Our goal is to make newsletter content sharing easy! Easy to contribute, easy to use, easy to get graphics, easy to allow your group and your authors to get the credit and readership they deserve.

Remember that the goal is to share content, not newsletters! Unlike web sites that require maintenance, have delay times in posting new articles and frequently go out of date, a mailing list is a very current, very convenient method of sharing information and content. Please review the guidelines below for list usage and procedures. Understanding and following them will help the list grow and be more useful to everyone!

Key Features

The key features of this list are

• Articles are delivered to your "doorstep," either individually or by digest.
  
• The full text of the articles are included in the email, making it easy for authors and editors to contribute and use.
  
• Articles can be cut and pasted from email into the newsletter creation program without re-keying. Line feeds or carriage returns may have to be stripped. This makes it easy for articles to be used.
  
• Attribution information and requirements are published with each article, as determined by the author.
  
• Supporting graphics can be obtained with relative ease via iDisk, FTP or HTML download. Authors select what is easiest for them.
  
• Attachments to list messages are prohibited, to avoid volume issues and to encourage proper use of the model.
  
• "Archives" are maintained by YahooGroups.
• If an author or editor wishes to share other articles posted at a web site, they are free to post links.
• If an author or editor wants to share their PDF's, they are free to post links.
• Non-English articles would be welcome from MUGs anywhere. It may be useful for MUGs in certain parts of the world to have access to articles in other languages.
  
• Macworld Magazine and Chris Breen have generously allowed MUGs to have access to select portions of Chris' excellent Mac 911 column for use in their newsletters. The content is circulated exclusively through the Newsletter Content Email list on a monthly basis. For those who would like a picture of Chris to use in conjunction with the articles, you can download his approved promo photo here.
• Reminders of the release of new editions of TidBITS are posted regularly to the list. Adam Engst permits reprints of all TidBITS content in user group newsletters, with proper attribution.
• The MUG Center's own column of interesting stories and links from some of our favorite web sites, Web Watch, is posted to the list on a regular, but unscheduled, basis.
  
• The MUG Center also publishes Vendor Offer Watch, a regularly updated, abbreviated listing of information on all the user group-specific offers from our Vendor Offers section in a format specifically designed for newsletter editors.
• Nicholas Pyers, an avid Macintosh user, generates a Macintosh focused puzzle or crossword each month for Macintosh fans enjoyment (or frustration). Notification of the availability of new puzzles are posted regularly to the list to facilitate use by user group newsletter editors. Listees are given information on how to download a Stuffit archive which contains:
  
  • The clues in a Text File
  • The Puzzle and Solution as 72 DPI JPEGs
  • The Puzzle and Solution as PDFs
  • A iWork '05 Page document with a single page layout
  • A PDF of the Pages Document

Joining The List:
The list is currently run on YahooGroups. In the unlikely event that you don't already belong to a YahooGroup list, you'll need to go through the registration process. Please read all of the agreements and information presented. (The MUG Center does not endorse any product or service provided or offered by, for or through YahooGroups other than the maintenance of email lists.)

Who Should Join
Macintosh User Group newsletter editors and article authors should join this list.

How And Why To Contribute
Once subscribed, you should email your articles back to the list to be shared with all. Everyone should try to contribute their best articles.

Suitable Content
Material suitable for posting includes:

• Original articles written by you
• Original articles published in your group's newsletter, assuming you have the author's permission
  
• References to sources of good articles (on a regular basis The MUG Center will post a listing of organizations or commercial ventures who allow MUG newsletter reprints)

About Graphics
Many authors and editors include graphics with their articles. The problem is that graphics are often large files, which slow down email, bloat the list, and cost those outside North America a substantial amount of money to receive, especially if they aren't going to be used. We therefore ask that you post a link to a supporting graphic. This can be a link to a downloadable version, if you have a site and the skills to make it available. If not, then we recommend that the author or editor create a specific iDisk account for their article graphics, or use the group's iDisk. Using iDisk makes it very easy, since it results in drag and drop uploading and downloading without having to worry about working with a webmaster or anyone else being involved.

Not Permitted!

• Attachment of graphic files, PDF files, etc. are not permitted on this list. As above, we want this to be fast, simple and easy to use. Attachments create volume, increased download times and potential problems with your ISP.
• Postings of rumors or articles which are rumor-based will not be tolerated. There is a fine line between honest speculation, wishful thinking and rumor-mongering. We hope everyone recognizes this and will respect it.
• General banter is discouraged, in order to keep the quality on the list to content only. If you have something to say to an author, please do so off-list.
• Articles promoting products, services or organizations (other than reviews) are not appropriate for this list, unless they are specifically approved by the moderator.

Moderation

This list will be unmoderated as much as possible. If everyone understands and respects the guidelines above, the list will function smoothly. Moderation or intervention will only occur in cases of consistent or flagrant violation of the very few guidelines above.

How To Post
If you're not familiar with email lists, or want to be sure you do it right the first time, review the instructions on how to post to the list.

Disclaimer

All articles and content distributed via this list are the sole responsibility of the individual contributor. Inclusion on this list does not imply endorsement or condemnation of any product, service, idea or opinion.