The overly-large attachment regarding this workshop could instead have been simply quoted as a weblink, i.e.
http://www.issti.ed.ac.uk/documents.php?item=30
as per the social-policy listowner's Reminder of Social-Policy List Guidlines posting, copy below, a few weeks ago.
Paul Ashton
[log in to unmask]
2007-09-20
>Dear list members,
>
>Perhaps ironically for a social-policy list we try to adopt a laissez-faire
>approach in the management of this list and, for the most part, this has
>served us well, with the list growing in membership each year. However, in
>light of some recent discussion, it seems pertinent to remind list members
>of our list guidelines. These can be found on the web by cutting-and-pasting
>the following link into your web browser:
>
>http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/filearea.cgi?LMGT1=SOCIAL-POLICY&X=&Y=&a=get&f=/socialpolicyguidelines.htm
>
>I would like to draw the following points to your attention in particular:
>
>Firstly, and most importantly, in terms of 'Netiquette', our guidelines state:
>
><Extract from Guidelines Begins>
>
> (i) please respect other members of the list, even if you do not agree with
>their views. If anyone is completely out of line I can instruct jiscmail to
>remove them from the list, but, happily, we have not had to do this yet on
>the social-policy list. Some individuals have, however, been subjected to
>unwarranted abuse in previous years, which has been unwelcome and unpleasant.
>
> (ii) please be tolerant of other member's mistakes. If someone sends a
>message that inconveniences you personally, please try to avoid web rage!
>While large attachments or multiple mailings of messages have caused
>irritation over the years, these have generally been genuine errors
>committed by well meaning people who weren't fully aware of the problems
>they were causing. We need to educate rather than berate! If you have a
>concern, complain to the list owner NOT the list.
>
>
><Extract from Guidelines Ends>
>
>
>
>Secondly, in terms of attachments, we suggest the following:
>
>
>
><Extract from Guidelines Begins>
>
>The basic policy in relation to attachments is that we strongly encourage
>people to send plain text messages rather than attachments where possible.
>There are three key reasons for this:
>
>(i) it is an ineffective way of spreading your message. Not all members can
>read attachments and many find them irritating. If you CAN, it is better to
>send your message as a plain, text based e-mail
>
>(ii) e-mail attachments are the most effective way to spread computer
>viruses - something as an innocent word processed document can inadvertently
>contain a virus that is set loose once the attachment is opened. While the
>JISCMAIL system automatically detect attachments for viruses it is better to
>be safe than sorry
>
>(iii) attachments can be a real nuisance for members with slow machines or
>those who work with dial-up modem connections. This is especially the case
>with large attachments that can take a considerable time to download and, as
>a consequence, put someone's machine out of action while they try to
>download an attachment that may even be of no interest to them.
>
> In some cases there may be a need to circulate a large document quickly to
>as many members of the social policy community as possible and so the use of
>attachments can be unavoidable. However, if you are posting a flyer for a
>study day, conference, new journal or book, please refer list members to a
>website where they can view full details, rather than sending full details
>to the list if this is possible.
>
>
><Extract from Guidelines Ends>
>
>
>For those who face particular problems in handling attachments, you can opt
>to receive messages from the list in a DIGEST form. This means you will
>receive just one consolidated message per day that draws together all of
>that day's messages. To receive messages in digest form, you need to send a
>message to [log in to unmask] (NB: Please enter the right address - DO
>NOT send this message to the social-policy list) with the following text in
>the message:
>
> set social-policy digest
>
>
>The digest messages DO NOT contain attachments so can be particularly useful
>for list members concerned about this issues; if an attachment mentioned in
>a digested messages looks of interest it can subsequently be downloaded from
>the list’s web based archives at:
>http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/social-policy.html
>
>
>John Hudson,
>social-policy listowner.
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