Folks,
If anyone does not object I will ask that we send the new guidelines
proposed here to the membership. Perhaps I should note that these rules
are not retroactive. Any member currently using addresses which cannot
be verified must be allowed to continue with them. Also, while the
problem may seem to be very complex it does not really affect the
running of the list. For the only time people will notice the problem is
when they are applying for membership. As such most of us (regular
members) will not be aware of whats going behind the scene. The
management might want to share the task of asking aspiring members for
sponsors. That is since the bulk of the applicants are either Hotmail or
Yahoo we can share among ourselves how to handle requests. The European
freemails will pose some problems. I hope Momodou Camara will help when
we come to that. Lastly I believe that our biggest problem will be from
current members who believe that we may be at something fishy. This I
think should be seen natural since most people love things to be free
for all. Sadly the world does not go like that.

I must go now.

Malanding






INTRODUCTION

  Gambia-L mailing list is for Gambians and friends of The Gambia to
discuss
Gambia related issues. The list is a free forum for discussion, debate and
the sharing of information on and about The Gambia.

  The precursor to Gambia-L was a mailing list started in 1994,
following the
overthrow of the Jawara government.  The rapid growth of the Internet
resulted in more Gambians getting online and consequently an increase in
the
number of subscribers to the original mail list.  This, together with a
number
of factors, warranted a much more powerful and flexible list management
system.
Fortunately, the University of Washington in Seattle provided this
facility,
resulting in the launch of Gambia-L on January 31, 1996.

  GAMBIA-L is aimed providing Gambians and those interested in Gambian and
related issues, a means to communicate with each other, and exchange ideas
and information of common interest.  In the process, it is hoped that a
spirit
of cooperation, of exchange of ideas, of healthy debate and dialogue for the
  National good will be cultivated. True, ours might not be one of the
biggest
lists, but we certainly can make it one of the very best in cyberspace.

  To attain the excellence we aspire to, GAMBIA-L will make maximum use of
the #1 asset: subscribers.  Thus, management of the list is shared by a
number
of volunteers who will be rotated as and when needed.  Further, the list is
configured such that it will be easy to use, but also prevent it's abuse.


MEMBERSHIP

  Subscription to GAMBIA-L is open, and free to all, but conditional upon
approval by designated list owners.  The list administrator can still
take steps to ensure that individuals whose purpose is to cause mischief
are prevented from joining.  Nevertheless it is hoped that our
individual sense of responsibility, fairness, and decency, coupled with
the community policing of the list will help prevent, and contain
outbreaks of poor taste in our debates.

Subscribing
Due to the problems we have experienced in the past with individuals
utilizing free email addresses to make mischief on Gambia-l, we have had
to revise our subscription policy. The principle behind the new
subscription policy is that of proper identification, i.e. you have to
prove that you really who you say you are.
To this effect, all aspiring Gambia-l members will need some sort of
approval from the list managers to become members. In other words, the
new list now has a closed. subscription system. We understand, however,
that this may place an inordinate burden on the list Management, and may
result in delays in people becoming subscribed.
We have decided to mitigate this problem by continuing to receive
requests through the Internet. Users with addresses from educational
institutions, or institutions which do not use NOT free email addresses
will be subscribed without much delay. Users with free email address
which cannot be easily verified e.g. YAHOO.COM and HOTMAIL.COM
addresses, however will have to prove their identity. They can do this
in 2 ways:
1.
Sponsorship
By getting a current member of Gambia-l to "sponsor" them. To do so, the
sponsor must send an email to the list administrator identifying
themselves and the individual they would like to sponsor as a new
member. Thus, if the new member decides to cause mischief some time
later by making libelous or abusive comments, the aggrieved parties can
hold someone responsible, i.e. the sponsor. Note that the names and
addresses of the sponsor and the sponsored will be kept in our database
for future records.
2.
Email from non-free email address
An aspiring user who has a non-free email address (such as work email
address) may send email to the administrator and the list from that
address asking to be subscribed as a member using their free email
address. Such a member does not need a sponsor although both email
addresses will be kept for future records.
We regret that we have to take such steps. However, most well-minded
users will agree that they are necessary to curb the free-for-all
incidents of slander, abuse and verbal war that take place on Gambia-l.

Web Page Subscription
To subscribe to Gambia-l, via the web page, (the easiest method) all you
need to do is point your web browser to:
http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html

click on: Join or leave the list, or change your list settings

and fill in the online subscription form.

Users of free email addresses after using the form will be asked to have
their "sponsor" send email to the Gambia-l Management requesting that
the aspiring user be subscribed as a member.
The List Management has the sole right to remove anyone on the list.
This can be when someone have been unanimously found by the management
to have either repeatedly contravene the etiquette of the net or
continuously sends mail that is considered offensive.

Disclaimer
Gambianet has no political, religious, or economic affiliation, and
draws its strength from the diversity of opinions expressed by its
members, thus reflecting the full make-up of Gmabians. Gambia-l takes
pride in the level of discussion that occurs on the network. However,
with over 700 subscribers, the volume of mail on the net can be quite high.
Contacting the List Management
[log in to unmask]

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