From: gezelter@rlgsc.com
Newsgroups: comp.os.vms
Subject: Courtesy and Civility
Date: 1 Jan 93 16:46:05 GMT
Organization: Robert Gezelter Software Consultant, Flushing, NY

In the last few months, there have been a series of "flame wars" 
among the readers and contributors to this newsgroup. Recently, 
some people have commented that they "enjoyed" watching people be 
"flamed". I am unable to adequately describe my feelings on 
people "enjoying" watching others getting "flamed" (That is, I 
cannot comment without making some very strong comments, which 
are better left unsaid).
 
These "flame wars" have generally involved postings made by two 
groups: novices and non-native English speakers.
 
In both cases, the "flames" have involved a variety of rude, and,
in some cases, obscene, electronic speech.
 
In dealing with either group of participants, there is no need or
justification for the use of insults and obscenities by any 
respondent, whether this is their first "response" to a query, or 
the 100th response on this particular day.
 
I have consulted, taught, and spoken both in the United States 
and internationally in Canada, Europe, Asia, and Africa. Since my 
birth, I have lived in New York, an international business 
center. I have lived, studied, and worked with people from all 
over the world. Some of these people have spoken English (or 
should I say American) as well as any native of the US, while 
others have been, shall we say, much less fluent.
 
In any event, international forums require sensitivity to other 
peoples' languages and cultures. For example, in the US, many people, 
particularly those in the computing field, are accustomed to informality, 
particularly the use of first names. In other countries and cultures, 
such unsolicited informality is considered to be in extremely poor taste.
 
Etiquette is also taken more seriously outside the US. The use of 
insults and obscenity in a "professional" forum is generally seen 
as "unprofessional", "uneducated", and "uncivilized" conduct.
 
All questioners deserve common courtesy. All of us were novices 
at one time. What seems an obvious question to an "expert" is 
often not obvious to the person asking the question (If you 
think that I am joking, just ask your physician. Doctors the 
world over have no shortage of experience with this particular 
problem).
 
In general, I would like to suggest that people excercise 
courtesy and self control with regard to their choice of 
phrasing.
 
There are two sides to what I ask of my peers in the 
comp.os.vms/INFO-VAX community.
 
When you post questions, please try to include as much relevant 
information as possible, including small, yet complete, examples 
and descriptions. Posters should make sure that they include a 
complete, usable, E-mail address, as some components of the news 
distribution mechanism are known to damage reply addresses.
 
People who choose to "Reply" to postings should avoid offensive 
remarks.  If you find that a question is so offensive that you 
cannot respond politely and constructively, then ignore the 
question. There is no reason to respond publicly (or privately) 
with insults and obscenities.
 
Along these lines, please note that the newsgroup dissemination 
of articles depends, to a significant degree, on the correct 
functioning of many systems. Many people are also only able to 
access the newsgroups via Guest accounts provided as a courtesy 
by friends. These reliability and access problems mean that many 
people request replies by E-mail. This should not be considered 
as impolite.
 
I wish everybody in the comp.os.vms/INFO-VAX community a happy 
and healthy year in 1993.
 
- Bob
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Robert "Bob" Gezelter                       E-Mail:  gezelter@rlgsc.com  |
| Robert Gezelter Software Consultant         Voice:   +1 718 463 1079     |
| 35-20 167th Street, Suite 215               Fax:       (on Request)      |
| Flushing, New York  11358-1731                                           |
| United States of America                                                 |
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Newsgroups: comp.os.vms