GET YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED THROUGH LISTERV

 

The Hobby Greenhouse Association runs an e-mail list called HGA-L, which allows people all over the world to discuss and solve greenhouse problems or simply talk about what is growing in their greenhouses. HGA-L allows a group of people to communicate using simple e-mail. Unlike Internet Messaging, there is no requirement that both people be in front of their computers at the same time e-mail allows answers when it is convenient.

 

You do not have to be an HGA member to utilize HGA-L, but you must be a subscriber to the list in order to send messages to the list. Subscribing to HGA-L is free. The simplest way to join HGA-L is to go to http://www.louisville.edu/it/listserv/archives/hga-l.html and click on "Join the list” You will need to enter the e- mail address where you want the messages sent. Once you submit this you will get an e-mail asking for confirmation. Just follow directions and you will then receive an e-mail with a final confirmation. This process should only take a few minutes, depending on network traffic.

 

To send a question or comment to everybody on the list, the easiest way for most people is to just compose a standard e-mail note addressed to HGA-L@listserv.louisville.edu with a descriptive subject line. It is important to remember that a message addressed to HGA-L will go to everybody on the list. If you answer a question or reply to a comment, be sure to check the "To:" address; in most cases, your reply will go back out to everybody on the HGA-L list. Don't be concerned if there is a drought of messages. Some- times it seems everybody is just too busy in their greenhouses to keep up a discussion. Wait a bit and messages will start flowing again.

 

Once you are subscribed to the list, you can go back to the URL above and search the archives to see what has been discussed before or find a particular message you forgot to save to your computer when it was first posted. There are a few other functions on this page: you can "suspend" any messages while you are out of town, or ask that all messages during the day are sent together in one "digest" so you get one message contain all the messages sent that day.

 

Do not try to send attachments to HGA-L. Because of security concerns, attachments are blocked. If you have pictures you want others to see, it is best to put them on a picture server with just a text "pointer" on HGA-L.

 

This is a standard Listserv configuration; so many other configurations are possible. If you have any problems, contact Elliott Parker (elliott.s.parker@cmich.edu) or Kay Lancaster (kay@fern.com) And if you are wondering why HGA-L is at the University of Louisville, they were the first to offer a home to us many years ago. Thanks Louisville.

 

Reprint from Hobby Greenhouse Association publication NEWS