[va-bird] Re: Email problems - posting problems

  • From: Paula Sullivan <paula.sullivan2@xxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: Kurt Gaskill <KurtCapt87@xxxxxxxxxxx>, VA-Bird <va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Sat, 26 Aug 2006 01:36:51 -0400

VA-birders,

I was very glad to see the discussion on this important topic. It does seem that the problems are erratic, inexplicable, and without a solution. The delays in seeing a message posted, mentioned by a number of you, are frustrating, but not as bad as not having it ever appear! My last message was delayed 22 minutes. The delays are highly variable. Sometimes there are none. What is the reason for that? Some of the problems are undoubtedly caused by spam filters on the receiver's end and other such things, but I think it is not true that "if a person changes email services the problem goes away." Some problems may go away if a person goes to the considerable trouble of changing email services, but my problems come and go and I do nothing at all but gnash my teeth. Paul says "no-posts" problems were there from the time he took over and the answer from the webmaster just tells us no help is coming from that quarter: "There's really nothing you can do from a list admin point of view." So, there is a variable, widespread, and intractable problem. What do we do about it?

It is vital that Virginia birders have a reliable, efficient listserv which includes a usable archives search engine. Paul said he has looked into other hosting options and he says they cost $$$. I'm not surprised. Free is nice, but sometimes you have to pay for service. I would like to know just how many $$$s we are talking about. I think we do need to begin a dialog amongst bird club leaders throughout the state, as Kurt suggests. And, how about the VSO? Isn't there a role for that organization here?

Again, thanks to Paul for doing a fine job as moderator. Taking the time to step in to post for someone who can't really shouldn't have to be part of his job.

Paula Sullivan
Alexandria

On Aug 25, 2006, at 10:36 PM, Kurt Gaskill wrote:

Paul et al,

I think I brought up the posting problem at least to you, Paul, about 2
years ago. And, no, there has never been notification that something has
not gone through. In fact, I think I once questioned at the beginning of
one VA BIRD message "where do all these messages go that never see the light
of day" or something like that.

ISP? Maybe. MS Outlook? Maybe. Of course, MDOsprey does not have the
problem. So I think the Freelists listserver sits in the "maybe" category
too.

Symptoms? Copied messages from previously composed MS Word documents often
do not go through. Switching to plain text sometimes works, esp. if you
type something first. Bypassing MS Outlook and going straight to your ISP
composer almost always works, although you may lose complete control over
font and some punctuation (take a look at some messages with question marks
peppered throughout the document).

Looking at messages over the years, it appears to happen to many people. I
think it would be worthwhile to develop a solution. So... how much does
another list server provider cost?  And, perhaps the birding clubs and
organizations throughout this state should consider taking on this burden as
a community?

Why? The payoffs for a well-running listserver (especially one that is not
fragmented into regions) are the many unusual species that are found and
reported from time to time. And those are the species that grab people's
attention and lead them on a path that heads towards "conservation".
Species such as Black Rails, Brown Boobies, Sandhill Cranes, Western
Kingbirds, White Pelicans, Mountain Bluebirds, Ash-throated Flycatchers,
Harris's Sparrows, Clay-colored Sparrows, (inland) Nelson's Sharp- tailed
Sparrows, LeConte's Sparrows, Red-necked Grebes, Brewer's Blackbirds,
Lapland Longspurs, Common Teal, Swainson's Hawks, MacGillivray's Warblers,
Long-eared Owls, Cave Swallows, Buff-breasted Sandpipers, Painted Buntings,
Western Tanagers, Northern Shrikes, Mississippi Kites, California Gulls,
Heerman's Gulls, White-winged Doves, winter hummingbirds, Townsend's
Warblers, Red Crossbills, and many, many other species that have shown up in
the last few years and which many, many VA BIRDer got to experience because
of VA BIRDs.

I suggest that the time is right to develop a dialog on this subject amongst
the various Bird Club leaders.  Is there interest?

Kurt Gaskill

-----Original Message-----
From: va-bird-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:va-bird- bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of P R Mocko
Sent: Friday, August 25, 2006 2:07 PM
To: va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [va-bird] Email problems - posting problems

Dear VA-Birders,

From the Freelists webmaster, sent to me last night after I asked about the
VA-Bird posting problems:

"There are many reasons a message wouldn't come through, but someone's
always notified of the cause -- eventually, at least -- that part depends on

the cause of the failure. There's really nothing you can do from a list
admin point of view."

I have never had a posting problem so I don't know if the notification part
is true.

Freelists is a free hosting service, and VA-Bird has been on Freelists since

1999, set up by the previous listserv owners. I looked into other hosting
options during the three day outage of VA-Bird in 2004 (2005?) and they all
involved $$$.

I will assist anyone willing to re-host VA-Bird, except financially. Topic
for the VSO Board?

"No posts" have occured from the first month I took over VA-Bird three and a

half years ago. This is by far the most time-intensive part of my "job".
In almost every case, if a person changes email services the problem goes
away. Brenda Tekin sent her posts from the UVA mail server, which has and
continues to have problems. Posting problems may be caused by an ISP email
service or by an individual's PC.

So, I feel bad when I cannot resolve your posting problems, but see the
first paragraph.

BTW, does your PC have virus protection constantly updated, and do you run
an anti-spyware program, and (if it is a Windows PC) do you install
Microsoft updates when they are issued?

If you have something to contribute to this discussion, please post (if you
can).  Solutions and alternatives are welcome.

Maybe we are witnessing the tip of the iceberg of net neutrality problems?
;-}

Please join me at the OBNWR for the NVBC trip starting at 8:00 AM tomorrow,
August 26.

Good birding,

Paul Mocko
Co-owner, VA-Bird Listserv





"Always look on the bright side of life"       from Spamalot


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