[-empyre-] -empyre logistics--a review for old and new subscribers

[Renate Terese Ferro]

This email is to review some of the logistics and operations of how -empyre works.  Apologies to Ana and Ricardo for posting this mid-stream but we are getting many emails back-channel about -empyre so I wanted to post this information now. This is for brand new subscribers but those of you who have been away for a while and are revisiting us. 

If you go to our site there is a bit about who we are and what we do.  This list-serve is NOT just for academics but artists, coders, theoreticians, anyone who is interested in networked media.
Cornell University graciously houses our website as a service.  Our community is for everyone interested. See our site for a bit about who we are and our history. 

http://empyre.library.cornell.edu/

Our  virtual community is comprised of very diverse 1800 international participants.
All of our discussions take place via email and our list-serv. We have compiled a list of helpful hints that should make your participation easier below. 

Sign up  if you are not a subscriber to –empyre- soft-skinned space  http://empyre.library.cornell.edu/

Follow the menu link to JOIN.  Fill in the subscription information including the email you want to receive each post from –empire.
 DO NOT CHECK DIGEST if you want to participate in the discussion.  Check DIGEST if you want the incoming emails to be delayed and only come to your INBOX once per week. 

By creating a username and password you can manage your subscription.

An introductory post will be posted by the organizing moderator on the first of the month. At the very beginning of each week (Weeks 1 through 4) the moderator will
introduce each weekly guest of which there may be up to three or four each week including biographies. Even through these guests post ANYONE on our list can either respond to something that has been said or create a new thread or subject within the discussion topic.  Discussion and conversation is our mission.  

Below are a few helpful hints that will make your participation in -empyre flow smoothly. 


1.  All subscriber’s  posts go through to the list serve authentication site. Only posts that are on topic are posted so that our subscriber list is not inundated with spam emails. 
2. Our site is organized by THREADS.  IF you want to respond to someone else’s post just reply and write. 
3. IF you want to begin a new post just write the nature or description of that new post in the subject heading of the email. 
All new posts can be sent to :  empyre at lists.artdesign.unsw.edu.au
4.  Please avoid reprinting entire passages from earlier posts, rather just pick out a sentence or two that you are responding to. Cut all earlier text that is redundant. Delete all information from previous posts so that our archive system is not filled with redundant text. 
5. Keep your posts shorter than longer.  Our readers tend to gloss over abundant amounts of previously published works in their entirety.  However, links to articles, references, artists etc work well. 
6.  We do have an etiquette to our list.  Some of the things to consider are: 
-write posts or responses that are on topic
-never write a post that is  insulting or personally offensive in any way
-we don't post calls for papers, conferences, shows, exhibitions that are promoting off topic or discussion
-empyre soft skinned space is a space for many voices. All of our subscribers and guests are invited to write responses to our discussions each month.
-This is a list-serve so we ask you to be as clear and brief as you can -- 300 words or less-It is better to make two short posts than one long one.  Scrolling is
annoying.

The University of New South Wales hosts our subscription software and archives. Our list serv has been in existence since 2002 when Melinda Rackham created it as part of her PHD research project.

TO ACCESS ARCHIVES USE THIS URL:
http://lists.artdesign.unsw.edu.au/pipermail/empyre/

Finally, 
-empyre is always looking for new moderators to organize monthly discussions. If you and or colleagues have an idea and want to be featured during one of the upcoming months please contact us.
Best to you,
Renate Ferro, managing moderator
Tim Murray, moderator
Soraya Murray, moderator
Derek Murray, moderator

PS.  A few of you have asked if Soraya and Derek are related to Tim.  They are not related to Tim at all but are related to one another through marriage!