LSTOWNers,
Here is what we posted to our list about the new DIGESTS option:
Feel free to use, modify, etc...(Note: "Friends" is the technical term
for "Quakers" - The Religious Society of Friends)
***********************************************************************
Friends:
There is a new option available on QUAKER-L called DIGESTS.
If you send the command SET QUAKER-L DIGESTS to LISTSERV@UIUCVMD
(note: DO NOT send to QUAKER-L !!!) then you will receive a weekly
collection of QUAKER-L messages in one file, instead of a separate file
for each message. A list of contents of the file comes at the
beginning. DIGESTS are mailed out early Sixth Day mornings.
[If you change your mind and don't like the DIGESTS option, send the
command SET QUAKER-L MAIL and it will revert to normal mail.]
DIGESTS is NOT a reduced version of the messages, not one word is omitted,
although the headers are trimmed down (a nice feature!)
Let me know if you would prefer a daily digest. It is not possible to
have individual subscribers choose daily or weekly. If sufficient
number of people ask for daily, we will change the setting, otherwise,
it will stay weekly. Weekly digests may be too large for some mail systems.
======================================================================
An intriguing alternative, especially for those who have problems with
overflowing mailboxes, is SET QUAKER-L INDEX With this option, the
only mail you receive from QUAKER-L is an index of each digest, along
with sufficient information for you to order any given message from the
QUAKER-L archives using the LISTSERV database search facilities. For
information on how to use the database, send a message to
LISTSERV@UIUCVMD saying INFO DATABASE
=======================================================================
Who would benefit from DIGESTS?
1. If you are on a "pay by the minute" service such as CompuServe or
America OnLine or a commercial Internet account, you can save money by
rapidly downloading one big file, then perusing it on your home computer
without paying for extra connect time.
2. If you get volumes of e-mail that is hard to keep track of, having
only one file per day from QUAKER-L will simplify your life.
3. If there are only certain topics that interest you, you can scan the
table of contents and delete the whole file if none of them interest
you. This saves deleting mutiple files from your reader.
4. You can use the search capabilities of your mail reader or word
processor to search for key words across the whole file, identifying
areas of interest.
Why would I NOT want this feature?
1. If you like to save messages from certain topics only, and delete
the other ones without reading them, then the undigested format may be
more appropriate for your needs.
2. If you have a very primitive mail reader that does not easily browse
through larger files, you may not like the digested format.
3. Certain connections to the network place size limits on files. If you
have such a connection, the digest for a particularly heavy day of QUAKER-L
might be larger than your limit, and might not be delivered to you.
N.B. if many of you are having a problem with file size, I can set a
maximum file size for the digests.
Send e-mail to dienes@uiucvmd outlining your problem.
Note: if you SET QUAKER-L NOMAIL when you go an a vacation, etc.,
remmber that instead of sending the command SET QUAKER-L MAIL when you
come back, send SET QUAKER-L DIGESTS (or SET QUAKER-L INDEX if you
prefer that option). SET QUAKER-L MAIL will cancel the DIGESTS option.
--
Bruce P. A. Dienes Beware the iniquitous Disk Trolls!
BitNet: dienes@uiucvmd
Internet: [log in to unmask] or [log in to unmask]
Phone: Home: 217-328-7720 (best) or Office: 217-333-3704 (msg)
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