Jim, though those seem to be the only published rules, it is clear that the moderators mention from time to time other rules/policies, and that most adhere to those unpublished dicta.  The two most prominent examples are "no cussin'," and "off topic allowed on Fridays."  So, are those rules, or not?  I thought they were.

mcneely

---- Jim Arnott <jr.arnott@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
> The following is what EVERYONE received when they joined (except those
> of us who have been here since lenti, of course.) You'll note that
> there are no published "rules" but rather a discussion of list
> etiquette.  That is because we historically have felt that we are
> civilized adults here. Civilized adults usually don't require "rules"
> but rather operate according to the mores of the society they're in.
> This is our attempt to codify those mores for the society known as
> 'The Vanagon List.'
>
> If you all feel that this is insufficient, we will certainly entertain
> changes.
>
> Jim Arnott
> List Admin
> vanagon@gerry
>
>
> ++++++++++++++++++++
>
> You  have been  added  to the  vanagon mailing  list  (Vanagon &
> EuroVan
> discussion list) by Jim Arnott <jr.arnott@GMAIL.COM>.
>
>
> Please SAVE THIS MESSAGE for future  reference, especially if this is
> the
> first time you subscribe to an  electronic mailing list. If you ever
> need
> to  leave the  list,  you  will find  the  necessary instructions
> below.
> Perhaps  more importantly,  saving a  copy of  this message  (and of
> all
> future subscription notices  from other mailing lists) in  a special
> mail
> folder will give you instant access to the list of mailing lists that
> you
> are subscribed  to. This may  prove very useful the  next time you  go
> on
> vacation and  need to leave  the lists temporarily so  as not to  fill
> up
> your  mailbox while  you  are away!  You should  also  save the
> "welcome
> messages" from the  list owners that you will  occasionally receive
> after
> subscribing to a new list.
>
> For a lot  of information about Vanagons and EuroVans,  see the web
> pages
> at:
>      http://www.vanagon.com/
>
> +-------------------+
> |  List Etiquette  |
> +-------------------+
>
> Due to the volume on the Vanagon list and the multigenerational nature
> of
> the discussions, it would  be a great help if you  would make the
> subject
> of your message explicit to what model(s)  and year(s) or era of van
> that
> the message pertains to. For example:
>
>    "Eurovan rear hatch won't latch"   "91 Camper stove problem"
>    "87 Syncro Clutch Problems"        "83-H20 engine temperature"
>
> Often messages refer to trips, tools or other general topics. These
> types
> of messages are of course meant for  the whole list and a subject
> without
> a particular van type is expected.
>
> Fridays are a day when people do fun things on the list. These things
> may
> actually  not  be Vanagon  related,  but  we  strongly encourage  it.
> To
> indicate that a posting is in fun  and may not be of technical value,
> you
> should preface or suffix your subject  with /f [f] or (F). Anyone
> without
> a sense of humor should delete these messages without reading them.
>
> The vanagon mailing list has been around for a while and its citizens
> are
> fairly net.savvy. Bear  that in mind before you forward  something to
> the
> list. In particular, please avoid the following:
>    o  Messages containing cookie recipes.
>    o  Craig Shergold or any kid dying of cancer who wants to live
>       forever in e-mail
>    o  Forwarded messages with LOTS OF CAPITALS AND EXCLAMATION
>       POINTS!!!!!
>    o  Any virus warning which says you can get a virus just by reading
>       an e-mail message, especially if the virus-carrying message always
>       has the same subject.
>    o  Any virus warning already listed as a hoax at any of the following
>       sites:
>
>            http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/hoax.html
>            http://ciac.llnl.gov/ciac/CIACHoaxes.html
>            http://www.kumite.com/myths/
>
>    o  The Internet AIDS Infection Experiment or any Internet Experiment
>
>    o  Why Computers Are Like Men/Women
>    o  Petitions
>    o  Good-luck charms
>    o  Any Chain Letter, especially if it's already listed at:
>
>            http://ciac.llnl.gov/ciac/CIACChainLetters.html
>
>    o  Dire warnings or actions alerts like Save Sesame Street!, Kidney
>       Thieves, Airport laptop thieves, 806 pager scams, FCC Internet
> Tax,
>       Lexis-Nexis P-Trax database, rec.music.white-power, etc.
> Basically,
>       anything telling the whole world to send e-mail somewhere or take
>       some action, but doesn't tell you what day (and year) to stop.
>       Stop forwarding hysteria!
>    o  Content-free ping tests
>    o  Messages with more forwards than actual text
>    o  Posting private email to the whole list without permission
>    o  A reply to a previous Vanagon list posting, quoting all six
>       hundred lines, when all you wanted to do was respond to the last
>       three
>
> Sending this sort of thing to the  Vanagon list will make you look
> like a
> novice, and  will bring  the administrator's  sarcasm crashing  down
> upon
> your head.
>
> In order to  defeat spammers, the roster of subscribers  for this
> mailing
> list is generally not available. If  you have a legitimate requirement
> to
> see    the    roster,    write    to   one    of    the    list
> owners
> (vanagon-request@GERRY.VANAGON.COM).
>
> Please refrain from profanity or pushing  other's buttons on the list.
> We
> try very hard  to get along. Censorship will be  enacted for those
> unable
> to control themselves. Thanks for your cooperation.
>
> +--------------------------------+
> |  Sending mail to the list  |
> +--------------------------------+
>
> To send  a message to  all the people  currently subscribed to  the
> list,
> just send mail to
>                         vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>
> This is  called "sending mail  to the list", because  you send mail
> to a
> single address  and ListServ  makes copies  for all  the people  who
> have
> subscribed. This  address 'vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM' is also  called
> the
> 'list address'. You  must never try to send any  command to that
> address,
> as it  would be distributed  to all the  people who have  subscribed.
> All
> commands     must    be     sent    to     the    'ListServ
> address',
> LISTSERV@GERRY.VANAGON.COM.  It  is  very  important  to  understand
> the
> difference between  the two, but  fortunately it is not  complicated.
> The
> ListServ address  is like a  FAX number that  connects you to  a
> machine,
> whereas the list address is like a  normal voice line connecting you
> to a
> person.
>
> +----------------------+
> |  Leaving the list  |
> +---------------------+
>
> You may leave the list at any time by sending a "SIGNOFF vanagon"
> command
> to LISTSERV@GERRY.VANAGON.COM.
>
> +--------------------------------------+
> |  Getting acknowledgements  |
> +--------------------------------------+
>
> You can  also tell  ListServ how you  want it to  confirm the  receipt
> of
> messages you send to  the list. By default, new users  are sent copies
> of
> the messages they send  to the list. If you don't  want these copies
> send
> to you,  send a  "SET vanagon  NOREPRO" command  and ListServ  won't
> send
> them. If you send a "SET vanagon ACK NOREPRO" command, ListServ will
> mail
> you a  short acknowledgement instead,  which will look different  in
> your
> mailbox directory. With most mail programs you will know immediately
> that
> this is an acknowledgement you can  read later. Finally, you can turn
> off
> acknowledgements completely with "SET vanagon NOACK NOREPRO".
>
> +-------------+
> |  Archives  |
> +-------------+
>
> Contributions sent to this list are automatically archived. You can
> get a
> list of the available archive files by sending an "INDEX vanagon"
> command
> to LISTSERV@GERRY.VANAGON.COM. You can then order these files with a
> "GET
> vanagon LOGxxxx" command, or using ListServ's database search
> facilities.
> Send an "INFO DATABASE" command for more information on the latter.
>
> Web archives are available at:
>     http://gerry.vanagon.com/archives/vanagon.html
>
> +------------+
> |  Digests  |
> +------------+
>
> This  list is  available  in digest  form.  If you  wish  to receive
> the
> digested  version  of the  postings,  just  issue  a SET  vanagon
> DIGEST
> command.
>
> +------------------------------------+
> |  More ListServ commands  |
> +------------------------------------+
>
> More  information on  ListServ  commands  can be  found  in the
> ListServ
> reference  card, which  you can  retrieve  by sending  an "INFO
> REFCARD"
> command to LISTSERV@GERRY.VANAGON.COM.
>
> Enjoy the list!
>                                TomC & JimA
>                           (the Administrators)

--
David McNeely