Meta: Remember The Faqs

Mike C. (mikec@jax.gulfnet.com)
Sat, 12 Apr 1997 01:17:51 -0400


1) Formal complaints and administrative requests should be sent to:

postmaster@extropy.org

2a) Mail to the list should be sent to:

extropians@extropy.org

2b) The software that processes traffic on the list alters the mail headers
so that all correctly working mail readers will automatically address
replies BACK to the LIST. [reply-to: extropians@extropy.org]

2c) If you want to reply to an individual poster you should manually address
a reply. If the post does not have a signature line, viewing the message
in a text editor should help you determine the sender's address.

2d) It is strongly recommend but not required that all list members use a
signature file containing their e-mail address.

3) Due to the volume of list traffic please restrain yourself from over-
quoting previous posts -- just a couple of lines to re-cap for those who
weren't paying attention is usually sufficient.

4) The list is conceived as a forum for the exchange of new information
and techniques, and not as a forum for debating the basics. We do have
our disagreements -- often quite lively ones -- but rarely about really
basic issues. Arguments in favor of socialized medicine or dying a
natural death at age sixty are, judging by past experience, likely to be
refuted, and finally ignored.

5) Traffic on this mailing list can run quite high. We like to keep the
signal- to-noise ratio as high as we can, so please restrain the impulse
to post "me-too" messages or ad hominem flames to the list at large.
If you cannot resist engaging in such discourse, please do so
in private e-mail.

5b) Posts about the list, or its rules, should have the pre-fix "META:"
We encourage the use of other prefixes indicating the content of a post.
Examples include, PHIL:, MATH:, SCI:, CHAT:, etc.

5c) Polls being submitted to list members will have the "POLL:"
prefix.

5d) Rules about fighting and insulting; fighting and insulting
are not allowed!

5e) If someone starts a fight with you what should you do?; we have a
private legal code set-up to handle such disputes which includes a
judge (the List Administrator) and an adjudicator to handle appeals.

If someone really annoys you, you can do any of the following:
1) Nothing - give no response
2) Respond OFF the list
5) Make a formal complaint to me asking for a judgment against Person X

5f) What if you just have to respond to "up hold your honor" or to set
the "facts/record straight," or to tell the entire list why you
will not be speaking or reading posts or messages from the person who
offended you?

D O N ' T!

we consider such responses flames in their own right and you would
be taking the law into your own hands; you might also be censured or
removed from the list.

Remember:
Don't contribute to or continue a fight once one has started.
doing so places you in violation of the list rules. That includes
meta communication, which includes posts with an angry tone, or voice.