Virago Mailing-List FAQ v. 2.0 1. How do I subscribe to the list? To subscribe to the list, visit the list management page, scroll to 'Subscribing to Virago' and enter your address. 2. How do I unsubscribe from the list? To subscribe to the list, visit the list management page, scroll to the bottom and enter your email in the last text box next to the 'Unsubscribe or edit options' button. 3. How do I switch to the digest-version? The easiest way is to unsubscribe (see above), then follow question 1 above and resubscribe while selecting the digest version (right above the 'subscribe' button. 4. How do I switch to the non-digest version? Follow step 2 to unsubscribe and then follow step 1 to subscribe to the regular version. 5. Are "For Sale" ads appropriate? As long as the ad is indisputably of interest to virago owners and is posted by an individual and not a business, this is fine, and usually welcome. Neither the list owner, nor anyone else makes any guarantees as to the validity of any poster, or their ad. 6. How do I contact the list owner? The list owner is Ben Grosser. You can find his email address on his website. 7. What do I do if I can't unsubscribe? First, make sure you're following step 2 above. If that doesn't work you can send an email to leave-virago@lists.bengrosser.com. It needs to be from the same address you're subscribed from. That will result in a return email that requires a confirmation step. Follow it. If all else fails, contact the list owner. 8. How can I read/search the archives? A full archive of every post every made to the list is archived at http://archives.bengrosser.com/virago/. Follow the links to read and/or search the archives. New users should search the archives for answers to their questions prior to posting to avoid rehashing old topics. 9. Is the posting of binaries (i.e. images) allowed? This is not allowed. If you want to make an image available to others (i.e. a picture of your bike, a picture of your saddlebags, a soundfile of your new pipes, etc.), then post it to a website and notify the list of the URL. Also, see question # 16. 10. How do I send mail to everyone on the list? To send mail to everyone on the list, you should send mail to: virago@lists.bengrosser.com 11. How do I respond privately to someone on the list? Make sure you don't answer yes when your mailer asks 'Use Reply To:', and do make sure you send mail to the person who actually sent the post. 12. How can I best compose a response (IOW, a question on 'quoting')? Many members of the list have expressed their feelings regarding the quoting of previous posts in replies. The consensus is that you should keep your quoting down to the bare minimum that might be necessary to spark someone's memory about what your response is about. In other words, *do not* blanket quote the mail you are responding to. While those who read the regular version of the list can tolerate this because they can simply avoid scrolling down (assuming the quoted material is at the bottom of the post!), digest version users end up with highly-bloated emails that are difficult to read. If at all possible, don't quote more than a line or two. 13. Is there a WWW home for the list? Yes! See the list webpage at http://archives.bengrosser.com/virago/ The archives, search, links and other information available there. 14. Can I send mail as HTML? You can. Most mailers read it these days. That doesn't mean it's a good thing, though :) In some cases, the archives will strip your HTML and turn it back into plain-text, though. 15. There use to be a picture/tech gallery for the list...what happened? Former list member Paul Michalek created a great image and sound gallery for the list. Members had pictures of their bikes up, as well as technical pictures, pipe sounds, etc. Unfortunately, Paul left the list a while ago and then finally, his website dissapeared. I assume Paul is o.k, but we no longer have such a site. If you are interested in setting one up, go for it and let the list know. 16. How can I make a file available to list members if I can't send an attachment to the list? The easiest way is to post it on your own website and put the URL in your post to the list. In case you don't have access to a website, Ben maintains a 'download' page off the main page for this purpose. contact Ben directly. He needs to know what kind of file it is (i.e. file type) and what it is of (for a description). 17. How long has the list been around? The list has been operational since June 18, 1999. 18. What are the most commonly asked questions (i.e. the ones you should definitely search the archives for before posting)? Off the top of my head, the most common topics are: windshields, seats, exhaust, carb problems (i.e. jetting, lean, etc), starter problems, and tires. 19. What about off-topic posts? Posts to the list should be on the topic of viragos specifically, motorcycles in general and/or other things related to riding (i.e. gear, trips, safety, etc.). We have had several incidents of heated off-topic discussion, often of a personal nature. This is not encouraged, but is also not 'policed' (except in extreme cases). I ask that members treat the list as if they were speaking in a room of people they don't know very well. Just as you wouldn't say offensive things in a room full of strangers--don't say it on a list full of strangers, either. 20. What about 4-letter words, etc. In general, they are discouraged. It you want to get the !#$##&! point across, try and find a cleaner way. 21. What hardware and software runs the list and its searchable archive? The list itself is run by Mailman 2.1.9, a free program available here: http://www.gnu.org/software/mailman/index.html. I run the site on an account with Dreamhost. If you're interested in a Dreamhost account (great options for a small price), then please click here and order. If you do, I'll get a small tidbit that will help me host the site. Automatic conversion of the posts to HTML is done by a free program called Mhonarc. The search is currently handled by a Google's Custom Search. The entire archive was reworked extensively in 2001 by a colleague of the list-owner--Dan Weber. In addition to bringing its look into the 21st century and adding lots of functionality, he wrote plenty of scripts to automate all remaining unautomated features of the list. Thanks Dan! ---
The list is maintained by Ben Grosser. If you want, you can see pix of Ben's '91 XV750.