-Some mailing lists are used for the development and use of OpenBSD.
-In each case, send mail to
-majordomo@OpenBSD.org
-with a message body of "subscribe mailing-list-name".
+Mailing lists are an important means of communication among users and developers
+of OpenBSD. With the exception of announce, the lists are not moderated.
+We deliberately restrict the number of different mailing lists. This helps reduce the
+amount of cross-posting and makes sure that the information gets distributed to a
+wide audience.
+
+
Netiquette
+
+Be considerate of other subscribers on the mailing lists.
+
+
Plain text, 72 characters per line
+
Many subscribers read their mail on text-based mailers (/bin/mail, emacs) and they
+find HTML-formatted messages, or lines that stretch beyond 72 characters often
+unreadable. MIME encapsulated enclosures also cause problems. Only send non-text
+if you have received the OK from the intended recipient. We realise that many
+newcomers are stuck with Windows-based mailers that don't give them any control over
+what they send, but we ask that they make a conscious effort to switch over as soon
+as possible to a more reader-friendly mailer.
+
Do your homework before you post
+
If you have an installation question, make sure that you have read the relevant
+documents such as the INSTALL.* text files in the FTP installation directories, the
+FAQ and the relevant man pages (start with
+afterboot(8)). Make sure you include relevant
+details (version, hardware, dmesg(8)) that will help in troubleshooting. We want to
+help, but we wouldn't want to deprive you of a valuable learning experience.
+
Trim your signature
+
Keep the signature lines at the bottom of your mail to a reasonable length. Posts
+are rarely critical enough to warrant a PGP signature, and those automatic address
+cards are merely annoying.
+
Stay on topic
+
Please keep the subject of the post relevant to users of OpenBSD.
+
-There is a minimal set of mailing lists intentionally; among
-other benefits such as more communication it reduces cross-posting.
-There are no private mailing lists.
+
The Mailing Lists
-These are the mailing lists:
+To subscribe to a given list, send mail to
+majordomo@OpenBSD.org
+with a message body of "subscribe mailing-list-name".
announce
-
important announcements. Since this is a low volume list
-it is excellent for people who just want to follow important events.
+
Important announcements. This low volume list
+is excellent for people who just want occasional news about the project.
misc
-
user questions and answers.
-Please read the FAQ before you post.
+
User questions and answers, general questions. This is the most active list.
+Please read the FAQ and the installation documents
+before you post.
tech
-
technical discussions. Please direct "new user" questions
-to misc. Please do not post to both misc and tech.
+
Discussions about technical aspects of OpenBSD. Please
+direct 'new user' and installation-related questions
+to misc. Please do not cross-post to both misc and tech.
bugs
-
bugs as sent in via sendbug(1) and discussion about them
+
Bug reports as sent in via sendbug(1) and follow-up discussions.
source-changes
-
automated mailout of CVS source tree changes
+
Automated mailout of CVS source tree changes.
ports
-
discussions about the use of the 'ports' source tree
+
Discussions about using and contributing to the 'ports' source tree.
advocacy
-
discussions about promoting the use of OpenBSD
+
Promoting the use of OpenBSD. Non-technical discussions in
+misc often get shunted here.
+OpenBSD also maintains several lists specific to given architectures and special
+projects. These lists are public in the sense that anyone can subscribe to them, but
+they should be considered reserved for developers and testers. In keeping with
+the openness principle of OpenBSD, there are no private mailing lists.
+
+
For further assistance, send a message body of "help"
to majordomo@OpenBSD.org
and you will receive a reply outlining all your options. Your domain
MUST resolve properly or the mail will not go through!
-A separate Polish-language mailing list related to OpenBSD is also available
-separately. To subscribe, send mail to OpenBSD-request@hack.pl
+A Polish-language mailing list related to OpenBSD is also available
+separately. To subscribe, send mail to
+OpenBSD-request@hack.pl.
www@openbsd.org
-