InformationWeek: The Business Value of Technology

Welcome to the Listening Post, InformationWeek.com's online discussion forum, where you're encouraged to respond to articles, to share your opinions with columnists, and to correspond with your IT colleagues about the issues that matter to you.
This document introduces the concepts of online community for those who are new to the idea, and lays out the rules and policies by which the Listening Post operates. It's organized in an FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) format for simplicity. If you read through this document and you still have questions, send an E-mail message to the site editor (along with a joke, please -- we all need something to brighten our day).

	I'm new to online forums. How does this work?
	Why do you ask for my name and E-mail ID?
	How do I add a comment to an existing discussion?
	How do I start a new discussion?
	Then what happens?
	How is the Listening Post organized?
	What are the rules around here?
	Can't I mention my product?
	Forum Decorum
	The Fine Print

I'm new to online forums. How does this work?
Our online discussions happen on an electronic bulletin board. They aren't live chats and no editors (much less operators) are standing by. Rather, conversations are like publicly-posted letters, each on a specific topic, which anybody can read and an interested party -- say, you -- can respond.

Because the messages are posted asynchronously, you don't have to be at your computer at any particular day or time. You can come back to the Listening Post anytime you have a chance, and you'll see the messages posted since your last visit.

You can read messages anonymously. But, like many other activities, it's a lot more satisfying to participate. Nobody will laugh at you for asking a "dumb question," and you'll soon discover that there's no such thing. Besides, the forum staff is here to help you feel comfortable and at-home, so please -- dive right in.

Why do you ask for my name and E-mail ID?
If you want to respond to a message or start a new discussion, you'll need to provide an email ID and name. Please understand -- we aren't trying to invade your privacy (in fact, we're sensitive to those issues, as you'll see in our privacy policy.

However, we all like to know who we're talking to, so we do encourage the use of real names. Plus, we have learned, from many years of participating in online communities, that people tend to be much more civil when they can't hide behind "handles" and anonymous messages.

How do I add a comment to an existing discussion?
While you have the message on your screen, click on "Reply to this message."

How do I start a new discussion?
From the top level discussion menu, click on "Start New." If you're reading a thread already, click on "Start a new thread."

Then what happens?
You'll be prompted to fill in your email ID, your name, and a subject, all of which are required fields. You'll also have a text box into which you can type your message.

How is the Listening Post organized?
Each columnist has a discussion area in which to "hang out." If you want to respond to a specific author, post a message in his forum.
From the Listening Post page, click on the author's name. That will take you to his page, listing the current column and previous columns. You'll also find a link to the columnist's discussion forum.

If your remarks are more general in nature, post your message in the Water Cooler. The Talk Shop section is appropriate when you want to express an opinion about the publication in general, or you want to ask an IT-related question of the <I>InformationWeek</I> staff or columnists or simply anybody who'll listen. "Off topic" conversations -- about cars or chocolate or anything unrelated to work -- fits comfortably into the BreakAway section.

What are the rules, around here?
The basic ground rules for discussions in the Listening Post are simple: be polite, use your full name, don't break the law, and don't post any message that even hints at advertising! We don't intend to censor messages based on the opinions expressed within those posts, but we will enforce the policies outlined here.

Can't I mention my product?
This isn't a commercial venue. You may work for a company that provides products or services to IT professionals, and it's entirely likely that one of those people will ask for input in a form that just begs for you to say, "Our GargleBlaster does just that!" Please: resist, as best you can. Be tasteful. If you do express an opinion related to a commercial product, identify your affiliation with the company, be brief, and ask any interested party to contact you privately. If the site editor decides that you've crossed the line, however, your message will be removed without warning.

Forum Decorum
When we discuss subjects that we care about, we inspire passion. In any healthy community, we're apt to disagree with one another -- and that's a strength. None of us learns anything new by listening to only the people who agree with us.

However, it's important to keep the conversation civil. Be courteous and respectful. It's okay to attack the opinion, but it's not acceptable to attack the person. There's a vast chasm between "I disagree with your opinion" and "I think you're an idiot." Participants who cannot tell the difference will find their messages deleted from the discussion forum without notice.

The Listening Post is for the public exchange of information. Please don't post a message saying, "I need information about whatever. Please e-mail me at myname@myservice.com." Asking people to answer your questions via e-mail defeats this purpose of public discourse. If you ask such a question and post your e-mail address in your message, your message will be deleted by the staff.

Please don't use all capital letters in messages. Writing in all caps is considered SHOUTING, and it's difficult to read. Don't post the same message more than once in a discussion section or in multiple sections.
We reserve the right not to publish posts at our discretion and without explanation.
If you have any questions, please ask the site editor.

The Fine Print
By participating in the Listening Post discussions, you agree to the following policies. We reserve the right to reject any posts deemed unacceptable under the guidelines below and to limit or terminate service to participants who violate the terms of this agreement. To register a complaint about another participant's conduct, please send an e-mail message to the site editor.

Participants may not use discussions to publish any information, software, or other content that contains any charity requests; advertising for commercial, non-commercial, or charitable organizations; or any solicitation of other members to use or buy goods or services.

Participants may not use the Listening Post to solicit users for any project or purpose external to the Forum; public, private, or commercial. Our user base is not a resource to be "mined" by individuals, groups, or businesses. "Mining" the user base by posting messages asking people to contact you via e-mail or visit your Web site if they want to be involved in any project violates our policy, and such messages will be removed.

Participants in discussions may not post any information that is libelous or defamatory, or that discloses private or personal matters concerning any person. Please do not post personal information about yourself or anyone else, such as a home address or phone number. Any messages with this type of information will be deleted.

Participants in discussions may not upload any messages, data, images, or programs that would violate the property rights of others, including unauthorized copyrighted text, images, programs, trade secrets, or other confidential or proprietary information, or trademarks or service marks used in an infringing fashion. Participants may not upload to the Listening Post any copyrighted material (including photographs, video, animation, text, software programs, graphics or sound files) without the express written permission of any copyright owner or the owner's agent. Only the owner or a representative designated by the owner may upload copyrighted material. We reserve the right to reject any material that we believe may violate any copyright or third-party rights.

Participants in discussions may not use the facilities and capabilities of this service to conduct any illegal activity or solicit the performance of any illegal activity or other online activity that infringes on the rights of the Listening Post or its users.

The Listening Post cannot determine the accuracy of information that may be uploaded to the Forum. Opinions, advice and all other information expressed by participants in discussions are those of the author. You rely on such information at your own risk. Participants are urged to seek professional advice for specific, individual situations and not rely solely on advice or opinions given in the discussions.

By submitting material to the discussions, a participant asserts that the material is his or her own original work, and is licensed to be uploaded and downloaded by other participants for their own personal use. The author retains the copyright to all original material, but grants the Listening Post an irrevocable, royalty-free license to republish the information for the personal use of participants as long as the Listening Post and InformationWeek.com is in existence.

Any postings within the Listening Post, or archived, may not be reproduced in any print, broadcast, or electronic media without the express written permission of the author(s) and InformationWeek.com.
InformationWeek.com and InformationWeek reserve the right to use any message posted in the Listening Post as a "Letter to the Editor." By posting a message in the Listening Post, you acknowledge that all Listening Post communications are public and not private communications. You grant InformationWeek the right to modify and publish, both on our site and in other media, any information you post in our community areas.

You agree that InformationWeek.com has the right to delete any post with or without notice, at any time and for any reason, including, without limitation, our judgment that you've violated the community guidelines. You also acknowledge that we have no obligation to delete content that you find personally objectionable or offensive.

Disclaimers
Opinions, advice and all other information expressed on the Listening Post represent the individual's own views and not necessarily those of the Listening Post or InformationWeek. Owners, sysops, and staff will undoubtedly be active participants in the forum, and the policies outlined here apply to them as well.
In no event will the Listening Post be liable for (i) any incidental, consequential, or indirect damages (including, but not limited to, damages for loss of business profits, business interruption, loss of programs or information, and the like) arising out of the use of or inability to use our service, or any information or services provided on the Listening Post, even if we have been advised of the possibility of such damages, or (ii) for any claim attributable to errors, omissions, or other inaccuracies published on the Listening Post.