AACA Member email addresses

[Guest]

Ron,<P>Any chance we can get the national office to collect email addresses via our yearly renewal application coming up?<P>Would be great to email our membership occationally with important information.<P>What do others think of this kind of "spam"?<P>Peter<P>------------------<BR>Peter Gariepy<BR>peterg@aaca.org<P>www.aaca.org

[novaman]

I wouldn't mind emails as long as they are kept to business and not "ads". As far as collecting the email address. It might be a little hard becuase of us life members. I've been a life member for 18 to 20 years now (forgot which year I joined), and I'm 34 now. Those who are life members basically have no correspondence with national's membership people. <p>[This message has been edited by novaman (edited 08-03-2000).]

[Dynaflash8]

I keep my email address a virtual secret to avoid ads, junkmail and possible viruses. I think this is not a good idea unless a person was to use something like a "hotmail" address. Somebody got my wife's name from somewhere and every day we get junkmail from somebody called "noreply" and I can't stop it. Absolutely, I would not provide my regular email address to a nationwide audience. It is somewhat hidden in this forum, but yet I still worry about the desimination of this personal information

[Tom Deering]

Peter, I keep coming up with the same answer to overcome the concerns that have been expressed on this topic: Open a "MEMBERS ONLY" section on the site that may be accessed only after entering your AACA membership number. Whatever info was to be shared exclusively for members could be posted here. I've got a hunch this would probably do more to promote the site and possibly induce new membership than anything else. In Principle, this seems like a great idea. Now all we need to figure out is the implementation. Tom<BR> <BR>

[Guest SalG (Sal Grenci)]

Hi all, I like the idea of a email list to update members. If you were to update members about deadlines to renew membership, of a registration date for a show, it would be a good idea. SalG

[Dynaflash8]

The question is, how many like me would refuse to give out their email to a general forum? You will note that where Directors' emails are listed, mine isn't. I hate the cascades of junkmail and advertisements for everthing under the sun that even now somehow sift into my inbox

[Rick Hoover]

Dynaflash8,<P>You already have listed your E-Mail address on a general forum right here with us. Click on your profile box.<P>Rick

[Guest Hal Davis (MODEL A HAL)]

I don't know, guys. Good intentions sometime have the wrong result.<P>I had to give my e-mail address to E-Bay to register. I checked and unchecked all the appropriate boxes to "ensure" that they not send me "important information", and I get more SPAM that the law ought to allow. They have sold my information to everyone under the sun. They must be required to tell you how to remove your name from the list, but each time I "respond with the word 'Remove' in the subject line" I get an undeliverable e-mail message. I have pretty much ceased to buy through E-Bay for this very reason.<P>If AACA is the only entity that will use the e-mail list then I suppose I could live with it, but I sure wouldn't want them selling my information to anyone else. Even so, how much "important information" will AACA send out? How often? How much of it will pertain to me?<P>I would suggest that the member be able to remove their name from the e-mail list at any time if they wish to no longer receive the e-mails.<p>[This message has been edited by MODEL A HAL (edited 08-03-2000).]

[Dynaflash8]

Model A Hal your opinion has my vote all the way!

[Guest]

Knowing what National Headquarters already does with our mailing list, there is no way in H--- I would willingly provide my e-mail address to HQ. I guess, as Rick points out, I have already made it available through this forum if someone wants to go to the trouble of digging them out. But a HQ list could become generally available to special interest groups.<P>Our club roster can be, and already is used improperly, but that use costs the party doing the deed MONEY, postage & printing.<BR>E-mail is cheap and annoying as it cannot be trashed as easily as a mail solicitation.<P>So my vote is a BIG, FAT NO!!! <P>Now I am thinking of re-entering, unregistered, on the forum with a pseudonym and NOT giving any personal information.<P>Howard ~~ not smiling<BR><p>[This message has been edited by Howard Scotland (edited 08-03-2000).]

[Rick Hoover]

Dittos to Hal, Dynaflash and Howard.<P>I keep thinking of those late night phone calls from a certain credit card company that would call and tell me what a wonderful member I was of AACA and how I had to have a AACA card! No Thanks!<P>Howard, no need to change your profile. Keep going as you were here, as we all know how to find you anyway! <BR>Dan will sell it to us anyway! <BR>

[Guest]

HVS - you're certainly welcome to go incognito again, but you better get rid of those 73 posts under your real name, they all will display your e-mail. On a more serious note, where does AACA sell its mailing list, other than MBNA, which is an easy toss away. For a national organization truly locked into antiquities (let's see now, what is Bill Smith's e-mail address or how do I contact the library? answer: snail mail) the last thing they will do is anything constructive with our e-mail addresses. Note that the Chesapeake Region tried to interest members in getting their newsletter on-line to save money, etc. It was a bomb because of the small number of members who are cyber able.

[ply33]

One club I am a member of talked about sending out their roster in CD-ROM format. (They do collect email addresses for the roster on that club.) That is kind of like asking the world to spam their members with email and junk snail mail.<P>I manage my own mail server and have put in a number of spam blocks. I have not detected any spam that originated because my email address is available on the AACA discussion forum. So far so good.<P>The good thing about email is that it is fast and inexpensive. That makes it useful for us. The bad thing about email is that it is fast and inexpensive. That makes it attractive for bulk mail spammers.<P>Some things about spam:<BR><ul><BR>[*]Don't bother to follow the "remove" instructions. They are almost always wrong and often are used to confirm that your email address actually exists and has someone reading the mail.<BR>[*]Report the mail, with copies of full headers from the mail, to your ISP. It is possible to implement lots of anti-spam measures in the ISP mail system. If they get enough grief from their customers they are more motivated to fix things. If they don't or say they can't then switch ISPs. Nearly all spam comes from "dial up user" accounts and is often passed through "open relays" to hide where it actually came from. Tell your ISP to goto <A HREF="http://www.mail-abuse.org" TARGET=_blank>www.mail-abuse.org</A> to find out how to limit the spam coming into their system from those sources.<BR>

<BR>Since I can make up any number of email addresses for myself, I'd probably create a unique one for the AACA roster. That would help me trace who they sell it to... And be able to change the address to a "spam trap" if needed. Without an infinite supply of email addresses (a position most people are in), I'd hesitate to give my email to AACA HQ.<P>Tod

[Guest rcirilli]

As long as my delete key works I don't have many fears. I regularly update my virus scan and don't open items I don't recognize. I do however think that "Members Only" location has some merit for recruitment. That requires some more thought as to utility. Most of what we disburse doesn't need concelled anyway. Heck, most of the time we love to have free advertising.

[Guest SalG (Sal Grenci)]

Howard, You could never go undercover, people know how you think and you would jump in and give yourself away. SalG<P>To all, Remember Bill Smith works for us throught a personal service contract and the support people are his employees. If we do not want him to give out a list, than the board should tell him so. Remember AACA got about $36,000 from MBNA the past year. They pay a fee you the use of the logo on the cards (I have a MC) they also get to pitch us. SalG

[Guest]

Rick ~ I hope I live long enough to get to 500 <P>Ted ~ I know you are right about already being liberally spread throughout the forum.<BR>I have too many opinions and too much time on my hands. However I could leave AOL, and have been tempted to several times, and get a completely new address, couldn't I. I know so little about these magic communication devices that I'm positively dangerous to myself. <P>They just tempted me again, so I had better get this on quick before they cut me off again!!! ~ Howard<P>Sal ~ Sometimes you can sell your soul to the devil for 30 pieces of silver, or 36,000.<p>[This message has been edited by Howard Scotland (edited 08-03-2000).]

[ronbarn]

This is definitely fascinating and thought I would finally wade in in my role of Father Ron (thanx Rick). Yes, I have received some email based on the ID on this DF. Every one has been related to the hobby with a question or idea for consideration - no SPAM! I have not objected to that. Eventually our world will be linked via email almost exclusively, but hopefully that will be far in the future. We are not ready for newsletters solely on the net and I don't think it is time for any communications that are only on the net. <P>While Peter's idea certainly will have merit in the future, I don't think now is the time. We've just got this DF going pretty good and as I've said before, I'm so darned proud of you all for what has happened the last few months. We've crawled, now we're walking, let's wait awhile before we try to run - at least till we get HQ computer wise!

[Guest]

BRAVO, Father Ron!!!

[Guest]

I`m not a member but, what i do is have one of these free email addresses, this is the one i give to the public. When they write me they get an automated response. This helps keep the spam down,seems they don`t like the auto respond. email me and give it a try. lmmax97@1964cadillac.carsouth.com My other email is private.<P>------------------<BR>Mike<BR><A HREF="http://www.geocities.com/lmmax97/cadillac/" TARGET=_blank>1964 Cadillac & Cars from the 40`s to 70`s<P>FREE! Cadillac parts posting board</A><p>[This message has been edited by 64 Cadillac (edited 08-05-2000).]

[Guest SalG (Sal Grenci)]

Hi all, I think the AACA can be described as a evolutionary not an revolutionary club. SalG

[Dynaflash8]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by rcirilli:<BR><B>As long as my delete key works I don't have many fears. I regularly update my virus scan and don't open items I don't recognize. I do however think that "Members Only" location has some merit for recruitment. That requires some more thought as to utility. Most of what we disburse doesn't need concelled anyway. Heck, most of the time we love to have free advertising. </B><HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>The delete key isn't enough. I picked up a worm from an AACA friend who didn't know they picked it up from SPAM. Recently another AACA acquaintance in AZ sent a worm, unknowingly to everybody on his addee list, automatically. I didn't know him well enough and didn't open it, but another AACA friend did and had a time getting rid of it. Don't tell me about junk mail and SPAM. No, not from DF, never, not yet, but from someplace else, I don't know where. So, now I keep my email address as close to the vest as possible. And like the other man said, if it isn't friends and acquaintances, I use "hotmail" for any email correspondence.

[Guest rcirilli]

Howard, have you looked into DSL in your area. I switched several months ago and will never go back to a basic sevice. There are no cut off's or warnings. Down load time is a flash and I never have to log off.

[ply33]

rcirilli - If you are running any kind of a Microsoft operating system I strongly recommend that you buy a cheap fire wall box to put between you and the Internet.<P>Following logic of its own, Microsoft has consistently short circuited security. This is not only true with its email products (as mentioned above) but with its basic networking.<P>Since they basically control 90% of the operating system market there are lots of "script kiddies" out there who have learned how to detect and take over Microsoft machines remotely. It takes a skilled system operator to properly configure a Windows machine to be safely connected to the net.<P>(Dial up connections are not generally up enough for the bad guys to find you and attack. But if you have DSL or cable modem service you are connected long enough to be in danger.)<P>If you are a Linux or BSD user you will also need to properly secure the machine, but the type of people who are attracted to those are also the type who probably can secure them.<P>Out of the box, the MacOS is the most secure against outside hackers. But with its recent adoption of TCP/IP based file sharing even it is becoming less secure.<P>My local computer store sells a number of easy to configure fire wall boxes for between $150 and $250. Cheap insurance.<P>Tod

[Guest rcirilli]

Thanks Tod I'll look into that it makes sense. I'll just log off more ofter now that I Know. Logging on is so quick it's painless.<BR>

[Guest]

Bob and Tod ~~ This computer is nothing more than a plaything for using this forum and similar stuff. There is another computer here for the secure stuff and it is not, has never been and never will be, hooked up to anything. I can trash this whole rig and lose nothing of personal value or importance.<P>I DO NO buy on the internet and my credit card numbers are not given out online. I'm willing to be a dinosauer when it comes to that.<P>If I need figures from the internet I bring them up, copy, and then carry the paper across the room and enter it in the other box. Time consuming, of course. but at my age and 10 years retired I have plenty of time. You can see that from all the time I spend on the forum.

[Guest rcirilli]

Howard, It's hard to argue with that logic! I may have done the same thing but my old one was so old it couldn't be hooked to the net. Talk about a language problem.

[jac]

Howard~~~ I do the same thing. At work I have a computer network that has all our orders and financial data but that one is not connected to the internet. I have my own computer that is connected to the internet but is not networked with any computer in the building. We do get e-mail orders and just like you someone has to pick up that piece of paper and head for another room to put the information into the other "box".

[Guest]

I knew this question to Ron would generate some HEATED comments. <P>Couple of questions:<BR>Why would the National Office sell our email addresses? Especially if it was specifically instructed by the board NOT to?<P>Is spam really ripping everyone up? Worms, viruses and the like don't bother me one bit... I have a virus checker, and trash obvious "spam". Yes, it's annoying, but the "delete" key isnt far away. Hell, most email programs will filter it for you.<P>If I did create a "Members" only area of AACA.ORG what would be there? Suggestions?<P>Some food for thought. I look forward to everyone responses.<P>Peter<P>------------------<BR>Peter Gariepy<BR>peterg@aaca.org<P>www.aaca.org

[Guest]

Peter, An answer to your first question. Because someone there wants to and feels they know what is best for AACA. Nuf said!

[ronbarn]

I'm still tyring to digest some of the interesting comments that are on this thread. The value of email for conducting business these days is undeniable. We're even adding a section to the AACA Director's Handbook on conducting AACA business via email. However, I am not convinced that getting the eddresses of all members online is warranted at this time. Also, I am not convinced that a "Members Only" section is necessary. As Peter asked - what would be on there that is different? Also this would preclude the individuals who have stated that they joined AACA as a result of finding us on the website. We have created an opportunity to expand our horizons and membership - will asking for all to give us their eddress make this any better??