<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>
 
There has been much discussion in the past 3 days about whether or not our
list should become a newsgroup.  I would like to make a few points, and
address some concerns to assure people that whatever we do,while the
current method of accessing this list may be _expanded_, anyone who wants
to do maintain the status quo will be able to do so.  This post will go
into significant  detail because it is clear from the number of people
making post on this topic that the mailing list - newsgroup issue is very
important to our subscribers.
 
The listowners believe that there is a very important distinction between
'mailing lists' and 'newsgroups' as it relates to Celiac Disease ---
mailing lists can be set up to REQUIRE each reader to first subscribe, and
newsgroups cannot.  The act of subscribing accomplishes several things:
 
1) It gives us the opportunity to send them our custom-tailored WELCOME
message.  This message warns people that our list is unmoderated, that
celiacs have a serious condition which can be impaired by accidental
ingestion of gluten, and that everyone is urged to verify posts before
following them.  The message also outlines the biopsy and blood test
procedure for confirming Celiac Disease and urges readers to see a medical
professional prior to starting on a GF diet, since these tests become
inaccurate once you are GF.  Newsgroup readers would miss these important
messages, and it may have less-than-optimal impact on their personal
situation.
 
2)  The WELCOME message also alerts new subscribers to the dozens of
specialized files which are available, including our FAQ and NEWCEL
PACKAGE.  We have been told dozens of times that these two files are
extremely valuable, comprehensive summaries of the Celiac condition.
Newsgroup readers would not even know these files exist.
 
3) The WELCOME messages contains instructions on how to navigate the
listserv, set personal options, and sets ground rules for internet
etiquette and our own list policies.  The listowners have spent many hours
refining the welcome message, and we have been told it really helps teach
subscribers valuable tools.  We feel it also helps shape the quality and
type of posts which are made on our list.
 
3) It forces each person to identify themselves in order read.  We have
"discovered" many valued experts during the signon process from their IDs.
For example: [log in to unmask] may be a celiac who works at the National
Institutes for Health.  The listowners write to such people, and have
discovered celiacs in important government positions, medical doctors with
many celiac patients, etc.  These discoveries may well have not been made
in a newsgroup mode, since the people may have lurked (i.e. not posted,
only read).
 
4) The mailing list format allows the listowners to maintain far more
order on the list, since we can control who posts.  As you know, our list
is not moderated.  However, the listserv software allows a listowner to
put any individual subscriber onto REVIEW status, which means all
attempted posts can be screened.  Every new subscriber is automatically
defaulted to REVIEW until their first one or two posts have been made.
One reason our list is much more orderly than others is that, on average,
two or three posts are rejected by Mike Jones every day!  Most of the
time, these posts are well intentioned, and innocently inappropriate --
made by new subscribers who have not taken the time to read the WELCOME
message.  For example, how many times do our 940 subscribers want to be
asked about whether spelt is gluten free?  Other times, someone who does
not understand how to use the 'reply' feature of their software would have
re-sent yesterday's entire 20 email digest back to 940 people.  And
unfortunately, there are more and more SPAM posts, advertisements which
people attempt to send to hundreds of lists at the same time.
 
These are the principle reasons for our caution in considering newsgroup
status.  We are well aware that newsgroups have many advantages over
mailing lists -- these have been covered by other posts made yesterday, so
I will not go into detail at this time.
 
We are currently considering what is called a one-way newsgroup linkup.
This means that those with a newsgroup reader can READ anything written on
our list, but not POST to the list.  In order to post an email, each
person would have to subscribe via the listserv.  They could immediately
set their preferences to NOMAIL, so that they get all their mail via the
newsgroup.  Here are the main advantages and disadvantages of such an
arrangement:
 
a)  Those that like the mailing list format can keep the status quo -- in
fact, unless a subscriber takes an active step to change their personal
options on the listserv, nothing about the current list will change for
them.
 
b)  Those that like the newsgroup format can get our list traffic as a
newsgroup, and take advantage of the easier thread-sorting functions.
Their mailboxes will not fill up during vacations, etc.
 
c)  The listowners will still maintain control over those who post, since
any posting will require first becoming a mailing list subscriber
 
d)  We would lose the ability to find VIP readers that never post.
Perhaps once a month the listowners could post a note asking these people
to identify themselves via private email.
 
e)  The principal disadvantage of this arrangement is that newsgroup
readers may never know that the specialized files exist,  may not be
sufficiently warned of the dangers of not verifying unmoderated posts, and
may not realize the important of considering formal Celiac blood/biopsy
testing prior to starting a GF diet.  The listowners have written to
newsgroup experts to see if it is possible to send a daily message with
this information -- just over the newsgroup, not to the mailing list
subscribers.  If any of you have expertise in setting up or maintaining
newsgroups, please contact Mike Jones at <[log in to unmask]> via private
email -- we could use your assistance.
 
Please bear with us while we complete our work on how to best structure
the newsgroup.  While the prior discussion of this topic on the list has
been useful, it appears that the main points have already been brought out
several times.  Therefore, the listowners ask that those with further
comments send them privately to us at [log in to unmask]
instead of posting to the entire list.
 
Thank you.
 
Bill Elkus
for the listowners