ANN: Totally Objects Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) statement

If you do not read or post to this newsgroup through the news.totallyobjects
server that please feel free to ignore or delete this message as you desire.
This statement is addressed to those that do use the above mentioned server.
Please note that we are making this statement purely because of events that
have been happening in comp.lang.smalltalk over the last couple of months
and that nothing in any of the other newsgroups on our server has had any
effect on our current actions. Lastly, please note that this policy can only
affect those who do post through our server.

To the rest of you, please accept our sincerest apologies for imposing on
you with this message.

Message follows:

Following the major discussions that have taken place over the last couple
of months, Totally Objects has been persuaded to instigate an Acceptable Use
Policy (AUP). This has been done with a heavy heart as we believe that
reasonable people ought to be able to manage an open newsgroup about
something as technical as Smalltalk without descending into the depths that
have been apparent recently. We also have a major problem because we are not
interested in becoming a censor on the news group content - firstly because
we think this is inappropriate within the Internet and also because we are
only a small part of the wider USENET entity that is CLS and have no right
to attempt to dictate or sermonise to the community at large.

However, we have decided that we could create a reasonable policy that would
meet our own objections and not cause any (many) issues with everyone else.
Therefore we have published a draft AUP on our web site at
http://www.totallyobjects.com/newsgroups.htm The problem is compounded
because we have not been able to track down the original charter statement
for CLS. This would give us the basis for use of that newsgroup. Without it,
there is one brick missing. To ease this problem, we have drafted a charter
which appears reasonable to us. You will find this via the above link.
Please note that we are not trying to impose this on anyone and in any case
there might be a real one out there somewhere and if there is not then we do
not know of a means to impose a charter after the formation of the group.
Thus, take this document as it is intended - just an indicator of what would
appear to be reasonable.

As mentioned on our web site, please let us know of any comments you may
have with regard to the documents published. We are not setting any end
dates for the completion of this process but would expect to call a halt
within about 30 days. Please note that we will assume that any comments
passed to us are for public use unless a statement to the contrary is made
within the body of the e-mail. If you do particularly wish to go public, we
have opened a new local group on our server called toserver.discussion where
you may post your comments. However, please respect the specific nature of
this newsgroup.

Please review http://www.totallyobjects.com/newsgroupprov.htm before
commenting.

If you do have anything to say to us please send e-mail to
[hidden email]. We will attempt to respond to all mails.

Here's hoping
--
--
David Pennington
[hidden email]