Netiquette

  • Please include a subject line in each posting (it’s a good idea for ALL email).
  • Keep each line in your message shorter than 75 characters. Longer lines can cause problems with some email systems.
  • When replying to another message, try to refrain from quoting entire messages. Paraphrasing or quoting selectively are both kinder to people’s eyes and email boxes.
  • Be extremely careful when replying to the author of a list message. Many email systems will send your reply to the entire list if you simply use a reply command.
  • Think before you post. Do I really want to say this to the world (list)? Reread what you wrote. Did I really say what I intended to? Once a message is sent, it can’t be retrieved.
  • Flames: a “flame” is an emotionally charged posting, and is often directed at an individual. We do not tolerate flames, so before you post, please re-read your messages carefully, especially if you feel strongly about your topic.
  • To signal humorous intent, use some sort of “smiley,” such as :-). Facetiousness and sarcasm can be misunderstood easily in electronic communication.
  • Please be considerate of others. Through inexperience or limited local software, list members may inadvertently violate netiquette suggestions. A private message to the offender from the list owners is more appropriate than a public flame.
  • Please participate! Your ideas are important. Just because you think everyone knows something doesn’t mean they do. If you’re not sure, send the posting to an experienced friend on the list (or the list owner) to see if the information may be valuable.
  • This list has its own character, just like any “real” grouping of people (such as a party or meeting). The list functions best when people respect the character of the list. It’s also good to respect differences among list members and to have tolerance.

Quotation

When replying to another message, try to refrain from quoting entire messages. Quoting just a line or two from the previous message is often enough to make your point clear. Over use of quotation can create long and tedious messages for list members to download and read, it serves to make daily DIGEST and log files more bulky. It is beneficial to remove header details, signatures, and non-essential text from previous messages. The resulting crisp, clean postings are easier to read for “regular” members, but especially helpful for digest subscribers and those who search the logs. Frequent posting of messages with excess quotation may result in a review setting (future postings will require approval).

Copyright

  • By joining FLUTE, you agree to have any postings to the list archived (they are currently stored on listserv.syr.edu), and that postings may be used as a part of normal list activity (e.g., they may be included in someone’s response to your post). This does not imply any assignment of rights under copyright law; it is also understood that copyright law governs fair use of material posted to the FLUTE list. If you cannot agree to these provisions, please unsubscribe from the list. If you have a signature line limiting use of your postings, you may NOT belong to FLUTE and should unsubscribe yourself (an example: your signature says that your postings may not be archived or reposted).
  • The FLUTE Management Team requests that FLUTE list members refrain from re-posting list messages on other lists without first obtaining the approval of the author of the message. List members who engage in re-posting without permission from the authors will be removed from the FLUTE list.
  • Reproduction of entire copyrighted articles (or large sections) without the owner’s permission may lead to fair use problems. Instead, it’s better to post a URL so that members may read the article at source.
  • Long URLs can cause problems, so we recommend using a free service like Shrink-A-Link or Tiny URL to create shorter URLs for use in list postings.
  • DISCLAIMER: this is not a legal statement (we’re not lawyers), but meant to notify FLUTE participants that list operation implies certain activities and that you agree to them. Use of FLUTE content without permission will be grounds for removal from FLUTE.

Anonymous postings

  • The membership of the FLUTE list ranges from young students to the most seasoned and well-known professional performers. We suggest that list members compose their messages with the awareness that *anyone* could be listening. We would like to remind you to use diplomacy and good taste especially when naming specific individuals.
  • To our knowledge, no one has yet been seriously offended by such postings and we would like this atmosphere to continue. We certainly want to encourage free sharing of ideas and opinions, including disagreements on issues and negative comments when you have something sincerely negative to say, for example if you want to report on a concert or CD that you didn’t like.
  • The kinds of comments we hope will stay off the list are those containing hurtful, insulting, or demeaning remarks.
  • Some list members prefer to remain completely anonymous, while others choose to sign their contributions with an alias. There are many reasons why list members may choose anonymity and they have every right to do so. You may come to the false conclusion that “so and so” is not on the list and will therefore not hear your words. However, “so and so” may indeed be listening. If you would not make a particular comment to the person in the flesh, then maybe that comment is not appropriate for the list.
  • We desire a warm, friendly, positive forum that is beneficial and pleasant for all of our valued members. We hope that this posting is interpreted in the good-natured and positive manner that we would like everyone on the list to display