Photos can be attached to the messages – they are delivered as thumbnails or links and members can choose whether or not to download and view them. This is particularly helpful if the message pertains to the identification of plants, pests, etc.

In addition to the day-to-day communication, moderated discussions are held throughout the year. Any MG can suggest a topic and time-frame and moderate the discussion.

When replying to posted messages, "reply" sends the reply to the sender only; "reply all" sends the message to the entire list and to the sender. Replies should go to the entire list unless it is clear that the answer will only be of interest to the sender. 

INSTRUCTIONS ON THIS PAGE:

• How to sign up for a Yahoo ID
• How to sign up for the MG-list
• How to log in to the MG-list
• How to post pictures on MG-list

• Go to yahoo.ca. On the right side, you will see Sign In and Sign Up options. Click on Sign up. This brings up the Yahoo Registration page.
  
• Look at the drop down menu at the top right: if it does NOT say Yahoo Canada, pull down the menu and select Yahoo Canada.
  
• Fill in ALL the spaces in section 1.  It doesn't really matter if any of it is accurate – but you have to put something in each space - none of this information will be visible to anybody but you.
  
• In section 2, you have to pick a handle and whether you want the address to be @yahoo.ca, @ymail.com or @rocketmail.com.  If the handle you pick is not available, it will tell you and you can pick again.  You must also select a password and enter it twice (note that it insists on passwords of at least 8 characters).
  
• In section 3, you have to give an alternate email – this should be the address you usually use.  Pick two security questions and supply the answers – they give lots of choices so it should be easy to find two that have answers you won't forget – or you can make up your own questions.  (This is for password retrieval if you forget it.)
  
• Enter the code word displayed at the bottom – it is distorted (to thwart robots and machines) and may be hard to read.  If you get it wrong, it will just give you a new one to try. 
  
• You will see two questions at the bottom in the "fine print".  The first one is about getting notices from yahoo - check or uncheck that, whichever you prefer.  For the second question, you must select ‘I agree’.
  
• Click on Create my Account.  If all is well, it will give you a page showing the details you entered – you can print this and store it.  It will also ask you if you want to make Yahoo your home page – uncheck that if you don’t want that to happen.
  
• You should immediately get an email at the alternate address you supplied.  Do not close the yahoo program - just go to your usual mail program and reply to this email to "verify" it.  Once yahoo gets your reply, it will know that you "own" that email.
• Back on the yahoo page:   It also asks a question here about whether you want your profile to be visible to other yahoo users – you will probably want to uncheck that.
  
• Click on continue – and it will take you to Sign IN.  Your handle will probably already be displayed. Enter your password.  It will ask you which email you want yahoo to use to communicate with you (your usual email or your new yahoo email)  – pick one and click on Save.  You will see all your information one last time – you can edit it if you wish – and then click on Finished.
• You now have a yahoo id! To sign out of yahoo, click on Sign out - usually just below the toolbars on the right side.
  You can also sign out just by closing your browser.

• Open your browser and go to:   http://ca.groups.yahoo.com/group/mg-list/
  You should now see the MGOI watering can logo.  Click on the words Join this Group - above the MGOI logo.  This brings you to the Yahoo sign in page.
  
• SIGN IN to yahoo: Enter your yahoo id and password and click on SIGN IN.  You will see a screen telling you that membership in this group requires approval and telling you that you will get an email when your membership has been approved.
  
• Set membership details:
  IMPORTANT:select the email address that you want to use for the mg-list. This is the one that you will use to send and receive the mg-list emails. You do NOT have to use your yahoo email unless you want to. 
• There is a space to tell something about yourself to the moderator.  PUT YOUR NAME AND MG GROUP HERE. 
• Select whether you want to receive individual emails as they are posted, or the digest version (sent every 25 emails or once a day).  You can also opt to not receive any emails at all – instead you can log into the group website whenever you want and read the messages there. 
  
• Select whether you want the emails in Fully Featured or traditional format. (Fully featured is better!) 
• There is a distorted code word at the bottom that you have to enter – if you get it wrong, it will just give you another chance.
• Click on JOIN.   If you had everything right, it will tell you "Membership pending".
  Sign out of Yahoo .
  
• As soon as the moderator accepts your membership, you will get an email telling you that you have been "approved".
  
• From this point, you can send messages to mg-list@yahoogroups.ca  and will start to receive messages, either individually or as a daily digest, whichever you selected.  You don't have to log in to yahoo to send or receive messages unless you chose your yahoo address as the one to be used for the mg-list.


IF YOU RUN IN TO DIFFICULTIES WITH THIS PROCEDURE, do not hesitate to ask for help - send an SOS to listcoordinator@mgoi.ca

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An alternative is to upload it to the MG-list and send a link to the group:

Here's how you do it:

• Log in to the mg-list using your yahoo id (note that there is a "visit your group" link at the end of each full featured message for quick access).
  
• Click on Photos in menu at left. You will see the first picture in each Album (click on it if you want to expand the album to see all the pictures in it). Any member can add photos to the album called MG-list pics.
  
• Click on Add Photo at the top right. Select the album to put it in. (Or create a new one by following the instructions.) Click Next.
• This brings up the "Advanced" uploader. The "basic" uploader is better because it has a place where you can enter a description (that will appear above the photo in the album) so click on "use basic uploader" at the bottom.
• For each picture that you want to upload, browse to the directory and select it. Enter a Name for it and Description if you wish. Your email address will appear below each picture that you upload. If you want to put your name there as well, include it in the description.
• You can enter as many as 5 pictures at a time in the basic uploader - when done, click on Add Now (either at the top or bottom) and wait while they upload.
• When finished, it will take you to the photo page again with the album you used expanded and your photos inserted at the end of it.
• To get a link to send in an email, click on a picture to enlarge it. At the top right you will see, in small print, "Permalink". RIGHT-click on that to get the menu and then click on "email this link to friend". This will open an email form with the link already there.
  Write the rest of your email, include a subject, address it to mg-list@yahoogroups.com and click Send!!