OK - I now consider my hand to have been truly smacked, Robear!

However - with regard to your .....

"OT: This newsgroup was established for speakers of Swiss (CH) languages.
You'll find much more traffic in these OE-specific newsgroups, Dave:"

Firstly - Does OT mean "Other Things"? or (from Answers.com) "Off Topic"? or something else entirely?

How is any "Newbie" (which must surely be self-explanatory - I'll grant you that!) supposed to know what you mean?
Is there a published list of abbreviations used by you and other MVP's?

Secondly, how is any "Newbie" to recognise or find out that "This newsgroup was established for speakers of Swiss (CH) languages" ? I couldn't even find a separate definition of Swiss languages on the list which you kindly provided here! http://aumha.org/nntp.htm


From the many comments and answers which I've seen you make, in many areas, I feel I must mention that you sometimes appear very curt. I question not your integrity or knowledge, but you sometimes seem to be frustrated by the inexperience of others.This is, of course, understandable; you must spend inumerable hours endeavouring to help others - many of whom may not have taken the trouble to try to find answers themselves, sometimes as easily as by reading answers to queries from other people. Conversely, many others will simply be inexperienced in finding their way through unfamiliar territory.

When I first had need to discover answers to what (to you) were very simple questions, it was because I was experiencing really frustrating problems and the erratic behaviour of my PC. For a novice user, everything must seem overwhelming in such circumstances so I implore you to try to remember your early days with a computer and be patient with us! When I undertook my technical training in the RN (Royal Navy!) my weapon system computers had thermionic valves and germanium diodes had just been discovered! Inexperience in a field does not imply that one is stupid!

Notwithstanding these comments, I should like to thank you profusely for all the help and advice you give. It really is much appreciated. Thank you.

David B.

"PA Bear" wrote in message ...
X-post to microsoft.public.ch.outlookexpress

It would have been preferable for you to have replied to your original
thread in microsoft.public.ch.outlookexpress (and crossposted to OE6
newsgroup, if you'd wished).

I made an error in my initial statement - "the only exception is the
"welcome" message!"
On review, none of the newsgroup messages had a "paper-clip" beside them!

But mail messages do? Perhaps you'd better restate your problem/question.

Whilst I'm here, would you be really generous and let me know the best
newsgroup/community site to use for general "computing" queries...

Here's a list of (just about) all MS newsgroups, Dave:

http://aumha.org/nntp.htm

Click on any link to open the newsgroup in your newsreader using the MS
newsserver.
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-Windows (IE/OE, Shell/User, Security), Aumha.org VSOP, DTS-L.org