The list presently uses list software provided by bee.net, our website host. This software is free but old and does not support features freely available at Google Groups, Yahoo Groups and other sites. Your MLMUG board has been evaluating a change for some time and voted in November to move the list to Yahoo Groups.

In addition to this webpage, there will be presentations at the December 2009 and January 2010 meetings and another article in the January newsletter. An information link will also be added to the MLMUG website.

How will you send messages?

The Yahoo Group name is MLMUG - upper or lower case. Members should add the message posting address, mlmug@yahoogroups.com, to their mail address book. You will also be able to post and read messages using a web browser if you have or get a free Yahoo user name - see below.

Please continue to post messages to list@mlmug.org, until we move in January.

Why is the list moving?

The list is moving because the features at Yahoo Groups are better than at Bee and the cost is reasonable - still zero. Here are some feature comparisons.

The main reasons for going to Yahoo are attachment handling options and message archiving. Attachments, such as pictures and documents, will be allowed but will not be directly sent out with messages. The messages will have small thumbnails for each attachment and links to where the full attachments are stored at Yahoo. Members can access them by clicking on the link. If you do not want to see the attachment, don't click on the link. Photo attachments will be initially displayed in reduced resolution and have links to go to medium and full resolution.

What if you remember that an old list message covered something but you don't remember the specifics? Messages will be archived at Yahoo Groups and can be searched for content so you should be able to find what you wanted.

What is the transition plan?

The transition plan has three steps: (1) Add members at Yahoo Groups, (2) Activate distribution for MLMUG at Yahoo Groups and (3) Remove members at the Bee list. Also, members can set up a Yahoo ID or link to an existing Yahoo ID at their leisure for full access to new features.

Member email addresses (eddresses) will be added to MLMUG at Yahoo Groups in December 2009 and early January 2010 at ten per day. Members will get a notification email from Yahoo when their eddress is added. You will not have to do anything when this happens.

The member eddresses will be set for no mail distribution until the full changeover in mid-January 2010. Members will be able to post to mlmug@yahoogroups.com when their eddress is added but should wait until the changeover occurs as the messages will only go into the message archive.

When the changeover occurs, the eddresses at Yahoo Groups will be set to the same (immediate or digest) distribution mode as presently selected for the Bee list. Also, mlmug@yahoogroups.com will be added to the Bee list and messages posted to the Bee list will also be sent to Yahoo Groups. There will be a one to two day test period of double messages (from the list and from Yahoo Groups) with these settings.

After message distribution is checked out, member eddresses will be removed at the Bee list and only messages posted to mlmug@yahoogroups.com will be accepted and distributed. This will happen in mid-January 2010.

How do I get a Yahoo username?

Members are encouraged to obtain a free Yahoo username in order to utilize the features of MLMUG at Yahoo Groups. Members do not need a Yahoo username to get email delivery of MLMUG messages. A Yahoo username is needed to read archived messages at the website, post messages from the website and access the attachments, calendar, photos and database features.

The easiest method to get a Yahoo username is to visit http://www.yahoo.com and select "New User? Sign Up" near the top of the page. You will need to enter some information, including a birth date that is used for minor status determination. If you have privacy concerns with your birth date and other data requested, enter values you can easily recall, as you may need them to recover or reset your password.

After you have a Yahoo username, you can manage your MLMUG at Yahoo Groups (and other Yahoo Groups if you join one or more) settings at the group website. You do not need a Yahoo username to switch between immediate and digest delivery options.

You also get a free Yahoo eddress, your-yahoo-user-name @ yahoo.com (without the spaces) with a Yahoo username. You can use it as a "throwaway" eddress. I don't recommend using it as your MLMUG list delivery eddress as one member reported his Yahoo eddress was stolen and used for spam.

Who do I contact if I have problem?

Initially, contact Bob Barton (barton@bee.net) if you have a problem with MLMUG at Yahoo Groups. Also, we will have additional members, to be identified, lined up to provide support.

If you have a problem with Yahoo Groups generally, there are online help documents at http://help.yahoo.com/l/us/yahoo/groups/original/.

Examples

Some screen shot examples of Yahoo Groups web pages are shown below. The main (home) group page, http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/groups/mlmug/, as shown in Figure 1. I am logged in as indicated by the "Hi, Robert" at the upper left. There is one banner ad, which pays for Yahoo Groups being free to users.

Figure 1: MLMUG at Yahoo Groups Home page

Main group links are shown at the left in Figure 1. I will not go over them in detail in this article. Recent messages are shown in the lower part of the page with the first few words. Clicking on the blue subject text will take you to the full message in the archive.

The group eddresses are shown in Figure 2, copied from the bottom of the home page.

Figure 2: MLMUG at Yahoo Groups Eddresses

If you do not want to get list messages, just send an empty content message to the Unsubscribe eddress. Anyone can request to be subscribed but they have to be approved and this will only happen for paid up MLMUG members. The beginning of one of Yahoo's help pages is shown in Figure 3. This one describes what additional links are available in fully featured messages. Members can select fully featured or traditional message format to receive their MLMUG list messages.

Figure 3: Yahoo Groups Help Page Example

That's all for now. Look for more information in the January 2010 newsletter and please explore the Yahoo Groups web pages, especially help, to see what options are available.

UPDATE - Jan 2010:
As of December 31, 2009, I have added about half of the membership to MLMUG at Yahoo Groups. As previously indicated, the distribution type for the additions was set to No Email until we transition in mid-January. Added members, generally with eddresses starting with a through j, should have received an automated email from Yahoo Groups announcing they have been added. Do not worry if you did not yet get this email as many more members have to be added and some eddresses are not in alphabetical order.

I also changed the mode from Unmonitored to Monitored. This was done to catch any accidental member postings at Yahoo Groups prior to transition. Any such postings will be manually forwarded to the current list.

Generally, the member addition has been trouble free. In a few instances, a member's eddress did not accept direct add or invitation at Yahoo Groups. I sent an email direct to those members indicating how to go to the web page for MLMUG and perform a member-initiated join the Yahoo Group. There will be an update presentation on the move at the January 9, 2010 main meeting and we still expect to transition in mid-January.

— Bob Barton

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