DeTomaso Mailing List: December 98, Message #34

All,

I have a few concerns about the direction discussions seemed to have taken
during the past few days.  Traditionally, you have been a very courteous and
professional group, and I'd like to see each of you retain that demeanor.

However it is not good form to publicly post a message that was sent
to you privately, unless you have the express permission of that person.
If you are having a private feud with that person, then please keep it
off the list.  If it is good-natured bantering that you would like to share
your chuckles, then please feel free to do so.

I'd like to offer the following "netiquette" guidelines for your
review, in hopes that we can keep this and future discussions productive.

These guidelines are abstracted from a document originally "penned" by
Dave Jackson, from the University of Iowa.  Thank you, Dave:

1.    Remember that email messages are easily misinterpretted.  They
      rarely carry the same message as "person-to-person"
      conversation. There are no non-verbal signals, such as smiles,
      frowns, a raised eyebrow or other body language, unless you
      choose to utilize "emoticons" (emotional icons) which are also
      confusing and deplete of meaningful inflection.

2.    Please focus on the issues and not the person.  Issues can be
      debated, discussed and "philosophized" 'til the cows come home
      without even mentioning a single name.  Pointing fingers only
      serves to divide us into the "good and the bad".

      Avoid "I agree" or "I disagree" with "John Doe".  If
      you see an issue you agree with and feel is important, simply
      build upon it; add your own ideas of credibility to it, or
      repackage it so others may understand it better.  If you
      dissagree with it, simply present your own ideas which may be
      different, or ask a question about the issue which gets others to
      respond from additional perspectives.  Not pointing to the author
      of contention will absolve you and that person from personally
      attacking each other.

3.    If you simply cannot contain yourself in ire due to someone
      else's viewpoint, don't fire off a response in haste to the
      whole list.  Either take it away from the general list of
      subcribers and send it directly to the author, or wait until
      you can respond without focusing on the person.

4.    Keep in mind that a person's values are his/her
      link to their dignity, ethics, reputation and sense of
      competence.  Our values are a collective and living/changing
      set of virtues and characteristics based on the many paths we
      have experienced in life.  Since none of us has walked in
      exactly the same path, we have many different values.  Keep in
      mind that attacking another person's values may be interpreted
      by them as questioning their dignity and competence.

5.    Keep in mind that issues are seldom as simple as "either/or",
      and often are relative to a larger and complex system of which
      individuals are often a product.

6.    If we are truly to learn, as opposed to "digging in our heals"
      with our own positions on a topic, then we will be asking
      "why" an individual feels they way they do, and trying to
      spend a few minutes in their shoes, rather than attacking
      their intelligence and values.

An open discussion is important and I hope they will continue. It is
your adherence to these guidelines that will preserve the usefulness
of this list as an information resource and support tool!

As one of the sinners, I will do what I can to abide by these guidelines.

	Shane Ingate
	Forum Admin