This page is part of © FOTW Flags Of The World website

# FOTW mailing list rules and instructions

##

Last modified: 2026-08-15 by rob raeside
Keywords: fotw |
Links: FOTW homepage | search | disclaimer and copyright | write us | mirrors

Flags of the World mailing list hosts a continuous discussion about flags, begun in 1993 and continued now on groups.io. Postings on any flag-related topic are welcome, but keep it civil. Below are rules and instructions concerning material to be posted.

## Rules

"Rules" mean you must follow these instructions. List members who don't will be moderated or banned. We recognize that some rules may be difficult for some members to follow, depending on their internet access and software, and ask that you consult with the director or a vice-director if you need assistance.

- Content
- The title of your message
- How many messages?
- What to include in your message
  - Copyrighted images
- Your name
- Images
  - Image format
  - Image file names

See also (related pages):

- Instructions for GIFfers (image creators)
- Instructions for FOTW editors

## Content

The FOTW mailing list is about flags, so your messages should be flag-related. It can be about any aspect about flags - reports of new flags, use of flags, symbolism of flags, even about FOTW policies. In general, messages should be about flags known to exist (photos or links to photos of flags are welcome) - we do not generally post flag proposals unless they are widely distributed in the media.

## The title of your message

Ensure that the subject line used for your message is meaningful and relevant. A title like "flag" is not very helpful on a mailing list that is only about flags! If the message is about a national or subnational flag, include then name or the ISO3166 abbreviation of the country (and state/province, if relevant).

If replying to a message, do not change the subject line unless the reply veers off the topic.

## How many messages?

The rules state a maximum of five messages a day. We recognize that some people collect messages over a period of time and submit them in a block. In that case do not submit any more than ten messages at a time - readers soon lose interest when faced with a deluge of messages. Most mailers have a setting where you can delay the transmission of messages automatically - use it, if you have a lot to send.

## What to include in your message

Ideally when providing information about a flag, you should include:

- an image (or a link to an image) of the flag. If you include an image, see below for format, and include the file name in your message.
- where the flag was located or the URL where you found it (but see note below about copyrighted images)
- some relevant detail about the flag, e.g., a description of it, details about its origin, why it is being sent to the mailing list, etc.
- your name and location

### Copyrighted images

Some commercial news media strictly enforce the copyright on their images which may include flags. These images cannot be posted on FOTW website - it is best to include a link to the image in these cases. If the URL is from Alamy, Reuters, Shutterstock, Getty Images, etc., we cannot reuse the image.

## Your name

Please include your name and location (city, country is enough) - this provides some context for your contribution. Your name (no email address, no location) will be included on the FOTW website for any content you post on the mailing list unless you specifically state it should not be used.

## Images

Flag images are fundamental to FOTW. They come from several sources:

- image drawn by contributor - these will be listed as "image by Your Name"
- photos taken by contributor - do indicate if you took the photo. It will also be listed as "image by Your Name"
- photos located by contributor - these are usually sourced from other locations on the internet. In these cases, be sure to provide the URL of the page it is on. Note that images in some social media are temporary - for example if you click on an image in Facebook and opens in a new tab (usually with a URL starting https://scontent...) that image will not be available after a day or two. Send the URL of the principal location of the photo.

### Image format

Several formats are available for use. The following two formats are preferred:

- .gif format: this should be used if possible for all flat field images (i.e., images where areas are all in the same colour, e.g., the flag of France). The gif format is preferable here as it preserves the detail and conserves file size. This format permits a portion of the image to be transparent (e.g., the arms of Germany).
- .jpg format: this should be used for images with variable colours - photos and image of flags where colours vary gradually across a field, e.g. the G8 meeting flag of 2011. This format does not support transparency, but a tip is to place any background area of no relevance to the flag in 10% grey, which is the basic background colour of FOTW webpages.

The page-building program checks to ensure that gif and jpg images are present in the image bank. Other formats are not checked.

Other common formats include:

- .png format: while this format can be used, in most cases it can be converted to a gif or jpg format, with reduction in file size
- .bmp or .tiff formats (bitmaps): these formats grossly exaggerate the file size and should not be used.
- vector formats: FOTW does not post vector images (.svg, .cdr, .ai), some of which are proprietary and need specialized software to view.

### Image file names

1. File name length - page file names must not exceed 8.4 characters (this is only relevant for page editors). However, image file names can be longer, but we recommend a maximum of 14 characters before the connecting '.' to the file type. Do not use spaces in the file name. All image file names for national or subnational flag images should begin with the ISO3166 abbreviation. For other items, follow the FOTW usage (e.g., int- for international organizations, bib- for bibliographic links, fic- for flags in fiction. The initial part of the file name before the connector must be at least two characters. Avoid using diacritics in file names.

2. Connectors - several characters can be use here. For flags of places, start with the country ISO3166 code, then use:

- - for geographic entities (states, provinces, cities, towns, etc.)
- ^ for military flags
- ~ for flags associated with marine activities
- } for flags of political parties and trade unions
- $ for flags of corporate entities
- @ for flags in sports
- ) for coats of arms, although this is usually placed at the end of the file name, e.g. us-il-ch).gif
- ( for index maps

No other connectors can be used.