Google Groups The Morris Ring Google Group - MRGG

by John Maher, Ring Web Editor, Updated: File update not available
NOTE: If you apply to join the Morris Ring Group, please say which Side you belong to, and if you are not the Bagman or Squire, give their name and 'phone or email. This is to make my job running the Group easier! Thanks.
All email addresses on this page (and on the whole Morris Ring site) are javascript encoded, so, to see the address, Put the mouse over the link and look at the address at the bottom left of the browser frame.
Google quote Usenet as an inspiration for Google Groups, they also run the archive of Usenet postings, dating back to 1981.

What It Is

Largely an information sharing system but also a mailing list for all Morris Ring members, but particularly to enable the Morris Ring Squire, Bagman, Treasurer and Area Representatives, as well the Appointed Officers to communicate electronically using the Web and email with the individual Side Bagmen and Squires, and, of course vice versa. Since it has an associated web site which can be used by all the members it is also a Content Management System (See Wikipedia note) which enables its members to share files across the web, these can be computer files, images, audio files, electronic documents such as PDF, DOC and web files (HTML). To join the MRGG:
  1. Your email needs to be added to the MRGG emails list so that you can send and receive emails too/from the Group email address. See: .
  2. You need to set up a Google Account with your email address. However if you already have a Google Account (for gmail/googlemail), then this step is not necessary, use this email address. A Google Account will enable you to see the MRGG web site at http://groups.google.com/group/the-morris-ring, which in turn will enable you to see copies of any documents that other Morris Ring officers/members have added.
  3. Read the 'etiquette' for using the MRGG. Here. A copy of this is also held on the MRGG web site - which you won't be able to see unless you complete step 2 above.
Sides may prefer to have one person, Squire, Bagman, Webmaster, join, but if a particular officer in a side does wish to open a Google Account (please, after reading about the system first, in particular, privacy), then I suggest that the side looks for a volunteer. There is no reason to restrict membership to side officers, so that any member of a Morris Ring side can join and use the system. Just ask - politely!
Google provide a short Google Groups Tour which says almost everything. Alternatively read through the (rather lengthy) Google Groups Help Center, which certainly says everything!
Here are the instructions in a little more detail, these use screen images rather than real page links.

Joining the MRGG

Email me, , or , asking to be added to the group. Please say which Side you belong to, and if you are not the Bagman or Squire, give their name and 'phone or email.
Try to visit The Morris Ring Group. Unless you already have a Google Account (e.g. for email) you will see this message.

Start a Google Account

If you clicked one of the the messages "Sign in to Google Groups", or "Contact the owner" you will see a message asking you to sign in to your Google Account, or underneath:
Don't Have a Google Account?
Create an Account Now
Fill in the requested account information.

About the Form to Create a Google Account

Required Information.In the example you give the email address that you want to use with the Morris Ring Group, and choose a password. I like the 'Remember Me' and 'Enable Search History', but you can leave these unchecked if you wish.
Get started ..,. 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 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 I 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 send/receive emails, and in particular you must not send emails with file attachments to the MRGG. See MRGG Etiquette
If you still have problems, contact:

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"). The following conditions apply:
  1. Only members can view group content
  2. Only members can view group members list
  3. People have to be invited to join {See below}
  4. Members can create and edit pages
  5. Members can upload files
  6. 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 300+ people.
Concerning item (3). 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 concealed (e.g. as john.ma...@mac.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 . {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. See Google's Comment about this, here.
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.
I find that the Google Groups system works very well in conjunction with Google's gmail system; 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 3GBytes of email space. I use gmail and can send an invitation to use Google mail to anyone who asks me.

What Other Kinds of Information Can Be Shared?

Apart from email, the purpose of the Group is to help members to tell others about events and items that may be of interest to other Morris men. It is NOT a discussion group like MDDL, so please keep Discussion to a minimum! Larger items of information - photos, articles, etc., can be incorporated into the Pages and Files part of the system. See the .pdf files including latest Newsletters. An obvious, and very useful use, is for Sides to post information about their current dancing programme.
Anyone abusing the system will be removed from the Group - and if necessary reported to Google.
The MRGG Home Page is at http://groups.google.com/group/the-morris-ring. A Member of the MRGG who has set up a Google Account sees five sections:
The Pages section editor will only work with Firefox or Internet Explorer (at present). As usual, I recommend Firefox (Firefox 2 is now available).

Links To Other Morris Groups

Both 1 and 2 are "categorised", The Morris Ring Group is "not categorised".
  1. Berkeley Morris - another private group
  2. Bridgetown MM - group is more open
  3. Seabright Morris - open to the world!
  4. If you have a Group that you would like to include in this list, then let us know. Contact:
Updated: File update not available