Interactive Internet mailing lists, which enable subject-specific groups to communicate via email, are being used by many medical specialties. These authors discuss their current usage in dermatology. An interactive Internet mailing list (IIML) gathers a subject-specific group whose member communicate via email. IIMLs are used to coordinate productive Internet discussions. This paper reviews the current status of IIMLs in dermatology. Useful terms Some of the terms are familiar. A mailing list is a collection of names and addresses — for ordinary or electronic mail — used by an individual or an organization to send materials to a group of people. An announcement list is a type of Internet mailing list in which information can only be “posted to” by a person who already has the list. Subscribers use a discussion list to send messages to all its other subscribers, who may answer in similar fashion; it is also known as an Internet discussion list1 or professional mailing list (PML);2 and it is among the more useful and popular medical resources on the Internet.2 Thus, actual discussion and information exchanges can take place. Mailing lists of this type are usually topic-oriented.These could be for special diseases, associations or support groups. This type of service can be called precisely, interactive Internet mailing lists (IIMLs). IIML in dermatology IIML has been utilized by many medical specialties, including oncology,3,4 dermatology5-11 (Table 1), general surgery,1 infectious diseases,12 nephrology,13 neurology,2 pediatrics14 and radiology.15 It is also used by the World Association of Medical Editors. Dermatologists should subscribe to the Internet mailing lists that suit their needs. Dermatology IIMLs include general dermatology and variety of specialized topics such as lupus, leprosy, vitiligo and eczema. Some interactive Internet dermatology mailing lists (IIDMLs) show the complete text, while others send an alert or a link enabling the subscriber to see the posting in the main server. Some IIDMLs have online searchable archives. Table 15-11 lists some IIDMLs. General Guidelines for Mailing Lists There are some general guidelines and “netiquette” for posting or replying on the IIMLs. A person posting on the mailing list should first understand the culture of the group and considering that a large audience will see the posts, care should be taken in as to what is written. • Always use a proper salutation. • Messages and articles should be brief and to the point and without any repetition. • Subject lines should follow the conventions of the group. • Grammar and spelling are also very important. Take care to use proper punctuation, spacing and capitalization. SHOUTING, emoticons or abbreviations such as IMHO, LOL should be avoided. • One should use a link instead of huge megabyte attachments to e-mails. • There should be complete information and no incompletely studied cases or treatments should be posted. • It should not be a platform for self-promotion, fraud, spoofing and flame wars. • The very best closing signature is probably just a single line with your name, affiliation and e-mail address.
Advantages and Limitations
Advantages IIMLs are one of the more useful and popular medical resources on the Internet.2 In recent years, IIMLs have experienced wide diffusion in the field of medicine due to their educational and academic potential2. IIML utilize the main advantages of the Internet, which are immediate and low-cost publication. With its archival materials, IIMLs form an emerging type of scientific literature different from that seen in traditional scientific journals. It involves free exchange of ideas, which is different from the way medical information is disseminated by published literature and organized medical meetings.1 It is a valuable and useful modality of continuing medical education.1 It can be utilized in surveys along with ordinary mail.16 Many cancer survivors use the Internet to seek informational and emotional support,3 and surveys have showed that subscribers are satisfied with this service.12 There is no doubt that IIDMLs have benefited many dermatologists. They improve marketing of courses, conferences, symposia and other educational activities, including the educational activities in the net-like webinar. It facilitates international collaboration such as genetic studies and multi-center international studies. At present, the first author is utilizing a mailing list, Leprosy Mailing List (LML), to compile tables about the history of leprosy. Medical mailing lists have not been warmly received by peer-reviewed medical journals,1 but IIMLs are to be considered as a complement to the journals and not a replacement.4,13 IIMLs have enabled doctors to work much more easily by providing the latest information about diseases and their treatments around the world. They also promote friendships among colleagues. Limitations The primary limitation of IIMLs is that they require access to a computer and the Internet.16 They also demand that subscribers be cautious about the information received17 and the reliability of these uncontrolled forums.13 Some IIDMLs, like DERMLIST (Portuguese), the mailing list of the Italian Society for Pediatric Dermatology (Italian), and foro dermatologico (Spanish), use languages other than English, making it difficult for those who don’t speak that language to follow. Some IIDMLs, like the leprosy mailing list and Dermlist, have moderators, which filters out unnecessary posting, but this moderation may sometimes delay the postings. In addition, new subscribers to an IIML may post already discussed points. However, some IIDMLs, such as the eczema mailing list, have archives, which allow subscribers to see previous materials. A great effort is needed to maintain these lists, and is not surprising that some of these lists, like Acaderm and Derm-L, which started at Yale, no longer exist. Studies have shown that many members of IIMLs are passive subscribers,15 and they are still underused by the non-medical public. Monitoring the number of subscribers and non-subscribers may offer clues to usefulness of a given mailing list. Finally, it is up to the subscriber to choose and register from a long list of mailing lists and be very careful about the information in the postings. There should be some proper guidelines for registration of only qualified individuals. The owners of the lists may require new subscribers to follow a code of conduct for the proper use of their service.
Dr. Al Aboud is with the Dermatology Department, King Faisal Hospital, Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Dr. Jain is with the Dermatology Department, Balaji Action Medical Institute, New Delhi, India. Dr. Ramesh is with the Dermatology Department, Safdarjang Hospital and VM Medical College, New Delhi, India. Disclosures: The authors disclose that they have no conflict of interest with any subject matter included in this article.
Interactive Internet mailing lists, which enable subject-specific groups to communicate via email, are being used by many medical specialties. These authors discuss their current usage in dermatology. An interactive Internet mailing list (IIML) gathers a subject-specific group whose member communicate via email. IIMLs are used to coordinate productive Internet discussions. This paper reviews the current status of IIMLs in dermatology. Useful terms Some of the terms are familiar. A mailing list is a collection of names and addresses — for ordinary or electronic mail — used by an individual or an organization to send materials to a group of people. An announcement list is a type of Internet mailing list in which information can only be “posted to” by a person who already has the list. Subscribers use a discussion list to send messages to all its other subscribers, who may answer in similar fashion; it is also known as an Internet discussion list1 or professional mailing list (PML);2 and it is among the more useful and popular medical resources on the Internet.2 Thus, actual discussion and information exchanges can take place. Mailing lists of this type are usually topic-oriented.These could be for special diseases, associations or support groups. This type of service can be called precisely, interactive Internet mailing lists (IIMLs). IIML in dermatology IIML has been utilized by many medical specialties, including oncology,3,4 dermatology5-11 (Table 1), general surgery,1 infectious diseases,12 nephrology,13 neurology,2 pediatrics14 and radiology.15 It is also used by the World Association of Medical Editors. Dermatologists should subscribe to the Internet mailing lists that suit their needs. Dermatology IIMLs include general dermatology and variety of specialized topics such as lupus, leprosy, vitiligo and eczema. Some interactive Internet dermatology mailing lists (IIDMLs) show the complete text, while others send an alert or a link enabling the subscriber to see the posting in the main server. Some IIDMLs have online searchable archives. Table 15-11 lists some IIDMLs. General Guidelines for Mailing Lists There are some general guidelines and “netiquette” for posting or replying on the IIMLs. A person posting on the mailing list should first understand the culture of the group and considering that a large audience will see the posts, care should be taken in as to what is written. • Always use a proper salutation. • Messages and articles should be brief and to the point and without any repetition. • Subject lines should follow the conventions of the group. • Grammar and spelling are also very important. Take care to use proper punctuation, spacing and capitalization. SHOUTING, emoticons or abbreviations such as IMHO, LOL should be avoided. • One should use a link instead of huge megabyte attachments to e-mails. • There should be complete information and no incompletely studied cases or treatments should be posted. • It should not be a platform for self-promotion, fraud, spoofing and flame wars. • The very best closing signature is probably just a single line with your name, affiliation and e-mail address.
Advantages and Limitations
Advantages IIMLs are one of the more useful and popular medical resources on the Internet.2 In recent years, IIMLs have experienced wide diffusion in the field of medicine due to their educational and academic potential2. IIML utilize the main advantages of the Internet, which are immediate and low-cost publication. With its archival materials, IIMLs form an emerging type of scientific literature different from that seen in traditional scientific journals. It involves free exchange of ideas, which is different from the way medical information is disseminated by published literature and organized medical meetings.1 It is a valuable and useful modality of continuing medical education.1 It can be utilized in surveys along with ordinary mail.16 Many cancer survivors use the Internet to seek informational and emotional support,3 and surveys have showed that subscribers are satisfied with this service.12 There is no doubt that IIDMLs have benefited many dermatologists. They improve marketing of courses, conferences, symposia and other educational activities, including the educational activities in the net-like webinar. It facilitates international collaboration such as genetic studies and multi-center international studies. At present, the first author is utilizing a mailing list, Leprosy Mailing List (LML), to compile tables about the history of leprosy. Medical mailing lists have not been warmly received by peer-reviewed medical journals,1 but IIMLs are to be considered as a complement to the journals and not a replacement.4,13 IIMLs have enabled doctors to work much more easily by providing the latest information about diseases and their treatments around the world. They also promote friendships among colleagues. Limitations The primary limitation of IIMLs is that they require access to a computer and the Internet.16 They also demand that subscribers be cautious about the information received17 and the reliability of these uncontrolled forums.13 Some IIDMLs, like DERMLIST (Portuguese), the mailing list of the Italian Society for Pediatric Dermatology (Italian), and foro dermatologico (Spanish), use languages other than English, making it difficult for those who don’t speak that language to follow. Some IIDMLs, like the leprosy mailing list and Dermlist, have moderators, which filters out unnecessary posting, but this moderation may sometimes delay the postings. In addition, new subscribers to an IIML may post already discussed points. However, some IIDMLs, such as the eczema mailing list, have archives, which allow subscribers to see previous materials. A great effort is needed to maintain these lists, and is not surprising that some of these lists, like Acaderm and Derm-L, which started at Yale, no longer exist. Studies have shown that many members of IIMLs are passive subscribers,15 and they are still underused by the non-medical public. Monitoring the number of subscribers and non-subscribers may offer clues to usefulness of a given mailing list. Finally, it is up to the subscriber to choose and register from a long list of mailing lists and be very careful about the information in the postings. There should be some proper guidelines for registration of only qualified individuals. The owners of the lists may require new subscribers to follow a code of conduct for the proper use of their service.
Dr. Al Aboud is with the Dermatology Department, King Faisal Hospital, Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Dr. Jain is with the Dermatology Department, Balaji Action Medical Institute, New Delhi, India. Dr. Ramesh is with the Dermatology Department, Safdarjang Hospital and VM Medical College, New Delhi, India. Disclosures: The authors disclose that they have no conflict of interest with any subject matter included in this article.
Interactive Internet mailing lists, which enable subject-specific groups to communicate via email, are being used by many medical specialties. These authors discuss their current usage in dermatology. An interactive Internet mailing list (IIML) gathers a subject-specific group whose member communicate via email. IIMLs are used to coordinate productive Internet discussions. This paper reviews the current status of IIMLs in dermatology. Useful terms Some of the terms are familiar. A mailing list is a collection of names and addresses — for ordinary or electronic mail — used by an individual or an organization to send materials to a group of people. An announcement list is a type of Internet mailing list in which information can only be “posted to” by a person who already has the list. Subscribers use a discussion list to send messages to all its other subscribers, who may answer in similar fashion; it is also known as an Internet discussion list1 or professional mailing list (PML);2 and it is among the more useful and popular medical resources on the Internet.2 Thus, actual discussion and information exchanges can take place. Mailing lists of this type are usually topic-oriented.These could be for special diseases, associations or support groups. This type of service can be called precisely, interactive Internet mailing lists (IIMLs). IIML in dermatology IIML has been utilized by many medical specialties, including oncology,3,4 dermatology5-11 (Table 1), general surgery,1 infectious diseases,12 nephrology,13 neurology,2 pediatrics14 and radiology.15 It is also used by the World Association of Medical Editors. Dermatologists should subscribe to the Internet mailing lists that suit their needs. Dermatology IIMLs include general dermatology and variety of specialized topics such as lupus, leprosy, vitiligo and eczema. Some interactive Internet dermatology mailing lists (IIDMLs) show the complete text, while others send an alert or a link enabling the subscriber to see the posting in the main server. Some IIDMLs have online searchable archives. Table 15-11 lists some IIDMLs. General Guidelines for Mailing Lists There are some general guidelines and “netiquette” for posting or replying on the IIMLs. A person posting on the mailing list should first understand the culture of the group and considering that a large audience will see the posts, care should be taken in as to what is written. • Always use a proper salutation. • Messages and articles should be brief and to the point and without any repetition. • Subject lines should follow the conventions of the group. • Grammar and spelling are also very important. Take care to use proper punctuation, spacing and capitalization. SHOUTING, emoticons or abbreviations such as IMHO, LOL should be avoided. • One should use a link instead of huge megabyte attachments to e-mails. • There should be complete information and no incompletely studied cases or treatments should be posted. • It should not be a platform for self-promotion, fraud, spoofing and flame wars. • The very best closing signature is probably just a single line with your name, affiliation and e-mail address.
Advantages and Limitations
Advantages IIMLs are one of the more useful and popular medical resources on the Internet.2 In recent years, IIMLs have experienced wide diffusion in the field of medicine due to their educational and academic potential2. IIML utilize the main advantages of the Internet, which are immediate and low-cost publication. With its archival materials, IIMLs form an emerging type of scientific literature different from that seen in traditional scientific journals. It involves free exchange of ideas, which is different from the way medical information is disseminated by published literature and organized medical meetings.1 It is a valuable and useful modality of continuing medical education.1 It can be utilized in surveys along with ordinary mail.16 Many cancer survivors use the Internet to seek informational and emotional support,3 and surveys have showed that subscribers are satisfied with this service.12 There is no doubt that IIDMLs have benefited many dermatologists. They improve marketing of courses, conferences, symposia and other educational activities, including the educational activities in the net-like webinar. It facilitates international collaboration such as genetic studies and multi-center international studies. At present, the first author is utilizing a mailing list, Leprosy Mailing List (LML), to compile tables about the history of leprosy. Medical mailing lists have not been warmly received by peer-reviewed medical journals,1 but IIMLs are to be considered as a complement to the journals and not a replacement.4,13 IIMLs have enabled doctors to work much more easily by providing the latest information about diseases and their treatments around the world. They also promote friendships among colleagues. Limitations The primary limitation of IIMLs is that they require access to a computer and the Internet.16 They also demand that subscribers be cautious about the information received17 and the reliability of these uncontrolled forums.13 Some IIDMLs, like DERMLIST (Portuguese), the mailing list of the Italian Society for Pediatric Dermatology (Italian), and foro dermatologico (Spanish), use languages other than English, making it difficult for those who don’t speak that language to follow. Some IIDMLs, like the leprosy mailing list and Dermlist, have moderators, which filters out unnecessary posting, but this moderation may sometimes delay the postings. In addition, new subscribers to an IIML may post already discussed points. However, some IIDMLs, such as the eczema mailing list, have archives, which allow subscribers to see previous materials. A great effort is needed to maintain these lists, and is not surprising that some of these lists, like Acaderm and Derm-L, which started at Yale, no longer exist. Studies have shown that many members of IIMLs are passive subscribers,15 and they are still underused by the non-medical public. Monitoring the number of subscribers and non-subscribers may offer clues to usefulness of a given mailing list. Finally, it is up to the subscriber to choose and register from a long list of mailing lists and be very careful about the information in the postings. There should be some proper guidelines for registration of only qualified individuals. The owners of the lists may require new subscribers to follow a code of conduct for the proper use of their service.
Dr. Al Aboud is with the Dermatology Department, King Faisal Hospital, Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Dr. Jain is with the Dermatology Department, Balaji Action Medical Institute, New Delhi, India. Dr. Ramesh is with the Dermatology Department, Safdarjang Hospital and VM Medical College, New Delhi, India. Disclosures: The authors disclose that they have no conflict of interest with any subject matter included in this article.
