What lists are available?
Avatar runs several mailing lists, split by level. The public, postable lists are:
* forum - A list for general discussion, open to level 2+
* hero - A list for players level 51+ to discuss issues etc related to their tier
* lord - A list for players level 125+ to discuss issues etc related to their tier.
There is also the Gazette list which is used to distribute the Avatar Gazette.
Other lists exist, but are either Immortal only, or by invite only.
How can I subscribe?
Create a new e-mail. Set the recipient to majordomo@outland.org. In the body, put a line that looks like:
subscribe [listname] your@email.address (Your MUD Name - Your RL Name)
e.g.,
subscribe forum webmaster@outland.org (Cuendillar)
Using a valid e-mail address is advisable, should you wish to actually get on the list. MUD name is mandatory, real name is optional.
Alternatively, you can register at https://secure.outland.org/cgi-bin/mj_wwwusr, and use the web interface to subscribe to the available lists.
What are the rules for the lists?
You should get a copy of this when you subscribe. However, the rules are simple - the rules of Avatar extend to the lists run by Avatar.
What options can I change for list mail I receive?
There are two ways with which you can manipulate your subscriptions to the Avatar Mailing Lists - via e-mail and via a web interface. For now, this entry will deal with using the web interface (the adventurous of you can send a message to majordomo@outland.org with a body of help and go from there), with details on using the mail interface coming later.
First off, some concepts. When you first subscribe to any list that we host, Majordomo registers you in it's database of known addresses. This registration is used to track how many messages you've bounced, what lists you're subscribed to, which e-mail addresses are aliased to your registered address etc. This registration also provides you with a password (that you can change) that allows you to change various options about your registration, and your list subscriptions.
So, open up https://secure.outland.org/cgi-bin/mj_wwwusr in your browser (accepting the certificate). If you don't remember the password supplied to you by the system, or forgot your current one, request that a new password be set. Otherwise, log in with your e-mail address and password. Once logged in, you have several options - Sign Out, Subscribe, Unsubscribe / Settings and Help.
The Help option takes you to a page where you can browse the rather massive set of helps relating to how Majordomo works. These helps can be slightly technical in nature, but really aren't bad. The Sign Out option does just that - sign you out of the web interface. The Subscribe option presents you with a list of available lists - don't try to subscribe to a list you won't be allowed onto.
The option this FAQ focuses on is the Unsubscribe / Settings option. Following that link will present you with a page that should (if you've subscribed to at least one list) contain a table of list names and checkmarks (and cryptic column headers) and options to:
* Manage a list (something you probably won't use)
* Alias and unalias other e-mail addresses
* Change your registered e-mail address
* Change your password
* Unregister from the Majordomo server
The options in the table that will be of the most use to you are:
* eliminatecc - If you're on 3 lists, and the same message is cross posted to all 3, having this option enabled means you only get 1 copy, not 3.
* prefix - Each mailing list has a prefix set for the Subject (e.g., Av-Forum). Enabling the prefix option means you receive e-mails with a modified subject.
* selfcopy - Receive copies of your own postings to the mailing lists. Some people don't want to get a copy of their own message.
For further details on what you can set, use the Help interface to view the help for the set command.
Where are the archives?
Pretty much every Avatar list is archived, and these archives are accessible to list members. You can either send help archive to majordomo@outland.org, or you can use the web interface to access them, via the Unsubscribe / Settings section of the interface.