to the appropriate subject. (If you don't, all we will see is "Re: sslivesteam Digest ...," which is meaningless, and which many readers don't bother to read.) Take a little time -- make the "Subject" line useful.

Ask yourself if you need to post your message to the entire list. If you aren't sure, e-mail it privately to the person to whom you're responding.

If someone asks a question and you want a copy of the answers, e-mail the request privately. Don't send it to the entire list.

If you ask a question and people send you answers, please send copies to people who ask. If you get more than a couple of requests, then please put the answers together and post a summary to the list, AND e-mail a copy to the List Mom so it can be put in the archive. This way, future users can get it without asking the question again.


DISCOURAGEMENTS

Please do not post to multiple mailing lists. Find the MOST APPROPRIATE list and post there. Shotgun mailings only fragment the response and cause people to duplicate time and effort trying to deal with the question.

Please do not post articles that include MIME enclosures or Binhexed files. These long postings are not acceptable on the mailing lists without explicit permission from the List Mom.

Please do not post or forward messages of general interest, mass-distributed warnings, rumors, good samaritan messages or chain letters. Before posting anything like this, check with the List Moms to determine whether it's appropriate. We don't care how important you think the subject is, whether it's a new computer virus rumor or a get well card -- it's not appropriate for this list unless we've cleared it in advance. Period. Users who violate this rule will lose their list privileges.

Remember, there is but one List Mom. If you see something on the list you don't like, make your displeasure known to him -- don't post a note to the entire list complaining about another list member. There are frequently private e-mails going to list members who make transgressions -- assume that the List Mom is wide awake and doing some wrist-slapping of his own.


PROHIBITIONS
In the wild west that is the Internet, there are many towns where violating the rules is OK; not this one. The List Mom refuses to play sheriff -- if you show a pattern of abusing the rules, you'll be kicked off, plain and simple.

Commercial "for sale" or "wanted to buy" messages, blatant sales hype and pitches are forbidden. Individuals seeking or selling small-scale live steam locomotives are welcome to post and low-key notes or commercial press releases are OK. Use discretion (ask if in doubt). If you aren't absolutely sure, run it past the List Mom first and get an opinion.

Flaming and abusive language is banned. We consider the users of this list to be mature, intelligent people. The few who prove themselves exceptions will find little patience from the List Mom.

Addresses obtained from this list may not be used to harass others or send them offensive, abusive or blatantly commercial e-mail. People who abuse other members of this list, either in public or private, are in violation of this list's charter. If a user is upset enough by your e-mail to report it to us in a complaint, then as List Mom, we have the responsibility to investigate the problem and take action if we feel it necessary.

Do not post copyrighted material. It's illegal to type something in from a newspaper verbatim, or re-post something you saw on the Web. While this happens all over the 'Net, such activity is neither right nor legal. If you do it, you put both yourself and us as owners of the list at legal risk if the copyright holder decides to fight. You CAN post a link to the work, summarize what the work is saying, post quotes from the work within the boundaries of fair use (and feel free to ask the List Mom if you aren't sure), but posting entire articles is a major no-no. We view copyright protection so seriously that failure to cooperate on this one will get you kicked off the list, so please be careful. If you aren't sure, ask first.

Have fun. This is a hobby list for hobbyists. We are not solving world hunger or doing brain surgery. Lighten up.

(This list of guidelines is adapted from one written by Chuq Von Rospach, who uses it on the Apple-Internet-* lists and is used with his permission.)