Step by step details for signing up

Here is a walkthrough of the enrollment process.  It is pretty self-explanatory, however depending on your feelings about receiving email solicitations, there is one area for special attention.

Start by pointing your browser to the Yahoo Group's start page.  If you want to do it now, and keep these instructions available, right-click the link above and select Open In New Window.  This will allow you to change back and forth between that window and this one.  Once at the page, click the Join This Group! button...

Then you will either enter your Yahoo ID or sign up for one.  The rest of this example assumes you will sign up for a new one.  If you already participate in other Yahoo Groups you probably don't need any more instructions...

Continue by filling out the online form information.  After submitting the form, you may be told that your preferred Yahoo! ID is already in use or some information is incomplete.  Work through these messages until you have successfully submitted your request...

Important

While we are grateful to Yahoo for hosting our group, this is where you, potentially, pay for the service.  Yahoo generates revenue through advertising.  This is the page where, if you are not careful, you will sign up for this advertising.

There are two objects on this page that deserve special attention.  This screen shot was taken in August, 2004.  The screen may change over time, but there should still be ways to "opt out" of unwanted advertising and changes to your system.

There is a checkbox near the bottom, checked by default, that says "Yes, personalize my browser with Yahoo! Companion toolbar."  This will add a new toolbar to this, and all future, browser windows.  If you spend a lot of time on Yahoo sites and want this addition, fine, leave the box checked.  If not, clear the check.

Just above that checkbox is a paragraph, with a link, that says, "Click here to review your Marketing Preferences."  By default, your marketing preferences just signed you up for about 19 email newsletters. 

If you would like to see what you are signing up for, click the link.  You responded earlier about wanting to receive offers from "Selected third parties."  This answer is reflected in the first item.  Below that is a long list of other items, all selected by default.  Review the list to confirm you actually want all of them...

After completing the registration process, Yahoo will send an email to the address you specified during signup.  This is to verify you gave the correct address and that it is functional.  It should arrive quite soon, but give it an hour to allow for busy times.  If you don't receive it, go back to Yahoo and confirm your registration information.

When you do receive the email, click the link to complete the registration process...

After completing registration, you can return to the Gateway Parrots group page on Yahoo and review all messages.  From this point forward, when someone posts a new message for the group, you will receive a copy, and you will be able to send a message to GatewayParrots@YahooGroups.com which will then be forwarded to all members of the list.

After receiving a message addressed to the group, you may respond to the group or to the individual that sent the message to the group.  It is usually better to respond to the individual than the group.  Use your discrestion.