We are trying something new here, so I am very open to reactions and responses. Electronic conferences have some interesting aspects and I would like to begin to develop some relevant ground rules.

1) I encourage you to make the effort to add a response to the "Sign-in" topic. If you do sign in, we will make the assumption that you are in the room with us and will check in periodically, to read.

2) If you make comments in the discussion we ask that you make a commitment to staying with the conference. Passing comments are disruptive. If you are leaving the conference it would be expected that you would let us know.

3) Be concise.Lengthy postings are difficult to follow. This is "taking too much air time" in a Face to Face (FTF) meeting.

4) Stay on point. If you introduce many varying ideas,it is difficult to track conversations and it is easy to lose ideas.

5) If a relevant topic is available, try to make your responses to that topic.

6) If you are posting a resource rather than a discussion, create a new topic and use RESOURCE: as a header in the title. i.e. RESOURCE: Consensus Guidelines.

7) If there is valuable information in other conferences, post a topic with a title POINTER: good story (or other appropriate words).

There may be more ground rules and I will use this topic to add new rules as needed. I would also encourage you to make comments,add to, or critique this list.

One last request, please sign your postings. We can look up your login in the user directory, but it is preferable to let us know your name and how you wish to be addressed. Thanks.

-- John Helie in ConflictNet conference <cr.publicpolicy>, Feb. 7, 1994