Re: Netiquette

[Guest guest]

Mike,

Thanks for pulling the reins when need. It's embarrassing you have to do

this for a group that wants to raise the bar for their profession, and be called

professionals. So come on folks ,if you want to raise the bar, be called

professionals, then

lets start here where the WORLD is watching, and make Mike's job alittle easier.

TDH provides this as a service to us FREE, let's don't abuse it and lose it.

Mike Polk wrote:

> Posting messages -- Netiquette.

>

> The FLAMING war has started again. This will not be tolerated. Violators will

lose their posting rights!

>

> What you post will potentially be seen, over time, by thousands of people.

Before you post anything, ask yourself whether you REALLY want to be known for

posting what you're about to post. If you have any doubts, don't post it.

>

> When replying to a message, if your mail software 'quotes' the

> message you're replying to, i.e., if it includes some or all of the

> message in your reply, PLEASE DELETE AS MUCH AS OF THE ORIGINAL MESSAGE AS

POSSIBLE BEFORE SENDING IT TO THE LIST!!! You should leave ONLY enough of the

original message to maintain the context.

>

> DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES reply to a digest without deleting as much as

possible of the quoted digest first!!!

>

> When replying to any message, ALWAYS ask yourself whether what you are saying

is of benefit to the other subscribers. If it is not of CLEAR benefit to other

subscribers, please address your reply to the individual who posted the original

message.

>

> If you are replying to a message, and the topic of your reply has

> strayed significantly from the 'Subject', it is considered good

> netiquette to change the subject so it is in line with your topic. A

> common practice is to include the original subject too, for example:

>

> * The original subject was " Re: Emergency Services " .

>

> * In your reply, you are going to discuss dispatch,

> not emergency services, so:

>

> * You change the subject to " Dispatch (was: Re: Emergency

> Services) " .

>

> Replies that consist entirely of " me too " or " I agree " or " well said " should

be sent to the originator of the message, NOT the list.

>

> Discussions or flames about the policies, behavior, or attitudes of the

various organizations are not appropriate on this mailing list. Announcements of

events and so forth put on by these organizations are, however, appropriate.

>

> If a fellow subscriber is not following these guidelines, is not

> employing proper netiquette, or has otherwise posted something

> you find offensive or in bad taste, etc., PLEASE DO NOT post

> complaints to the list or send complaints to the subscriber.

> Please address any complaints or concerns to the administrator

> below.

>

> Mike Polk Network Support Specialist Bureau of Emergency Management Texas

Department of Health mike.polk@...

http://www.tdh.state.tx.us/hcqs/ems/emshome.htm

[Guest guest]

I agree with all the parts of Mike's post except one: that discussions of

policies and behaviors of groups should not be allowed.

This list serves as the ONLY vehicle where free exchange of ideas takes place

between members. Issues such as pay, working conditions, unions, SSM,

professionalism, education, rules, and a zillion other subjects are of vital

importance to the members. If lively discussions are barred, the list will

dwindle and become irrelevant.

As for flames, I never take personally what anybody thinks about what I

write, and I expect that all the writers here who use pointed and piquant

language have boiler-plated suits and can take the heat.

Flames on here are really mild compared to some I've seen on other lists.

And if you've ever sat in the Gallery of the British Parliament and heard the

discussions that go on there, the stuff on here is pablum in comparison.

I would hate to see the free exchange of ideas limited here. If that

happens, it may be time for another list.

Gene Gandy, JD, LP

Director of EMSPrograms

Tyler Junior College