Joining the BPA Google Groups - more detailed version

circa 2008-January

I. Create a Google Account

There are two types of Google accounts, either of which can be used to subscribe to GoogleGroups.

1. A GMAIL account For example, if your name is John J. Smith, and your email address is "jjsmith43@gmail.com", then your account name is "jjsmith43".
2. An account using your email address at another Internet Service Provider. For example, if you are Mary Ann Jones, and your email address is "majones67@yahoo.com", then your Google account name will be "majones67@yahoo.com".

Steps to create a non-gmail account:

1. Go to a Google page where you will be prompted to create an account:
   1. http://groups.google.com
   2. Click "Sign in" - upper right corner
   3. Click "Create an account now" (right hand side)
2. Fill in the form on the web page.
   • Password:: Recognize that the password you are providing is NOT the password for your account at your Internet Service Provider (for example, "yahoo.com") - it is the password that you will use to sign into this Google account.
   • "Nickname": We recommend that you fill this field with your full name in the form "LastName, FirstName" This order makes it easier to sort large lists (such as these).
     Additional details:
     • This field has two uses:
       1. This is the name displayed in the archives on any messages that you send to the GoogleGroup.
       2. In the listing of members of the GoogleGroup (visible only to the managers), this is the "name" associated with subscription. If there is a problem with mail to your account, this is the name that the list manager will try to use to get alternate contact information for you.
     • Why full name for "Nickname": Remember, these are lists/groups of hundreds of people.
       • Do not use just your first name: How distinctive is "John" on a list of 600-some people?
       • Do not use "cutesy" or opaque nicknames - This might be acceptable for a gathering of friends in your livingroom, but not here.
         Example: "John Jones, Jr" may be referred to a "JJ" in his immediate family, but that is meaningless in a GoogleGroup such as these.
3. Google will immediately send that account an email from address accounts-noreply@google.com You MUST follow the instructions (on Google's web page and in that email) and click on the link in that email. If you do not, Google assumes (quite reasonably) that the email address is either erroneous or fraudulent, and consequently does not activate your account.
   Understated Google instruction: On the "Email Verification" web page, before you click on the "Click here to continue", you are expected to have performed the instructions (receive the email and click on the link), not just be aware that you need to do so when the email arrives. However, if you "... continue" before verifying the email, all that you seem to have missed being is prompting to fill in the profile for your account (which you can later access from buttons on various pages when you are signed in).
4. Fill in desired information in the profile associated with this account.
5. If you have multiple email addresses that you want to associate with the same Google account, see http://groups.google.com/group/groupsknownissues/browse_thread/thread/e285ab83f34333c4 - Adding an email address to your Google Account

II. Join the desired GoogleGroups

NOTE: The BPA groups are not listed in the Google's directory. This is a SPAM-avoidance measure. They are listed on the BPA website http://www.bpaonline.org under "BPA Email Lists"
The reason for not being listed in the directory is also explained there.

The GoogleGroups home pages for the three BPA email lists are

• http://groups.google.com/group/bpa-news
• http://groups.google.com/group/bpa-misc
• http://groups.google.com/group/bpa-issues

For each of the groups that you want to join, go to the corresponding web page and follow the steps below.

1. Do not be flustered by the opening sentence: "You cannot view this group's content because you are not currently a member."
   Below this you will see a link "Join this group" or "Apply for membership" Click it.
2. Set your preference: There are two basic choices to be made:
   1. "How do you want to read this group?"
      CRITICAL: The default "No Email" is almost certainly the wrong choice. My recommendation is to choose "Email" (the fourth choice). There is too little volume to make "Abridged" or "Digest" a meaningful choice and but result in alerts not being delivered in a timely manner (they are delayed until the end of the day).
   2. Nickname - If you did not choose an appropriate nickname in creating your Google account (see above), you can set an appropriate one here.