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Hi,
It occurred to me that I haven't sent the FAQ out to the list for a
couple of months. If you're a new member, or if you just haven't
bothered to read it before, then please take a minute or two to do so.
This FAQ is also available on the Allstat website
http://www.stats.gla.ac.uk/allstat
As ever, any queries or problems with the list please feel free to
contact me at
[log in to unmask]
Cheers,
Matt
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Matt Whiley
Department of Statistics Phone : +44 (0)141 330 6118
University of Glasgow Fax : +44 (0)141 330 4814
[log in to unmask] http://www.stats.gla.ac.uk/postgrad
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[log in to unmask] http://www.stats.gla.ac.uk/allstat
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Allstat Frequently-Asked Questions (FAQ) List
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This document attempts to address most of the questions that arise
regarding the administration of the list, and how it operates. I have
tried to make it as useful as possible, by dealing with the most
common problems.
The Allstat Introduction (see (17) below) contains additional
information, including guidelines on what to post and what format to
follow.
The FAQ List will be posted to Allstat fairly regularly, and is
archived at Mailbase.
An HTML version of this file can be accessed through Allstat's
Web site, at the URL
http://www.stats.gla.ac.uk/allstat/
If you view this version, you will find links to many of the items
mentioned in the text. The Allstat Introduction, and many other
resources, are also available through the Web site.
Members of the list are strongly advised to retain up-to-date copies
of these files (or at least to note the Allstat URL), as they contain a
lot of information on how the list operates. If you have a query
about Allstat, you will often find the solution in these files, and this
can help to reduce the list owner's administrative work. Your
assistance in this is appreciated.
The questions answered here are as follows:
1. What are the different addresses, and what do they mean?
2. Is Allstat the correct forum for my message?
3. What format shall I use to post my message to Allstat?
4. I've just received a virus warning. What should I do?
5. Is commercial advertising permitted on Allstat?
6. I want to reply to a message on Allstat. What should I do?
7. How do I get a list of everyone on Allstat?
8. I am going away for a period of time. What should I do?
9. I have received a message saying I have been removed from
the list. Why is this?
Or: I seem to have been removed from the list. Why?
10. How do I (re)join the list?
11. Is my name correctly registered?
12. Is my address correctly registered?
13. I got a message saying I am not registered on Allstat - help!
14. How do I leave the list?
15. My e-mail address is about to change. What should I do?
16. I tried to send a message to the list, but was unable to. Why is
this?
17. What Allstat files are archived?
18. How do I retrieve one of these files?
19. Can I receive Allstat broadcasts in digest form?
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(1) What are the different addresses, and what do they mean?
There are four e-mail addresses to note:
(a) [log in to unmask]
This address automatically broadcasts to the entire
list. Only members of the list are permitted to use this
address. If your address is incorrectly registered (see (11)
below), then you will not be able to post to the list.
(b) [log in to unmask]
This accesses the Mailbase program and is the one to use
when sending commands, e.g. leave, index, send
(c) [log in to unmask]
Messages sent here will come to me, the list owner. Any
administrative questions about Allstat should be sent here,
although please note that, as well as this FAQ list, extensive
Mailbase documentation is available to explain the facilities
offered to users. See the Introduction file (item (17) below),
for more information on Mailbase documentation.
(d) [log in to unmask]
This address is that of the Mailbase team. Send any
comments or queries about Mailbase here.
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(2) Is Allstat the correct forum for my message?
If you have a message you wish to send, and you are not sure
if Allstat is appropriate, you are advised to examine the
various outlets available to you. There are mailing lists
covering many different areas of statistics, and there are
obvious benefits to yourself, and to the recipients of your
message, if you ensure it is posted to the correct forum.
This is particularly important if your message is of a
consultancy nature, or is likely to provoke discussion, and
might therefore be more suited to a list other than Allstat.
Also, if you have a query about a particular piece of software,
you will find that most of the major packages have their own
dedicated lists, which you should use.
There is a document which details many of the statistics-related
lists worldwide, including instructions on how to join them.
This "list of lists" file is maintained by the owner of the
Minitab list on Mailbase, Mike Fuller ([log in to unmask]).
To retrieve this file, send a message to
[log in to unmask]
with the command
send minitab list-of-lists
If you have access to the Web, the Allstat site features links
to many other statistical mailing lists.
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(3) What format shall I use to post my message to Allstat?
Please send messages in plain text format only. If documents
are available in other formats (e.g. Word, PostScript, etc)
then by all means indicate this in your message and give
instructions on how to obtain such files (e.g. on request by
personal e-mail, or from a Web or ftp site). Since not all
users are able to handle these alternative formats, please
limit your Allstat broadcasts to plain text, and ensure that
the text is carried in the main body of your message; do not
send attachments to the list.
Some mailers have the facility to send encoded messages, which
are unreadable until decoded. Please take care that you do not
unwittingly select this option.
If you are looking for replies to a message you are sending,
you should ensure that your own e-mail address is listed
somewhere in the body of the text. Some mailers can have
difficulties in handling the automatic header.
When sending seminar notices to the list, it would be most
effective to do this once at the beginning of term. It is
generally not very helpful to send last-minute reminders about
seminars to a list which is as geographically spread as Allstat.
Subject Lines
Members are asked to use meaningful subject lines when
sending out broadcasts. The benefits are obvious,
particularly when browsing through the archives for a
specific message. In particular, posters are requested to
use clear keywords in subject lines, to give an indication
of content. The following convention has been adopted:
JOB - jobs or studentships
SEMINAR - seminar announcements
CONFERENCE - conference announcements
COURSE - taught course announcements
WORKSHOP - workshop announcements
ANNOUNCE - other announcements
QUERY - for queries
S/W ADVERT - for a software advert *
BOOK ADVERT - for a book advert *
ADMIN - administration messages (from the
list owner)
A sample subject line may read
JOB: temporary lectureship at Glasgow University, UK
Where appropriate, a geographical location should be
included in the subject line.
* The ADVERT categories are only to be used by the list
owner, in forwarding messages from advertisers. See
below for the guidelines on advertising on the list.
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(4) I've just received a virus warning. What should I do?
Occasionally, rogue virus alerts crop up, warning of a virus which
is spread simply by reading an e-mail. These are hoaxes, as you
cannot catch a computer virus from a plain text e-mail message.
Viruses can however be transmitted by attachments (another reason
for asking people not to send attachments to Allstat). A virus
in an attachment will only cause problems if that attachment is
executed, or in the case of a Word macro virus if that document
is opened in Word. It is therefore advisable to check all
attachments with a virus scanner before executing or editing them.
Some mail programs will automatically execute attachments when an
e-mail is opened, if your e-mail program has this option it is a
sensible precaution to disable it.
If you are worried about a virus alert, either consult a Virus
Information Web site such as
http://www.ncsa.com/services/consortia/anti-virus/alerthoax.html
or contact the list owner, rather than alarming the list, perhaps
unnecessarily.
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(5) Is commercial advertising permitted on Allstat?
Commercial advertising is against the JANET Acceptable Use Policy.
However, publicising items of potential interest to list members,
such as training courses, software etc, can be to the benefit of
the list. If the "publicity" comes from the person likely to make
money out of it, then that falls into a grey area. If you have a
message which you feel may come under this category, then you are
advised to first send the message to the list owner
([log in to unmask]). If the message is suitable, the
list owner will forward it to the list on your behalf. In general,
"routine" advertising will not be approved; new releases or limited
special offers are more likely to be accepted, and shorter messages
are recommended (with pointers to sites for further information, if
available).
Job adverts and conference notices are perfectly acceptable, and
can be posted directly to the list.
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(6) I want to reply to a message on Allstat. What should I do?
The list is set so that replies to messages are directed to the
sender, and not to the list. This is deliberate. Generally, if
responding to a message, it is best to reply by personal e-mail,
and not to the list. If appropriate, a summary of responses can
be sent to the list by the original poster in due course. Allstat
is intended to be an information provider, rather than a
discussion list.
If your mailer does not allow you to see the address of the
original poster, and they have not provided a reply address in
the body of the message (e.g. in a signature file), then please
note that the archives will contain the address, and you can obtain
it there, if you wish to respond. Please do not be tempted to
simply reply to the list.
Some mailers can be set so that responses, as well as going to the
sender, are also copied to the list. If your mailer is one of
these, please ensure that this option is not enabled, and that your
response goes only to the sender.
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(7) How do I get a list of everyone on Allstat?
Send a message to
[log in to unmask]
with the command
review allstat
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(8) I am going away for a period of time. What should I do?
To avoid your mailbox filling up while you are away, you should
temporarily suspend your Allstat mail. Do this by sending a message
to
[log in to unmask]
with the command
suspend mail allstat
On your return, you can resume mail by sending the command
resume mail allstat
to the same address.
If you're a member of more than one Mailbase list you can
suspend/resume your mail from all of these lists by replacing
'allstat' with 'all' in the above commands.
Remember that you can use the archives to catch up on any messages
you may have missed.
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(9) I have received a message saying I have been removed from the list.
Why is this?
Or: I seem to have been removed from the list. Why?
Whenever there is a problem in delivering an Allstat broadcast to an
address, I receive an error message. If I receive a number of error
messages about a single address over a period of time, I have to take
action and remove that address from the list. If I did not do this, my
mailbox would quickly overflow. In such circumstances, it is not
always possible to get in touch with the person concerned, to point
out what is happening.
People are not always aware that there are problems in getting
e-mail through to them, and, so, occasionally, think that they have
been removed from the list for no reason. Should you find yourself
removed from the list, not at your own request, then it will be
because of error messages I received, and I hope you would understand
the reason for my action.
If your e-mail problems are only temporary (contact your system manager
or service provider to find out about this), please feel free to rejoin
the list once the problems are resolved. Please do not contact me asking
for copies of the error messages, as I receive too many of them for it
to be practical to retain them.
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(10) How do I (re)join the list?
Send a message to
[log in to unmask]
with the command
join allstat your name
e.g. join allstat Matt T. E. Whiley
If you have already joined the list, and think your name may have
been incorrectly registered, simply resend the 'join' command with
the corrected form of your name. To check your registration, see
(10) below.
Note that you must supply at least two words as a name, so for example
M.T.E.Whiley would be rejected (because there are no spaces and it is
interpreted as a single word), but M.T.E. Whiley or M. T. E. Whiley
are fine.
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(11) Is my name correctly registered?
If you obtain a review of Allstat (see (6)) and find your name is
incorrectly registered, simply re-send the 'join' command in (9)
with the correct form of your name.
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(12) Is my address correctly registered?
Although you may be a member of the list, and appear in a review of
Allstat (see (6)), it is possible that your address is not absolutely
correctly registered. To check your registration, send a message to
[log in to unmask]
with the command
listme
This will return a list of all the Mailbase lists that your e-mail
address is registered on.
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(13) I got a message saying I am not registered on Allstat - help!
Mailbase uses the 'From' field of your address to identify you. If
this does not match exactly with your registration on Allstat, the
software will not recognize you as a member of the list. So,
although you may be on the list, receive broadcasts normally, and
appear in a review of Allstat, if your address doesn't match exactly
with the registered one, the Mailbase software will not recognize
you. Consequently, you will be unable to post to the list, suspend
mail, unsubscribe, etc.
This situation can arise when your address alters slightly, for
example changing from 'glasgow' to 'gla'. Often, both forms of
address will work properly, and you will not be concerned with the
change. However, the Mailbase software will notice the difference,
and so it is important that you keep your registration up-to-date.
If you find yourself in this position, then please send a note of
your old address to me, at
[log in to unmask]
and I will manually remove it from the list. You should then
resubscribe yourself to the list under your new address (see (9)
above).
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(14) How do I leave the list?
Send a message to
[log in to unmask]
with the command
leave allstat
Should you find you are unable to unsubscribe yourself from the
list, see (12) above.
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(15) My e-mail address is about to change. What should I do?
Before your address changes, you should leave Allstat under your
old address, by following the procedure in (13) above.
Then rejoin the list under your new address, by following the
procedure in (9).
Please follow these instructions if at all possible. Otherwise I have
to make the change for you, and that involves more administrative
work for me. If you can make the change yourself, it would be much
appreciated.
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(16) I tried to send a message to the list, but was unable to.
Why is this?
First of all, only members of the list are allowed to send broadcasts.
If you are on the list, but your address is incorrectly registered, you
will not be recognized as a list member, and so will be prevented
from posting to the list. See (11) above for more information.
If you are not a member of the list, then you will have to join before
sending your message (see (9) above).
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(17) What Allstat files are archived?
All messages to Allstat are archived, and are available for retrieval.
Each month's messages are grouped together in a file, and messages
up to a year old are retained by Mailbase. In addition, there are some
other files available. To get a list of all the archived files, send a
message to
[log in to unmask]
with the command
index allstat
See also (17) below, for details of the on-line archives.
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(18) How do I retrieve one of these files?
Use the 'send' command: for example, to retrieve the Introduction
file for Allstat, send a message to
[log in to unmask]
with the command
send allstat introduction
Alternatively, you can point your Web browser at the URL
http://www.stats.gla.ac.uk/allstat/
Accessing the archives is simpler through the daily-updated Web site,
as individual messages can be selected, and you can sort by date,
subject, author and thread. If you retrieve the messages by e-mail,
you have to request the file containing all the messages for that
month. On the Web, it is also possible to search the archives.
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(19) Can I receive Allstat broadcasts in digest form?
As of 3rd August 1998 Mailbase has offered the option of automatically
receiving messages sent to Allstat bundled together in digest form.
To receive Allstat messages as a digest, send a message to
[log in to unmask]
containing the single line
set allstat digest
To change back to receiving messages normally (the default) send a
message to the same address containing the single line
set allstat nodigest
If you have a question which is not covered in this FAQ, you may
find it is dealt with in the Introduction file.
Author : Dr Stuart G. Young
Updated : 15th January 1999 by Matt Whiley
Any comments/queries to : [log in to unmask]
Allstat Web site : http://www.stats.gla.ac.uk/allstat/
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