Mailing List Guidelines
Welcome to the COPD Online Support Mailing List Web Site
We hope that you find our service of value in your life. The mailing list is actually three separate lists which are linked together by a moderator.
COPD-SUPPORT is the entry level list and the home for all new subscribers to our Online Mailing List Program. There are also a number of members who have been with us for a while who have pledged to provide additional time out of their schedules to interact with the new members and provide them with information, share experiences, and talk about the basics of proceeding on the road of improved quality of life. A new member stays on this list from 60-90 days after which they may elect to move to one of the other two lists, move to a list from another service, or maintain their updates through the newsletters only. All messages from new members are reviewed for compliance with guidelines and to eliminate those which are administrative in nature and handled by List Management. Some posts from this list are directed to the other two lists and to the editors of the newsletters for possible use there by a list moderator.
COPD is the original list and accepts posts concerning most any subject that is in good taste and does not otherwise violate the restrictions set forth in later paragraphs. Appropriate on-topic posts regarding COPD and related health matters from this list are forwarded to the other two lists by a moderator who reviews all posts.
COPD-MOD is a list designed for those members who are interested in receiving only those messages that pertain to COPD and related health matters. Off-topic posts and routine information posts from the other lists are not forwarded to this list. No one is supposed to write directly to this list (except List staff members) so there is no moderation of posts except to identify individuals who are posting their messages direct to this list.
COPD-CAREGIVERS is a list for the dedicated folks who find themselves in the position of being caregivers for a loved one with COPD. This List may be joined in conjunction with one of the three lists above or completely separate. More information concerning this list is located in a separate section of this site. Click here for more information.
COPD-NEWS is the COPD Support Newsletter which is not really a list but is delivered in email in the same format as our other lists. The COPD Newsletter provides information concerning information gleaned from other Internet sources as well as some professional publications. Many of our subscribers contribute information to COPD-NEWS so it also contains many of the central themes of our lists. This Newsletter my be subscribed to in conjunction with any of the other lists or separately. It is especially beneficial to those who want timely information sources but not the free exchange that is inherent with the various COPD lists. More information concerning this email newsletter is located in a separate section of this site. Click her for more information.
All of the lists were established to provide support, education, and a forum for the sharing of ideas and solutions in dealing with this affliction. You are encouraged to introduce yourself to the group and tell us all a little about yourself and why you are interested in this mailing list. That way, the other subscribers will know how best to help you and/or establish a dialog with you.
Management reserves the right to terminate any subscription for any reason when in the opinion of management, such termination is in the best interests of the organization.
By clicking on the following you will be forwarded to that portion of
this page:
| About Our List | How To Send A Message | List Expenses | Managing Your Subscription |
| List Policies and Netiquette | Cross-Posting Policy |
First some list trivia: The mailing list was begun on Jan 17, 1997 with 5 or 6 subscribers. Barbara Nelson sent the first message. By May of '97 we had outgrown our free mailing list and moved to a larger, but no longer free, commercial mailing list provider. This is where it resides today. Our most current list, COPD-SUPPORT, was activated on December 29, 1999.
Who subscribes: Currently our subscribers are located in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Europe. Most subscribers either are afflicted with COPD/Emphysema or are the primary caregiver (usually spouse) of someone afflicted with the disease. There are also a few health care professionals on the list - doctors, nurses, and respiratory therapists. Some subscribers are actively posting to the list. Others, affectionately known as "lurkers" prefer to sit back and just "listen". Lurking is OK.
Why we subscribe: Support. Education. A diagnosis
of Emphysema or COPD is not a death sentence. While the disease
is progressive and currently has no real "cure", How long and how well
we manage is in many ways in our own hands. Medications; exercise;
diet; prompt treatment of infections and attitude play major roles in how
well we do. The knowledge we share thus contributes to the well being
of many individuals and of ourselves. When things are a going a bit
rough for someone the list is there to support, understand and encourage.
It is a responsibility we all share.
How to send a message depends on the List to which you are subscribed.
COPD-SUPPORT If subscribed to the COPD-SUPPORT List, then any message which you wish to send to the List should be sent to
COPD-SUPPORT@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM
When the message is received it is reviewed by the moderator for content
and to determine if it meets guidelines for posting. It is then posted
to the COPD-SUPPORT and if appropriate, also posted to the COPD and COPD-MOD
Lists.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
COPD If subscribed to the COPD List, any message which you wish
to send to the List should be sent to
COPD@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM
When posted, a moderator reviews the posting and if appropriate forwards
it on to the COPD-MOD and COPD-SUPPORT Lists.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
COPD-MOD If subscribed to the COPD-MOD List, any message which
you wish to send to the List should be sent to
COPD@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM
When posted, a moderator reviews the posting and if appropriate, forwards
it on to the COPD-MOD and COPD-SUPPORT Lists.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ADMINISTRATIVE QUESTIONS AND REQUESTS FOR ASSISTANCE. Administrative
questions about the list, requests for changes to your subscription options,
complaints, compliments and the like should be sent to the List management
at
There is no charge for your subscription. However, sponsorships, donations, and memorial gifts are welcome! The hosting of our list, by LSOFT International, costs money. Subscribers pay these costs with voluntary contributions, however, we would prefer that new subscribers of our programs do NOT sponsor until they have at least 45 days with us. This will allow adequate time to determine if your subscription provides you with a necessary and lasting support. While we certainly welcome such contributions, please do not believe that this is necessary. We're kind of like public television -contribute if you think we're performing a service that makes a difference in your life or the life of someone you love. If you're not sure, or can't afford it, then that's OK too and we understand. Contributions are all used to defray added costs of running the various programs and individuals serving as List Management are not paid for their time, labor, or the use of their computer equipment.
COPD-Support, Inc. has been recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a non profit organization under the definition provided in Internal Revenue Service Code 501(c)(3). As such, donations to the organization may be tax deductible the same as other charitable organizations. Donations will be acknowledged by receipt and should be forwarded to:
COPD-Support, Inc.
P. O. Box 490714
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33349
Options - Your subscription is available in two basic options (flavors) � Regular and Digest. For ease in identification we have labeled them flavors and list them as follows:
Regular - Individual messages directed to the List to which you belong are sent to you as posted. Volume may vary greatly from 20-120 messages a day
Digest - A single email message is sent about midnight eastern time which includes all the messages for the previous 24 hour period. While convenient for some, it is a little awkward to use in replying to member comments because you can not bring up an individual message and use the reply buttons of you email program.
Changing your flavor - You can either do this yourself or have a member of List management do it for you. If you want to do it yourself, the screen for making the change is contained within the archives and the instructions are contained in the Signon message. If you would like help with this send a note to Management@COPD-Support.com
A Note about Archives: Archives are only accessible to
current List subscribers and only for the list to which you are subscribed.
Archives are only maintained for about six months for each list.
To reach the archives
COPD-SUPPORT List - https://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/copd-support.html
COPD List - https://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/copd.html
COPD-MOD List https://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/copd-mod.html
You can read through the messages or use the archive's search capability.
Holding your mail: If you're going away on a trip, or for some other reason want to hold your mail you may do that through the archives. Again, if you are having problems with making these changes yourself, the List management will be glad to do it for you. Send your request to:
Unsubscribing: You may sign off the List yourself or ask List management to do it for you. You may sign off through the archives or send a message indicating such to the administrators at
While we want this mailing list to be as open and lively as possible, there are a few rules of netiquette that we apply and insist on:
1) Courtesy and civility. This is often the biggest problem on mailing lists such as this. Remember that this is first, and foremost, a support and information resource. We are here to help each other - not call names or make snide remarks. So-called "flame" messages will not be tolerated.
If you are really upset about something that has been said in a list message, sit on it" for a day or two. Then, if you still feel a need to "talk", reply privately to the originator of the message - not to the full list. Try to never make an honest disagreement personal, and remember that there are controversial issues regarding emphysema and emphysema treatment. They are controversial because there is no absolute answer, and we must respect both sides of an issue, as well as those who believe in one side or the other.
2) Off-topic and private conversations. . While the unmoderated, COPD, list allows for off-topic messages please don�t use it like a chat room. While not near as serious as discourteous mailings, completely off-topic messages can become burdensome, especially as the list grows in membership and numbers of messages. If you want to post a message about how much you really love Chinese food, maybe you should reconsider. However, if you think that Chinese food gives you more stamina - then that is sure on-topic, so go right ahead. As you can see this is a judgment call on your part. Private, two- or three-sided conversations carried on by mailing to the full-list show poor judgment. A list like this fosters many good friendships, which is one of its many benefits. But please keep private conversations between a few people private - send them directly to one another, not to the full list.
3) Commercial Posts. Are not permitted. Subscribers
are certainly free to express opinions about commercial products,
medicines and the like. However, strictly commercial messages are a no-no.
A commercial message is defined as a
recommendation or information of any sort that could result is self-gain
by the individual making the recommendation or providing the information.
4) Controversial Subjects. Politics, religion, explicit sexual jokes, jokes with a religious theme, and other such controversial or potentially offensive subjects are always difficult among a large group of people. Therefore these subjects should always be avoided when sending mail to the COPD list. This restriction includes the signature tag at the end of message.
5) Advocacy messages. While a cure for emphysema
or other COPD conditions is important and while we are all concerned with
how government is dealing with issues surrounding these diseases our mailing
lists are not a suitable venue for such discussions. Please remember
that our purpose is to provide information and support � not a place for
advocacy.
What is cross-posting?
Most mail messages on a mailing list go only to other subscribers to
that list. Cross-posting is a catch-all phrase that we use to describe
the copying of mail messages to more than one mailing list (outside our
family of programs) or other Internet destination. This might include ...
As outlined below, cross-posting is tightly controlled on our mailing list. We consider this list to be a private forum for exchanging ideas and information. The audience for list messages is intended to be subscribers to this mailing list alone. Thus posting content from this list to other sources violates this sense of trust and privacy. Any cross-post or forward of private messages, either to or from a source other than this list, should be very carefully considered. The key thing to consider is whether or not anyone's privacy has been compromised without their specific permission. In particular:
The Cross-posting policy applies to any mailing list, forum, or Newsgroup.
The following mailing lists which deal with pulmonary support have all
pledged their support in this cross-posting policy to protect your privacy:
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