Informix Forum

FAQ for the Informix-Forum Special Interest Group

Posted By: DAVID FRASER
Date: Thursday, 9 February 2006, at 2:05 a.m.

This FAQ, for the Informix-Forum SIG, borrows heavily from FAQ maintained by Jonathan Leffler for comp.databases.informix (CDI) and informix-list@iiug.org. His is a great FAQ. I have changed it however to suit my purposes and therefore take responsibility for any mistakes. You can email change suggestions to david-sigman@iiug.org.

Thanks also to Pete Perez. He is the clever bloke that makes this whole gubbens work and he wrote the important bits like "How can I post messages to Informix-Forum?". I still take responsibility for it though. :-)

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* What is the Informix-Forum Special Interest Group (SIG)?
* How can I post messages to Informix-Forum?
* How can I unsubscribe from the Informix-forum SIG?
* Is there a Digest service for Informix-forum?
* What rules exist regarding format, content, flame wars, etc?
* Can I ask about technical issues?
* In summary.

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** What is the Informix-Forum Special Interest Group (SIG)?
The Informix-Forum SIG is an email and web based messaging gateway service provided by the International Informix Users Group (IIUG). It is one of 20 (or so) SIGs that cover a range of Informix related technical issues in 5 languages (English, French, German, Portuguese and Spanish).

The purpose of the Informix-Forum is to provide a place where members can exchange views about non-technical Informix issues. In this SIG you can write about anything Informix related, particularly if the message does not fit well into one of the technical groups. You can talk about the Brand, the future for the product, a wish list of new features, ideas for marketing. The field is wide.

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** How can I post messages to Informix-Forum?
The new SIG works the same as the other SIGS -- anyone can visit the SIG forum page online and read messages, but only active IIUG members can post messages.

To post the any SIG via email, first subscribe to receive SIG postings via email. This authorizes you to post via email:

- Login to the Member Area

- Click "Subscriber to email lists"

- Check the "subscribe" box for Informix Forum (also click "digest format" to receive a single daily email message containing all postings for the day. Otherwise, each posting will be emailed to you as it is posted.)

- Click "Subscribe"

By default SIG postings are email to your email address on record. However, you may designate a different email address for SIG emails:

- Login to the Member Area

- Click "Membership"

- Enter an email address in the "Optional E-Mail for SIG Lists Only" box.

- Click "Update"

To start a new thread, send your message via email addressed to informix-forum@iiug.org.

To reply to a posting received via email, hit the reply button. Do not change the message number on the Subject line. The message number is found between two square brackets (e.g. [23]).

When posting a message via email, your email From: address must be either your email address on record at IIUG, or the "SIGS List Only" email address. Postings from addresses other than these are returned to sender.

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** How can I unsubscribe from the Informix-forum SIG?
Visit the IIUG web site once more, login to the member area as above, and use the Subscribe button. This will show you the list of email discussion groups that are available, and you can unsubscribe yourself by removing the check-mark against the "informix-forum" entry.

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** Is there a Digest service for Informix-forum?
Yes. When you subscribe to the SIG, you can select to have all messages posted during the day bundled into one email. You can also change this preference anytime just by logging in to the member area and changing your preferences.

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** What rules exist regarding format, content, flame wars, etc.
None; this is an open forum! That is, there are no rules enforced by the software. Undoubtedly others will disagree but, for now, these are the 'rules'.

***Format: Text only please. If you post using HTML, the newsgroup software will strip out all HTML tags and just leave the text. This could look ugly so best to send in text format first up. Attachments will be totally ignored. You can try if you like but they will just get biffed out.
***Content: Straight answers or closely related comments to questions don't need any special treatment. When the subject under discussion changes sufficiently that the subject is no longer accurate, it is courteous to change the subject. The standard, time-honored NetNews technique is "New Subject (was: Old Subject)". If the discussion leaves the main purpose then it is courteous to change the thread subject. Alternatively the standard method used in most news groups is to add 'OT' to indicate 'off-topic' content. Marking off-topic messages makes it easier for those who don't want to read the banter to avoid it.
***Swearing: In my opinion there is no benefit to adding swear words to your messages. And while you may get off on it, swearing truly does offend people. Therefore please don't swear in your messages. (Just kick the rubbish tin instead). Thanks.
***Quoting Posts: When you respond to a post, please trim as much of the quoted material as possible. However, do include enough of the question to ensure that your answer is comprehensible. Leave out the signature blocks (especially the obnoxiously irrelevant ones about how you should not abuse this message if it was sent to you in error) and any superfluous content. Be careful about misattributing information to the wrong poster.
***Flame Wars: Don't! For the most part, the IIUG SIG's maintain a civilized discourse and flame wars are strongly discouraged. However that is not to say that you can not participate in 'robust discussion'. The idea is to deal to the issue, not the person. And remember, except for me, nobody is perfect.
Banter: largely covered under content. Banter cannot be prevented and undoubtedly it will occur. Do it judiciously. If you do indulge, make sure you trim the quoted content of messages to the minimum and add the OT marker; someone passing two lines of jocular remarks on a posting of several hundred lines of quoted material is being discourteous to the other users.
***Cross-posting: is not encouraged. If you do cross-post then the other readers will just think you are a jerk and will probably tell you so. So just don't... please.
***Spam: don't do it. We pass all messages through SPAM filters and SPAM gets biffed.

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**Can I ask about technical issues?
Sure you can. But you may not get a technical answer. If you post to the technical SIG then you are more likely to get a quick response.

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**In summary.
The Informix-forum SIG is a great way to start and participate in discussions about Informix, it's heritage, it's current status and its future. Enjoy.

Currently, as the IIUG Board SIGman, I maintain this FAQ. If you have any decent suggestions for improvement, or are just lonely you can email me at david-sigman@iiug.org.

Or if you have a technical problem then you can email the great SIG maker himself pete@iiug.org.

Finally, there are really only two rules. Rule #1: I am right. Rule #2: If I am wrong go to Rule #1. :-)

David Fraser
Board of Directors
International Informix Users Group
david-sigman@iiug.org

Messages In This Thread

• FAQ for the Informix-Forum Special Interest Group
  DAVID FRASER -- Thursday, 9 February 2006, at 2:05 a.m.
  • Re: FAQ for the Informix-Forum Special Interest Gr
    GARY BEN-ISRAEL -- Monday, 6 March 2006, at 5:18 a.m.
    • Re: FAQ for the Informix-Forum Special Interest Gr
      NORMA JEAN SEBASTIAN -- Tuesday, 21 March 2006, at 10:03 a.m.

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