General Guidelines for the Listserv Replying privately vs. replying to the list Legal Guidelines for the Listserv Welcome to DMIA's Listserv for Suppliers and Manufacturers This listserv is the result of the DMIA/IADT Board of Trustees meeting and a supplier roundtable discussion. The idea is to improve communications among manufacturers and suppliers and thus provide better products and services to distributors and end-users. This communications tool can be used to answer questions, talk about technical issues and develop ideas that will help everyone improve their business. There are approximately 418 people on this listserv. The list is private, and the only access to it is through DMIA. Any time you want to communicate with the list, just send an email to dmiatalk@listserv.dmia.org. Your message will be sent to all 418 list members within a few seconds. Remember, if you receive an email from the list and you reply to it, you are replying to all 418 subscribers. If you want to reply only to the sender of the message, cut and paste the sender's email address into your email program. If you would like to add people to the list, send their names and email addresses to bholt@printsolutionsmag.com. Each email you receive from the list contains instructions about unsubscribing from the list, so you may unsubscribe yourself at any time. What is a listserv? It's an automated, broadcast email service. If you send a message to the list address, everyone on the list will receive your message. The purpose of the listserv is to provide a means for DMIA supplier and manufacturer members to share information. The only restrictions on what kinds of information are: Pricing. You cannot discuss actual prices for goods and services. You may discuss in general terms how prices are calculated, but do not quote actual prices. Advertising. The list is not to be used as an advertising/promotional vehicle. If a request is made for a product your company manufactures, by all means respond to the list. But unsolicited announcements about your company's products and services are not appropriate. Political or theological opinions. The listserv is not the proper venue for these discussions. No defamatory, abusive, profane, threatening, offensive or illegal materials may be posted. And, you can't post any information or other material protected by copyright without the permission of the copyright owner. Each message you send goes to hundreds of people. Do not send graphics or other attachments to the list. Messages should not be posted if they encourage or facilitate members to arrive at any agreement that either expressly or by implication leads to price fixing, a boycott of another's business, or other conduct intended to illegally restrict free trade. Messages that encourage or facilitate an agreement about the following subjects are inappropriate: prices, discounts,or terms or conditions of sale; salaries; profits, profit margins, or cost data; market shares, sales territories, or markets; allocation of customers or territories; or selection, rejection, or termination of customers or suppliers. Here are a few other considerations about what you post and what you will see posted by others: When you send a message to the list, you are broadcasting to hundreds of people. Your behavior/speech should be no different than it would be if you were standing at a podium, microphone in hand, speaking to hundreds of your industry peers. But there is a major difference between the listserv and speaking off the cuff in public—on the listserv, everything you say is recorded in the computers of everyone on the list. With hundreds of people on the list, whatever is posted will not interest everyone. For instance, a joke will be tolerated by most people, but may offend some people or be considered a waste of time by others. The list is not a court and DMIA is not a police agency. This service should not be used to "blackball" or otherwise single out individuals or companies. General Etiquette Use a signature file. A signature file, after you create it, is automatically appended to the bottom of every email you send. It saves you typing time and helps recipients identify you and contact you. Remember, not everyone who gets your email wants to email a response. If your email includes your phone and fax numbers, you make it easier for others to pick up the phone and talk to you. At least they will know for certain who sent the message. To create a signature file, access the Help menu of your email program and search the contents or index there for the word "signature." Or, get the computer nerd in your office to help you. Don't type your messages in capital letters. All caps in email is considered shouting. It's also harder to read than regular punctuation. State concisely the specific topic of your message in the subject line of your email. This allows members to respond quickly to your posting. Include only the relevant portions of the original message in your reply, delete header information and other extraneous text, and put your response before the original posting. Replying privately vs. replying to the list The purpose of the list is to share information. If you have information for everyone, or if you have a question for everyone, by all means write to the list as a whole. And, if you have an answer or information to add, please respond to the entire list. But there are times when the entire list does not need to see your post. For example: Someone has an interesting article he will fax or mail to you if you are interested. If you're interested, you should not send a note to the entire list—you should voice your interest directly to the person who has the article. Remember, hitting "reply" to a listserv message will send your response to the entire list. Take a moment before you hit that button and ask yourself if your post is adding something to the discussion at hand or is it a personal message. If it's personal, send your message directly to the individual. Your email program should show the address of the person on the list who sent the message. Click and drag on that person's email address and copy it into the "To" or "Mail To" field of your email form to send your message only to that person. Other Listserv Opportunities DMIA operates several listservs, including one for each of DMIA's Special Interest Groups (SIGs). The SIGs focus on Health Care, Promotional Products, Commercial Printing, Labels, Direct Mail and Fulfillment. These listservs have 40 to 65 members. DMIA also hosts the Principals' Listserv for company owners and executives. Its 800 subscribers are mostly distributors, but most DMIA manufacturer members also are represented. A Sourcing Listserv is open to all employees of all member companies. It has approximately 800 members. This list is used primarily to find sources of printing and related products. Legal Guidelines for DMIA's Listservs: This listserv is provided as a service of the Document Management Industries Association (DMIA), which accepts no responsibility for the opinions and information posted by others. DMIA disclaims all warranties with regard to information posted, whether posted by DMIA or any third party; this disclaimer includes all implied warranties of merchantability and fitness. In no event shall DMIA be liable for any special, indirect or consequential damages or any damages whatsoever resulting from loss of use, data or profits, arising out of or in connection with the use or performance of any information posted to this list. Do not post any defamatory, abusive, profane, threatening, offensive or illegal materials. Do not post any information or other material protected by copyright without the permission of the copyright owner. By posting material, the posting party warrants and represents that it owns the copyright with respect to such material or has received permission from the copyright owner. In addition, the posting party grants DMIA the non-exclusive right and license to display, copy, publish, distribute, transmit, print and use such information or other material. DMIA does not actively monitor the list for inappropriate postings, and does not on its own undertake editorial control of postings. However, in the event that any inappropriate posting is brought to DMIA's attention, DMIA will take all appropriate action. DMIA reserves the right to terminate access to any user who does not abide by these guidelines. To become part of this electronic community of DMIA members discussing new sources of supply, sales and marketing, send an email to or with your name and your company's DMIA membership ID number. We'll subscribe you, and you'll get a confirmation email with instructions on how to use the Manufacturer-Supplier List. Or, call (703) 836-6225 for details.