In a recent Miss Manners column she addressed the issue of cyberspace rules
of behavior. I would be happy to fax a copy to anyone in need of it in its
entirety but the following excerpts may be helpful in your "RULES"
discussions...
"...So the only reason to be polite is that cyberspace social life, like all
forms of community life, doesn't work as it is supposed to unless
participants VOLUNTARILY restrain themselves from spoiling it.
Newcomers should introduce themselves and then study the interests and
habits of any group they wish to join. ...
Whatever the setting, it has always been rude to bore people, to hog the
floor, to conduct private conversation in front of others, and to push
commercial wares in social settings. And it always will be, no matter how
new the conditions."
Perhaps rules should be replaced with general guidelines and common sense,
but then again perhaps we, as a group, are incapable of that -- unthinkable!
Just a little food for thought,
Kate Ingle
Kate Ingle
Lockheed Martin Energy Systems
Oak Ridge Centers for Manufacturing Technology
423-574-9245
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.2 : Tue Jun 05 2001 - 22:37:15 EEST