With the demise of the Astro BBS, we have had no online communication tool for the club. To fill this void, I have created an email group on Yahoo's groups system for use by DAS members for exchange of information. Web based email groups allow all members of the group to view all email messages that are posted on the group web site. In addition to viewing the messages, you can post a new message or reply to a posted message. All group members will see your posts. As an alternative, you can choose to have all the posted email messages sent to your own email address rather than viewing them on the group web site. I hope members will find this system user friendly and will give it even more use than the old BBS system

The intention is to maintain this group as restricted to DAS members only, for communication amongst the members on astronomical events, observations, equipment, theory, and DAS related matters. It should not be used as a forum for off-topic matters.

To find our group, go to:

http://groups.yahoo.com

and enter in the search box either:

delawareastronomicalsociety (all one word) or:

"delaware astronomical society" (need to use quotes, if not all one word)

Click on the link to our email group that will come up in the search.

Alternatively, there is a link on the DAS web site that will take you to the email group home page.

Once on the DAS email group home page, click on the "Join This Group!" box.

On the next page that appears, if you are an existing Yahoo user and have a Yahoo ID, log in on the right side of the page. If you are a new Yahoo user, you will need to sign up with Yahoo with your own Yahoo ID and password by clicking on the left side of the page. In order to restrict access to the email group to certain people (in our case, DAS members), Yahoo requires a person to register to the email group, which they do by first requiring you to register as a yahoo user (they have to know who you are to control the email group), and then you sign up for the email group.

Follow the instructions for creating your Yahoo ID and password. Watch for areas to choose to limit your exposure to email solicitation. When this is complete, you will be delivered to the page for joining the Yahoo email group for DAS. There are a few important steps on this page.

First, you will need to edit your Yahoo profile by clicking on the "add new profile" link. When the profile comes up, click on "Edit Profile Information" and in the box for "Real Name" enter your actual name. This is very important for the following reason:

I have to approve everyone’s' request for sign up to the email group. In order to know who is requesting, I have to know who the person is. I can only know this if the person enters their "real name" in their profile. This will also be helpful to the group so we all know who we are communicating with.

Note: Entering the other info on this form is optional. You can choose to not have your email address displayed which keeps the rest of the world from seeing it, but it will still be displayed on the DAS email group only (only DAS Club members will see it). The same is true for the choice to be listed in the Yahoo member directory.

Second, you will need to choose what email address you want to be used for the DAS email group, and how you want your messages delivered.

Save changes, and you are ready to use the DAS email group.

You can read or post messages, upload files, and add links and calendar entries. Obviously, all additions should be of general interest to DAS members.

I would like to see the "Links" be used to share personal web sites of members. I do not think we need to clutter it up with general astronomy web sites, as there are plenty of places to find that on the Internet, including our DAS home page.

The "Calendar" would be a good place to list upcoming events, such as meetings and star parties.

Let me know if you encounter any problems with joining or using the email group. I hope we get a lot of activity on it!