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Mind Your Manners on Direct-L
Direct-L is huge! epic! bigger than life! Over 1700+ Directors just aching to read 100 messages per day. Here are some pointers to save you from severe scar tissue and emotional trauma from the Direct-L trigger happy flame-throwers. Need help? Spend some time with the Listserv Users Manual. To deal with your Direct-L settings, see the archives page.
1. First, memorize Steve Gerber's Direct-L Newbie Notes; having it tatoo'ed on your forearm is not strictly necessary, but not really a bad idea. Warren "The Howdy Man" Ockrassa details reasons why you may not get an answer on Direct-L. If you need it in Lingo, Scott Flowers wrote a newbie advice script. If you are ready to try writing to the listserv, be sure to read Zac's easy-to-follow "how to win friends and influence others on the listerv" guide-- How to get an answer from DIRECT-L
2. Pierre B. Reynolds gives step-by-step-tongue-in-cheek instructions for unsubscribing from Direct-L. Take this seriously! Or do it the correct way as outlined in the Newbie Notes.
3. Although he's no Chuck Heston, adhere to Dowdell's Ten Commandments. Or else terror will rain upon ye. And no golden calves before dinner.
4. When you are posting a lot to direct-l, be sure to take a look at yourself. See your ninety line signature, or quoting the whole digest back to say, "i agree".
5. Every December, commit to memory our holiday cheer.
6. Si Hablo Español? See the Spanish version of Direct-L
7. If you are tired of getting thirty nine gizzillion messages per day, consider using a mail reader that can filter by subejct line, sender, etc. Or, switch your mode to DIGEST. And finally you can just read the daily digests that we post on the Director Web (it's searchable too! way cool!). You can also brave the commandline interface to search the entire archive of Direct-L from the listserv itself- just follow Glenn Picher's crystalline clear directions.
8. Don't you just love those email messages on Direct-L that contain your encrypted life's secrets, ie: 
    begin 600 WINMAIL.DAT
    M>)\^(@H2'0:0" '$'''''''!''$''0>0!@'(''''Y 0'''''''#H''$-@ 0'
    M'@''''(''@'!!) &'& !'''!''''# '''',''# #''''"P'/#@'''''"'?\/
    M'0'''&4'''''''''@2L?I+ZC$!F=;@#='0]4'@''''!-86-R;VUE9&EA($1I
    M'P#^#P8''''>''$P'0'''# ''''G36%C<F]M961I82!$:7)E8W1O<B!F;W(@
Kevin Mulvihill has figured out how to clean up your email act and kill dat WINMAIL.DAT.

In a similar vein, learn how to turn off HTML/RTF formatting of your messages to the list.

9. Learn from the burnt flesh remnants of those before you:
  • Long Quoted/Non-Relevant Reply. A double-boner. Not only did this person quote the full text of a posting, but it had no relevance to the subject the writer was trying to communicate. Make that three boners! This person was asking the list to be unsubscribed! see Dowdell Commandment 9, and Newbie Note 1

  • Quoted Digest.This probably innocent effort to unsubscribe resulted in quoting back to the list, the entire contents of the previous day's digest, effectively doubling its size. Actually tripling it, since some list member took it upon themself to repeat this as a malicious response to playground level bickering. Just watch the quick reflex to the reply key, please.

  • Listserv Commands. We see about 3 of this per week. So you want to get off the list? "Desubscribe"? Answer 1 of the Direct-L Newbie Notes makes it clear that not only do you have to specify the comand as UNSUBSCRIBE but more importantly, send the message tot he listserv address not to DIRECT-L.

  • Personal Reply. Oh that itchy finger hits the reply key and POOF! That message you meant to go to one person goes to all 1700 of us.

  • A Little Attached Surprise for Us This was a gem. Attaching a demo or file is a MASSIVE waste of bandwidth (see the opening tone of Dowdell's Ten Commandments). If you have a demo, upload it to the Director Web or the Direct-L ftp site (ftp://ftp.sharedcast.com/) and then just short note to the list telling us where to get it.

  • Personal Reply w/ Attachment. Not only did this person send to the whole liet a message meant for one person, but they kindly attached their resume. Now, that is a way to impress prospective employers!