This leads us to the major faux paus of mailing list members. Once you join a mailing list, you will undoubtably run across messages that read: "Unsubscribe me" or something else similar. The person who sent the message has told you two things:
1) They don't like the list anymore or the people on it
2) They don't know how to use mailing lists, because they sent a command to the list, not the program.
If you are a mean-spirited person, you could send that errant soul a scathing message decrying their ignorance and lack of manners. Such a message is called a "flame" in Internet parlance. An exchange of angry emails is called a "flame war."
Be very careful when using a mailing list that you track which messages go to the controlling program and which ones go to the list. You don't want people to flame you.
Mailing lists are related to email, so many of the same rules apply, but there are a few new ones:
Any mailing list or other place that people gather together is bound to have its own sociology. As a group of people exchanges ideas, there will be friendships, rivalries, in- jokes, and recurring themes. Many mailing lists also develop their own codes and shorthand. For example, one mailing list that discusses flight simulators uses abbreviations for all the major flight simulators. FS5 stands for Microsoft Flight Simulator version 5, WC3 is another flight simulator, and so on. This can be very intimidating if you are new to the group. Different groups also have different expectations in terms of how much they expect members to stay on the group topic, whether they allow name - calling and other uncivil behavior, and the kinds of language and discussions that are allowed. If you do not follow the norms of the group, you will certainly be flamed, and may be kicked out of the group.
It is a very good idea to learn about the group before you get too involved. Just stay quiet and read without sending messages until you get a feel for how the group interacts. This behavior is called 'lurking' and is quite acceptable, even polite. Once you feel you can participate in the spirit of the group, feel free to do so. If you find you do not like the group, quietly unsubscribe through the controlling program, and no one will know you were even there.
In general, try to stick to the topic the group is supposed to be addressing. If you have comments that fall outside the group's topic, send private emails.
Once you develop some relationships within the group, carefully consider what should be sent through private email, and what the entire group should know. For example, two students decided to cheat on an exam, and discussed their plans over the class mailing list. They neglected to notice that the teacher was also a member of the group, and knew exactly what they were planning. He sent the students a private email explaining how mailing lists worked, and asked for an extra homework assignment about security, ethics, and the Internet, and there was a happy ending. It might not have turned out that way. Some information is best kept private.