FAQ for the Pacific Bulb Society (pbs) List

Do I have to be a member of the Pacific Bulb Society to join the pbs list?

The pbs list is open to anyone who is interested in talking about growing bulbs.

How do I join the list?

I am getting too many messages? Is there any way I can get messages less often?

You can change your subscription to the digest. The digest bundles messages together and sends them out when they are a certain number or daily if there aren't very many. You can choose the digest when you subscribe if you subscribe online. You can later change to digest online. Go to the information page listed above. On the bottom of the page there is a place for you to enter your email address if you want to unsubscribe, get a password reminder, or change your subscription options. You will need to enter your password which is given to you when you subscribe if you want to make changes. If you don't remember it, you can ask to have it be emailed to you. After you have the password you can use it to make changes to your subscription options or to change your password to something you can remember.

I am going to be gone for awhile and don't want to come home to a lot of messages. Can I unsubscribe?

Instead of unsubscribing change to nomail using the same procedure outlined in the question above. When you return, change it back to regular mail or digest.

I tried to subscribe to the digest or to set my subscription to nomail and I can't figure out how to do it. What now?

As a last resort contact one of the administrators and ask them to do it for you: msittner at mcn.org or Arnold at nj.rr.com

I have a picture of a bulb I'd like the group to see? Can I send it as an attachment?

Attachments are not allowed on this list. If you send an attachment, your message will be too large and will be sent to the administrators for approval. Even if approved your message will be stripped of the attachment before it is delivered. Our group has a wiki where images can be uploaded for sharing. See the FAQ for the Wiki to learn how to use it.

A message I sent to the group came through without any content? What happened?

Our program is set to remove html messages. Messages should be written in text or sent with a text copy that can be viewed after the html is removed. If you write only in formatted or styled text, your message cannot be viewed by the other members of the list.

I received a note that my message was not allowed because of the way I addressed it and is being held for approval? Why?

Occasionally messages are held because there was a bcc (blind carbon copy) listed in the address field. Ibiblio does not allow messages with bcc in the address to be delivered. Rewrite your message and either leave out the bcc or change it to a cc (carbon copy.)

I own a business that sells bulbs or seeds. Can I tell the others about what I have to sell?

Our server, ibiblio, does not allow commercial messages. Please do not use this list to publicize what you have to sell. If you are have a new catalogue you can tell the others and ask them to write you privately if they are interested in obtaining it, but do not discuss items or prices on this list.

I used to get messages and no longer get them. How do I find out what has happened?

The list may be going through a quiet time. You can always check the archives to see if you are getting all of the messages:

http://lists.ibiblio.org/pipermail/pbs

If on checking the archives you find you are not getting the messages listed, there may be a problem with your server. First check your subscription however. If your mailbox has been full and a number of messages have been sent and returned to ibiblio because they could not be delivered your subscription may have been disabled (set to nomail) and you will need to change it back.

Updated 4/9/03