Letterbox-USA List Etiquette and Conventions

• Policies:
  1. The topic of the list is the pastime of letterboxing. As the FAQ says, if it has a stamp, a journal and clues, it's a letterbox.
  2. Although the list is titled "Letterboxing North America - USA" please feel free to discuss letterboxing anywhere.
  3. The group is loose and easy going; related off-topic are OK within reason. See topics that should be taken to other lists below.
  4. Posting solutions or discussing how to solve specific clues is a breach of letterboxing etiquette, as is describing how you found a box so that it is easier for someone else. Don't do this on the list. Don't post "spoilers" obscured by white space.
  5. Moderators may direct that a particular topic would be better on a more specific talk list.
  6. The list is not moderated. Non-members may not post but may read the archive (I would prefer to allow non-members to post, but some felt the spam was unbearable).
  7. All members are expected to be respectful and cordial in all discussions. Disruptive members that impolitely flame other members or moderators will be banned without warning.
  8. Moderators may delete posts related to a flame to try to get the conversation directed back to normal discourse.
  9. If a large flame war breaks out, I may set the entire list to full moderation to allow a cooling off period.
  10. Off list e-mails that sometimes happen when tempers rise should not be reposted to the list and may result in a ban of the person who brings this hearsay.
  11. Website Promotion: Incessant promotion of your web site, even if letterboxing-related, can get annoying. Occasional references, or a reference in your sig file is fine, but please don't otherwise overdo this.
  12. Members who violate these rules are subject to having their accounts set to "moderated" status, or be removed or banned from the group.
• Newbie Questions: Please read the Letterbox FAQ for answers to many common questions about letterboxing before posting on the list. Also, newbie questions are best posted in the NewBoxers list.

• Regional ("State") Posts: Some postings may be of interest only to those in a particular state or region. For example, those on the west coast may not be interested in discussions of a gathering in Rhode Island. Please put the state abbreviation (e.g. RI) in the subject line of these posts. You may also check to see if there is a Yahoo! letterboxing subgroup for your region. Please try to avoid cross posting the same announcement to multiple lists as members that subscribe to several lists find this unpleasant.

• Letterboxing Variations : Hitchhikers, postal letterboxing and virtual letterboxing are specialized parts of letterboxing that evolved from traditional letterboxing and posts related to those hobbies should usually be made into lists or forums related to those hobbies.

• Commercial Products: Generally, members would prefer not to see a lot of commercial discussion of specific products and where you can buy them. The BoxHeads group was specifically set up to advertise, promote and discuss commercial products that may be of use to the letterboxing community.

• Clue Posting Protocol: Clues (or links to them) may be posted to the list, but they should NOT be posted directly to the webmasters. Clues posted to the list will NOT be placed on the LbNA website as in the old days. Post your clues on LbNA, AtlasQuest, LBWorld or other letterbox clue site.

• Technical Questions: Technical questions about the list, your subscription, or missing e-mail should go to the moderators or support@yahoogroups.com (preferred). Problems or questions about a letterboxing clue web site should go to the webmasters of that site. The list is generally not interested in these questions.

• Etiquette: Refer to RFC 1855 if you are interested in "netiquette".

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last updated 6/7/2005