The AFT Email list -- Introductory information
		==============================================

This email message gives you important information about using
this list - please save it for future reference.

Contents
========
 1] Welcome to the list -- what it's for!
 2] Relationship with other lists
 3] The list on the World Wide Web
 4] "Netiquette" on this list
 5] Objectionable use
 6] Sanctions and responsibilities of the list maintainer
 7] Technicalities: address for administrative requests
 8] Technicalities: subscribing to the list
 9] Technicalities: unsuscribing from the list
10] Technicalities: getting the list in digest form
11] Technicalities: what if you are going away? - suspending list postings
12] Archiving of messages -- copyright
13] Archiving of messages -- getting archive files
14] List owner/administrator/maintainer


1] Welcome to the list -- what it's for!
   =====================================
Hello, and welcome to the AFT list.

The AFT list is an open list for anyone interested in family therapy and 
systemic therapy or systemic work of any kind.  

The list is loosely affiliated to the Association for Family Therapy
and Systemic Practice, a British organisation but membership of the list
is open to anyone, AFT member or not.

Since you are a new subscriber please introduce yourself to the list.
Your introduction will serve two purposes, first,so that everyone knows
a little bit about you, and second, so that you can be sent the username 
and password to access the archives. We are being a little careful with 
who has access to the list so that we can avoid spamming. I'm sure 
everyone agrees with this!

You may find that joining the list feels rather like coming into a 
large party in which the lights have failed so you can't see anyone 
else but you suspect you don't know many people there -- and they 
seem already to be involved in conversations that clearly started 
before you came in.  If so, send a message to the list asking 
someone if they'd take a moment to explain whatever it is you think 
you've missed.  Some people opt to stay quietly on the outside just 
listening but I suspec they and those of us who are already in the 
party will gain more if you dive in whenever it seems stuck or 
excluding.  Do feel free to Email me directly if diving right into the 
list feels like too big a jump to get in!

2] Relationship with other lists
   =============================

This list is independent of other lists in the area of 
family/systemic theory, therapy and practice.  I found 
it difficult to keep up with several I've tried though
I very much enjoyed the solution-focussed list.

I'll add information about other pertinent lists here
sometime.  For the moment you can find out what other
public lists are available from PSYCTC.org by sending
a message saying "lists" to aft-request@psyctc.org.


3] The list on the World Wide Web
   ==============================
The home page for _THIS_ list can be found at:

http://psyctc.org/aft/


You obviously were able to subcribe sucessfully, but if you have any
problems, questions, or concerns, please let me know at the address
below.


4] "Netiquette" on this list
   =========================
  Please keep messages to the point and as close to the list as possible
  but remember we're generally people with a wide definition of our field
  and reasonable senses of humour.

  By all means disagree and say so but try to keep disagreements with the
  content of messages, not attacks on the person of the sender.

  Do not use the list purely to advertise services, even pertinent ones,
  some advertising of your couses, possibly even your own services, will
  be fine if you can reasonably assume others will be interested and if
  you do contribute to the list in other ways at other times.  "Reasonably
  assume" should be based on some experience of the list, i.e. don't just
  join and immediately advertise services!

  Your messages are copied to everyone else on the list (when technically
  possible - do not assume a really important message has reached everyone)
  Anything you say is copyright to you (or should be, watch out when quoting
  others!).  If you post to the list, it is assumed you give free permission
  for any member of the list, now or in the future, to read your submission
  and for anyone to quote it, or parts of it, back to the list.  The list
  is archived (see below) and this should be remembered.  You are encouraged
  to give permission for others to quote you off the list too but anyone, 
  including myself, should get your permission to do so.  Anyone quoting 
  material from the list is asked to give reference both to the author of
  the material and proper citation to the list so that others might join!

5] Objectionable use
   =================
  Do not use the list for anything that could be legally actionable, e.g. 
  inciting racial hatred, publishing gross obscenities likely to hurt 
  others.  I will remove anyone doing so and will take legal action against
  them if necessary.  This is both a right and an obligation on me as I am
  a "publisher" by running this list.  I hate to say these things but 
  respect the obligations involved.

6] Sanctions and responsibilities of the list maintainer
   =====================================================
As noted above, as a last resort, I, as list maintainer, reserve the right
to evict and to ban someone from the list if they grossly abuse the spirit
of the list.  I may well consult with the list about this but have to retain
final responsibility for this if I do it.

While I will do my best to maintain the list appropriately there may be times
when I will be off the list for as much as ten days and will often be shorter
periods when I am away from it.  I accept _NO_ liability for damage during
such periods and, as an unpaid maintainer, warn that retifying problems of any
sort may take days even when I find them.  Sorry!

7] Technicalities: address for administrative requests
   ==================================================
Subcription/unsubscription/info requests should always be sent to: 
          aft-request@psyctc.org
PLEASE: _NOT_ to the list itself (aft@psyctc.org).

8] Technicalities: subscribing to the list
   =======================================
To subscribe to the list, simply send a message with the word "subscribe"
in the Subject: field to aft-request@psyctc.org

As in:		To: aft-request@psyctc.org
		Subject: subscribe

9] Technicalities: unsuscribing from the list
   ==========================================
To unsubscribe send the word (you guessed it :-) "unsubscribe" in the Subject.

As in:		To: aft-request@psyctc.org
		Subject: unsubscribe

In the event that your Email address changes, it is best to first
send an unsubscribe for the old address (this can be done from the new
address, see next paragraph), and then a new subscribe for the new address
(the order is important). If you can't do this, Email me.

10] Technicalities: getting the list in digest form
    ===============================================
To get the list in digest form, send 'set digest' to the admin address.
Should you want to get both the digest and all the individual messages,
send 'set digest2'.

11] Technicalities: what if you are going away? - suspending list postings
    ======================================================================
Send 'set vacaction' to the admin address.  This saves you the full 
process of resubscribing when you return.

12] Archiving of messages -- copyright
    ==================================
Every submission sent to this list is archived.	 Details are sent to the list
at intervals but you should assume not only that anything you post to the 
list gets copied to everyone on the list but that it will be possible to 
reread your postings at any time in the future.  You are assumed to license
the list owner to do this publishing of your copyright material (yes, 
everything original you ever write is automatically copyright to you!) by
joining and posting to the list.

13] Archiving of messages -- getting archive files
    ==============================================
You can get a listing of all the files available for retrieval by sending
a mesage to:
   aft-request@psyctc.org
saying "index" in the subject or body of the message.

You will see that the old messages are split into three chronological 
blocks (reflecting the three different software platforms that have
supported the list to date!)  

You can get any file by sending a message to aft-request@psyctc.org
saying "get filename", where "filename" is the name of the file you
want.


14] List owner/administrator/maintainer
    ===================================

This is Chris Evans (chris@psyctc.org).  In line with Internet
etiquette you should know that I _can_ be reached by snail mail as:
  Chris Evans (c.o. Paula Shonuga, Adult Dept.,
  Tavistock & Portman NHS Trust, 120 Belsize Lane,
  London NW3 5BA, Britain

That contact address is essentially a redirector, PSYCTC.org and
this list have nothing to do with the Tavistock & Portman Trust who
employ me for other purposes!

Welcome again to those of you who got this far!

Chris

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