E-mail Lists Common Tips

These are some tips common to both Banner lists (course, majors, advisees, houses) as well as Public lists (club, group, committee, dept., etc.). Please consult the more inclusive FAQ's for both types of lists from the left hand navigation.

Addressbook updating:
Addressbook entries prior to the use of @lists.bates.edu will auto-fill in the "To:", etc. line with an @bates.edu address, possibly causing the message not to be delivered. Update your addressbook entries to include the @lists.bates.edu, and as you send to this address frequently, it will appear as an addressing option as you type it in.

Formatting Messages:
In Thunderbird, under Tools > Options > Composition > General tab > Send options> select "send message in HTML anyway" If the option for sending in both plain text and html is selected, the plain text will appear only.
Lists that are digested by default will not keep formatting regardless of how it was originally sent.

Messages going to Inbox instead of folders:
Your filter sending these messages may need to be edited due to the switch to the mailman system altering the subject line wording [Staff Message] is now [Staff]. In Webmail, click on Filters, click on the word that represents your filter rule, edit the "Subject contains" field (or the appropriate field), and save the filter rule change. In Thunderbird, under Tools, Message Filters, click to highlight the filter rule to edit, click the edit button, adjust the proper field, and save the change. E-mail filters should only exist in one place, not duplicated in both Webmail and Thunderbird.

Off-campus access:
If you will be subscribing or managing lists from off-campus, you will need to utilize the proxy server. Your Bates username and password will be necessary to access proxy services. The proxy process would be the same as accessing Library internet databases from off-campus.

Subscribing or unsubscribing using e-mail is still available from off-campus:

• Send a message to: listname-request@lists.bates.edu
  (where listname  is the name of the list to which you are subscribing or unsubscribing)
• In the subject line or in the body of the message type only:
  Subscribe or Unsubscribe

Reasons for non-delivery - course list faq for special requirements for those lists:

• Lists may be restricted so that only members of the list can send to it without approval from the owner/moderator. The length of the approval process (from a closed list) can keep a message from being sent in a timely fashion.
• Messages should not be sent to a list and many other e-mail addresses in the same message. Too many names in the "To" or "CC" fields will cause bounced messages.

Replying to a message:

• Check the header to see who it is from:
• From a person
  the reply will go to that person only
• From the mailing list name
  the reply will go to the entire list
• If the message was sent from the list, to reply only to the person who sent the message, you need to mail the reply to their name.
• When you reply to a message, the subject line will be by default: RE: the subject of the message to which you are replying. You may change that if you wish when you send the message.

Saving Messages:
Each member of the list is responsible for saving any message they wish to keep. Be sure to manage your incoming mailbox directory, so messages should be moved or saved to folders as you would other e-mail messages. Remember Trash is not a forever folder, after 30 days in the imap Trash the messages will be deleted.

Sending a message:
Send an e-mail message to the listname@lists.bates.edu
(e.g., goodfood@lists.bates.edu).

• The message will be sent to all members of the list. The subject line should reflect the content of your message.
• Course list tips

Who else is on the list:
If you are a member of the list you can find out on the web or by using e-mail commands:

For Web access to obtaining a list of members ("who"):
NOTE: Off-campus you will be asked to login with Bates username and password before following these instructions.

• Open a web browser to https://lists.bates.edu/mailman/listinfo/listname
  [where listname is the name of the list]
• Click on the list name.
• Scroll down the page to the subscribers section at the bottom.
• Enter your e-mail address and *password.
• Click the Visit Subscriber List button and a list of the members displays.

E-mail commands for obtaining a list of other members ("who"):

Members have to send the following two messages 1) for your password for the list and 2) to execute the who query:

1)First retrieve your password for this list by sending a message in the following format:

To:listname-request@lists.bates.edu (where listname is the name of the list to which you are a member)

Subject: no subject)

Body: (only the word) password

The list management program will send you a message back with the password, which refers only to this list. Write down the password, as this will be needed for this list in the future.

2)Then send a second message in the following format:

To:listname-request@lists.bates.edu

Subject: (no subject)

Body: who password
[where password is the password you just received]

The list management program will send you an alphabetical list of members by username.