Is there any difference between e-mails and messages in a discussion group?

One of the following statements is false. Can you say which?

1.Discussion groups are spam protected, and messages go to the group by default.

2.Messages in a discussion group can be grouped according to date or topic .

3.Members can edit other people’s messages.

4.Attachments can be disallowed, and automated messages can be created.

5.Messages posted to a discussion group get lost after all members have read them.

Gladys

NOTE: hurry up and post your answer before April 14 if you want to get a prize!

"I say number 3 is false. Members can reply, but not edit other people's messages." Júlia

If you mean "certain" members can edit others' messages, that's true for members with a moderator or owner status. But I don't think anyone else can do that.

In my opinion Nº 5 is the false one. Messages remain in the group archives forever... forever?

Claudia

P/S: I'm very fond of prizes, Gladys. A digital photo camera would be all right with me!

Dennis has posted his answer as a comment. Don't miss it! (just click on the blue icon "comments" at the top of your screen).

I think number 5 is the false one.Messages remain in the group archives so members can read them later by using the search engine. Isabel

Very tricky - Discussion groups can be spam protected, but it doesn't aways work. Can messages be grouped by date? Well they are, sort of; that is, they are listed by date. Only the moderator can delete a message, but I don't think members at large can edit others' messages. 4. is ture, but 5. is definitely not true, unless we are speaking philosophically, not technically.

Tough questions, Gladys. I'll be interested in reviewing the answers.

Cheers - Elizabeth

What are the options for reading group messages in email?

You have these options for your message delivery for messages posted to our Yahoo! group

adapted from: http://help.yahoo.com/help/us/groups/messages/messages-01.html):

1. Individual Emails

Messages are delivered one at a time to your email inbox. This is the best option if you want to keep up on the latest posts immediately. Email attachments (when included) will be sent directly to you.

2. Daily Digest

Messages are delivered in batches of 25 or daily, whichever comes sooner. This is the best option if you want to receive fewer mail messages and don't need up-to-the minute posts in your inbox. Email attachments are not available in digests.

NB: make sure to adapt the subject line and not include the whole digest as "Original message" when replying to messages if you choose

this option.

3. Only Special Announcements

This means you will receive email messages only when the group moderator posts a "Special Announcement" message. This is a good option if you want to pass on day-to-day discussion for very busy groups but do want to receive important updates from the group moderator. (mind you, the moderator may choose to never use this feature, in which case you would never receive email messages).

4. No Mail / Web Only

This option also permits you to read messages at the Yahoo! Groups web site. (Note that not all groups keep message archives). You may prefer this if you're disciplined enough to visit the group website regularly (and are not worried about your time online!) or to put email message delivery on hold, for example while you are on vacation.

To set any of these options, log into LearningWithComputers, click on "Edit Membership" (at the top of our home page, next to your ID and status), and select your choice under "Mailing preferences".

If you belong to several Yahoo! groups, a more effective way to deal with this issue for all your groups is to go to My Groups and choose from the drop-down list of message delivery options for your group.

You can change your choice as often as you please.

Once you've made up your mind on how you prefer to get messages, try our poll. (Hurry up! It closes on April 24!)

Gladys

How can you automatically organize your messages from our group if you're using Outlook Express?

adapted from: http://www.webterrace.com/outlook/filter.htm)

"Message Rules" (as Outlook Express calls filters)will basically read over emails before putting them in the inbox and they'll do any number of specific tasks (from blocking spam to organizing emails into various folders). This tool can actually save you a great deal of time and trouble! Here's how to set a filter for messages from our group:

1. Open Outlook Express, and go to Tools--->Message Rules--->Mail and Click.

2. A box will open up:

Click on "New" and you'll get this new screen:

If you click in "1.Select the conditions for your rule: Where the Subject Line Contains specific words", and in "2. Select the Actions for your rule: Move to the specified folder", then you'' see in "3. Rule Description" a message that reads (the screenshot below shows a Spanish version):

Apply this rule after the message arrives

The Subject line contains specific words

Move to the specified folder

Clicking on "contains specific words" you should type "learningwithcomputers" (without the inverted commas)and clicking on "specified" you should click on the folder of your preference,

or on the "New folder" icon on the right to create a special folder for messages from our group.

You can give your rule a name by typing it into section 4. of the box you opened to create it (see previous picture). This is not essential, but it'll help you organize your filters!

Once you have clicked okay, the new rule will appear in Message Rules. Here you can add more rules, modify existing rules or remove the rules altogether.

You can use this tool to do anything from setting up a filter that will block porn spam ads, spam ads, or any other unsolicited emails (and even delete them from your server!), to marking your own messages to the group as "read" immediately after downloading them, so that you don't think there's unread mail in your folder when you have been the only one posting!