Accessing the MRGG
To access the MRGG, you need two things:
(1) a Google account and
(2) approval by the MRGG owner.
These are described below.
Once you have your Google account and have been approved to join the MRGG, you can use the link on the right to access the Morris Ring Google Group.
(1) Google Account
If you already use Google mail (or Gmail) for your email, then you won't need a separate Google Account or login. All you need to do is to to request access to the MRGG using that email address. (details below)
If you do not use Google mail or Gmail, and do not have a Google Account you will need to create one.
If you click on the this Google Accounts link, you will be able to “create an account”.
You should provide the email address that you want to use with the Morris Ring Group, and choose a password.
NB Passwords are case sensitive, Morris is not the same as morris. Watch out for the caps lock on your keyboard!
Note. It is possible to be a member of the MRGG without a Google account, but your use will be restricted to receiving emails sent to the Group.
(2) Request access to the MRGG
To request access, send an email to Peter Austin (Group Owner) asking to be added to the group. Please say which Side you belong to, and, if you are not the Bagman or Squire, give the Bagman or Squire's name and their 'phone number or email address.
Need Help?
If you have already been signed up to the MRGG and are having problems accessing the Group, please read Google's excellent help page at http://groups.google.com/support/?hl=en and try to sort out your own problems rather than emailing the Owner or the Managers of the MRGG.
Get started on the Google Group
A Nickname is useful, but also some indication on your Google group profile page of your Morris side, will help to identify you - emails alone are often not very useful. The nickname also tells me that you have created a Google Account.
The "Word Verification" section is to prevent web robots from joining ....!
The "Terms of Service are quite long, I'm afraid that if you read them, don't like them, and decide not set up a Google Account, there is nothing that we can do, and you cannot fully join the MRGG.
If you don't set up a Google Account please note that you will only be able to receive emails and not participate in the discussions.
In your use of the MRGG please note that you will not be able to post messages to the Group with file attachments.
MRGG Etiquette
The page on etiquette for the MRGG gives you advice on how to participate in the group effectively.
Access to the Group - Privacy
This is a private Google Group which is not announced via the Google Groups system. There is nothing to stop anyone seeing the presence of the group via the Web since it has a web site, but it will not be indexed or searched and it is not listed by Google (the group is "not categorised"). At present he following conditions apply:
Only members can view group content
Only members can view group members list
People have to be invited to join {See below}
Members can create and edit pages
Members can upload files
Only members can post
When you login to the MRGG via a Google Account, note that the connection is a secure one (https), also since everyone has their own password associated with the email that they use to login, the system does not suffer from the security problems which would occur if there was one "group" password for 400+ people.
Membership is on an invitation/sign-up only basis. This is not to exclude Morris Ring members, but is the best system to administer for a private group.
In addition you should find that your email address is not broadcast - only your nickname, and your actual email address is (poorly!) concealed (e.g. as john.sm... [at] gmail.com) in your public profile. Note that you do not have to set up a public profile, but it makes sense to name your Morris side(s) in your profile.
Receiving and Sending Messages
To the-morris-ring [at] googlegroups.com (email to MRGG). (Put the mouse over the link and look at the address at the bottom left of the browser frame). Note that your own email address is NOT visible on the web when you post to the Group.
From your Profile on the MRGG web site, you can choose whether you want to read and post messages online via the Group web page, or to use your current email account to read and reply.
The Google Groups system works very well in conjunction with Google's gmail/googlemail; for instance you have just one password for both (and other Google services that you may wish to use). They are free of charge and give you more than 7GBytes of email space.