[tri-wings] ADMIN - Sending attachments to the list

Many years ago when we set the list up many people were worried that they may 
become infected with a virus from list mail. And understandably so as its a 
very real concern. There were no virus scans back then. Consequently the list 
is configured NOT to accept attachments of ANY KIND. That includes pictures, 
enclosed mails and the like.
For the same reason the list doesnt process any mails that include html. So all 
the pretty stationery you have - it wont come through the list. HTML mail comes 
through as gobbledy gook with little = signs and such on the end of every row. 
Everyone should set the list mail address in their address book to plain text - 
if you have a problem with that let me know and I will walk you through the 
settings.

It isnt because people don't want to see pictures of our kids - its purely a 
safetey precaution. Most viruses come as attachments or embedded in html by not 
allowing those we are protecting everyone on the list, and thats a lot of 
people. Those who actually post to the list only make up about a quarter of 
those who are actually subscribed.

Also some people can't view photographs on their computers, have download 
limits and the like. This way they can read emails and view photos when they 
want as they want or as they can afford.

There are a couple of alternatives. 
1) you can send the emails individually to people who request them. Time 
consuming but certainly one way around the problem.

2) You can post your pictures on the web and simply send through the URL to the 
list. This is perhaps the best option. 

3) Send your pictures through to me and I will post them on the web if you 
request it. You MUST ask me to put them on the web otherwise I will think they 
are for my own personal viewing and wont post them on the web. I have a 
geocities web site that allows "anonymous" posting if you need it. (that is 
makes it so that its not attached to trisomy or the list in any way)

Sue and I have even been known to create personal web sites for people as time 
permits.

7 years ago (I cant believe this list has been in action for 7 years now) when 
I set up the list with Sue we spent many hours teaching ourselves to write HTML 
so that we could build a website and post pictures and the like of our kids. 
The reasoning behind this was so that people would see our kids as they are - 
beautiful people - not the "monsters" which were the only information and 
pictures available back then. (refer to the topics on the autopsy photos on 
Utah's University website).

It took Sue and I many long and hilarious hours to learn how to build webpages 
- the days before Frontpage and HTML editors. Every line was written by hand 
after you learnt the language!!! I miss the giggle sessions we had doing all 
this - we will never forget the night we spent building "The Rock" web page - 
what a scream that was!!!! And you can all blame Jocelyn for triggering off the 
"The Rock". Whether she remembers or not it was her idea that got us started 
:-))
http://www.trisomyonline.org/rock.htm

As a spin off from that we set up the family pages - a space where people 
could, without any knowledge of web pages, post their story and pictures. 
http://www.trisomyonline.org/families.htm
We did limit the number of photos but only because it was costing me for the 
space that the pictures took on the web. Thats not an issue now with 
compression, bigger computers (back then a decent sized computer was 2 gigs - 
MP3 players are bigger than that now!!)

As the net progressed people learnt to make their own web pages, all the free 
web site hosting sprung up and so people stopped adding their stories to the 
family site corner on the lists web site - which I think is a pity. The more we 
let people know about our kids the more they are accepted. As Chris hinted a 
few days ago a lot has changed in the 10 years I have been involved, I cant 
even imagine how much its changed in the 30 years she has been dealing with it 
all.

But the offer is still there. The web space the lists site occupies is donated 
so I am no longer carrying the cost. I would absolutely LOVE some help in 
building up the stories and pictures. 

Now that I am not working and once Alex gets back to school and Australia gets 
back to work (Australia shuts down from the middle of December until the end of 
January) I will spend even more time than I have been updating every thing. 

But its all time consuming so if anyone has some time and wants to do something 
feel free to volunteer. Doesnt matter what you think you can do - we can teach, 
or find something that needs help with - from editing, to researching, to 
reading the volumes I receive each day, collating information, helping new 
families, searching the net, graphic editing and or designing - there is lots 
that needs to be done and always room for volunteers. 

And even though Mr Anonymous who donates the domain and his friend who donates 
the web space still want to remain anonymous I will say THANKYOU for donating 
the space and the domain name all these years, just in case you read this from 
your deep lurk mode.  

Mr Anonymous was one or our early listers and when his daughter passed away he 
wanted to leave a legacy for her. So the money that he would have spent on a 
gift for her birthdays he donates each year to paying the costs of the list. 
Life has moved on and he is now busy with his daughters new brothers and 
sisters but I will never be able to forget his special little girl not whilst 
the list is still reaching out to people. There are lots of people who have 
done things like this over the years - Mr Anonymous, Jude, Mary, Sue, Mandy, 
Deanna - too many to name THANKYOU from the bottom of my heart. For holding me 
up in the bad times and helping so many.

"It is not how much we do, but how much love we put in the doing. It is not how 
much we give, but how much love we put in the giving."
 ~ ~ Mother Teresa ~ ~

Keep Looking For Rainbows!!
   _--_|\
 /Karen \
 \ _.--._ /
          v Karen, Mum to Alex (10 years, T-18 Mosaic)
http://members.optushome.com.au/karens

                  Building ___ooOOoo__ Rainbows
                       www.trisomyonline.org
                  Families Helping Families On-line

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