Conference misery::feline_v1

2693.0. "Noting Etiquette" by NUTMEG::MASON (Explaining is not understanding) Tue Jul 18 1989 22:14

    The question was asked, so here is one answer.  Following the form
    feed is a note from HUMAN::ETIQUETTE, a conference on Noting
    etiquette.  It is long, and there is a lot more in the referenced
    conference (KP 7 or select to add it to your notebook).
    
    Gary
    
    
    
             <<< HUMAN::DISK$HUMAN_WRKD:[NOTES$LIBRARY]ETIQUETTE.NOTE;2 >>>
                         -< Etiquette for Notes Users >-
================================================================================
Note 2.1                    Etiquette for Notes Users                     1 of 3
HUMAN::SZETO                                        408 lines  20-FEB-1985 08:21
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------













                                   CHAPTER 7

                               Etiquette in NOTES



          Most of what appears here is common sense.  Many of you will read this
          and  think  "Who would EVER do that?" Experience over the last several
          years indicates that there are those  out  there  who  have  and  will
          continue  to  do things that most of us regard as foolish and NOT what
          common sense would indicate as proper behavior.  This editor has  seen
          every  "rule"  here  violated  at  least  once and some of them often.
          There is nothing so uncommon as common sense.  Anything  that  appears
          to  be common sense or "talking down" to you is obviously NOT aimed at
          you.  It is aimed at "the other guy".

          Over the past year or so, there has been  an  explosion  in  both  the
          number of notebooks, and the number of people using the NOTES program.
          What has developed is akin  to  an  informal  society  of  information
          exchangers,  with a built-in set of rules and mores.  This document is
          meant to investigate and document those rules.  Many of the items  are
          based  on  observation,  the  rest  are  personal  opinions.  It is my
          intention that this document, carefully revised, be available to those
          unfamiliar  with  NOTES.  A majority of the information presented here
          is based on a similar paper from Xerox.  I have openly stolen from the
          paper, since it dealt with many of the same issues presented herein.

                          The great art of living easy and happy
                          in   society   is   to   study  proper
                          behavior,  and  even  with  our   most
                          intimate     friends     to    observe
                          politeness;    otherwise    we    will
                          insensibly  treat  each  other  with a
                          degree of  rudeness,  and  each  other
                          will  find  himself  despised  in some
                          measure by the other.

                          - James Boswell, London Journal

                          [I even stole their quote!  -dmg]



          7.1  Introduction

          This document is not about the NOTES program, but  rather,  about  the

Etiquette in NOTES                                                      Page 7-2


          way  in which we use it - in particular, the manners of the people who
          use it.  NOTES is a unique communication medium  within  Digital.   It
          provides  us  with  a  way of communicating ideas and information to a
          large number of people, quickly and easily - it can also be  a  source
          of annoyance and waste if misused.  Much of the fabric of a society is
          based on its ability to communicate.  Face-to-face communication, both
          spoken  and  through  gestures, has been with us for a very long time.
          For a lesser amount of time, letters and the telephone  have  provided
          us  with  a  new  medium  in  which to communicate, but these too have
          matured and found their place in society.

          Electronic mail and NOTES are relative newcomers to our world, and  so
          we  have  yet  to establish the unwritten rules surrounding their use.
          Within Digital, electronic mail is used widely, and there seems to  be
          a  general  agreement  on  what  is  right and wrong within that realm
          (although there is no written set of rules that I am  aware  of),  and
          NOTES is still maturing.

          Within each of the media, we place limits of what is considered to  be
          acceptable  behavior.   For  example,  vulgar  language  is  generally
          frowned upon in face-to-face communication, except in small groups  or
          cliques.   There  are  a  number of methods of dealing with people who
          break these rules (e.g., avoidance).

          The follow sections deal with situations that arise when working  with
          NOTES.   I  will  try  to  draw parallels to more traditional means of
          communication, and suggest how these situations should be dealt  with.
          I'll draw on real-life examples where appropriate.




          7.1.1  Rudeness and Vulgarity

          As with electronic mail, NOTES lacks many  of  the  social  structures
          that are in place when you would deal with a person face-to-face.  The
          author is able to speak his or her piece  without  the  interruptions,
          etc.   that might occur during a normal exchange.  This is exaggerated
          to a certain extent by the fact that NOTES  is  always  in  "broadcast
          mode" (unlike MAIL, where broadcasting is selective).

          One consequence of this is that the opinions  expressed  and  language
          used  to  express  them can be wildly inappropriate to the customs and
          expectations of the readers of the  note/reply  (people  often  forget
          that  our  network  spans the globe, with our ideas entering "foreign"
          societies (e.g., Far East, Europe, Western Massachusetts).

          When rebuked for such behavior, authors often reply "But I didn't mean
          it  THAT way!".  Unfortunately, the damage has already been done.  The
          only remedy is for the authors to think about  what  they  are  saying
          (using  the  /EDIT  option  can help break the stream of consciousness
          type of notes that abound).

Etiquette in NOTES                                                      Page 7-3


          7.1.2  Inappropriate notes/replies

          There are several sources for inappropriate notes.  A few that come to
          mind are:  Confusion, drowsiness, and stupidity.  Most notesfiles have
          an express purpose for their existence.  When you  stray  from  either
          the  general  intent  of the notebook, or the particular discussion at
          hand, you begin to waste a lot of peoples' time.

          Many people enter such notes unwittingly.  It is interesting  to  note
          that  the  NOTES  program  displays your note/reply after entering it.
          READ IT!  If in retrospect you find it to be in error, 99 times out of
          100  you  can simply DELETE it right then and there (quitting from the
          /EDIT  option   is   also   useful).    NOTES-11   lets   you   do   a
          {WRITE/REPLY}/EDIT/LAST,  which  allows you to easily edit a note that
          you have just written and deleted.

          Another way to avoid writing inappropriate notes is to wait and read a
          bit  before  writing.   Consider  that  a notesfile is like a gigantic
          conversation, sometimes between people who work  right  next  to  each
          other.   When  a  total stranger just pops in and makes a comment, the
          participants can become rather disturbed.   This  has  fault  on  both
          sides.   The participants should constantly realize that what may seem
          to be a private conversation is actually being broadcast to many, many
          people  -  who  have  every  right to jump in.  On the other hand, the
          jumper should be able to notice  these  types  of  conversations,  and
          tactfully  butt  it,  much  like you would if you happen to be walking
          past a face-to-face conversation (e.g., prefacing a note with  "Pardon
          me,  but..."  goes  a  long way.  You might also wish to disclose your
          title or area of expertise to establish credibility).  Each  notesfile
          tends  to  have  a  sub-culture  associated with it.  Newcomers should
          attempt to read the entire notesfile before participating.  You have a
          responsibility  to  try  to  avoid  initiating conversations that have
          already been covered.  With some notesfiles this may not  be  possible
          or  appropriate  (e.g.,  size or speed makes this impossible), but, at
          minimum, you should observe  for  a  few  days  before  entering  into
          conversations.

          There are other factors which surround inappropriate notes.  A lot has
          to do with the environment in which the author resides.  Many times, a
          joke, quip, etc.  is placed in the notebook to ease the "tension" that
          might  be  building  either  locally or in the notesfile itself.  Such
          notes might be considered appropriate (and indeed welcome) by a subset
          of  readers,  but  on  the  rest of the world is normally left "in the
          dark".  Writers of such notes should be aware of this.

          However, there are still times when you don't realize that you've just
          broken one of the great unwritten laws of NOTES.

          Which leads us to...



          7.1.3  The chain reaction

          There can be many reasons for a chain reaction, but it definitely  one

Etiquette in NOTES                                                      Page 7-4


          of  the  most  annoying  aspects  of  NOTES  reading (although several
          notebooks (e.g., TRIVIA) are based on the chain reaction!).

          Generally,  the  chain  reaction  is   typified   by   the   following
          (manufactured) excerpt:

                                ** Notes on Subject X **

                 Note 335: What do you think about (totally irrelevant matter)?
                 Reply #1: I hate it.
                 Reply #2: This isn't supposed to be talked about here.
                 Reply #3: Where should I put it then?
                 Reply #4: I don't know, but it sure shouldn't be here.
                 .. ad nauseam


          The first rule to stopping a chain reaction  (before  it  starts)  is:
          DON'T REPLY!  Send MAIL to the guilty party, politely informing him or
          her of the transgression - this will have a far better  affect.   This
          also  allows for the NOTE to be subsequently deleted by the author and
          moved to the appropriate place.  Only if  someone  continually  breaks
          this rule should public castigation be considered.



          7.1.4  The flame

          The "flame" might be considered a borderline  inappropriate  response,
          due  to the ratio of length versus useful information content.  Flames
          are occasionally informative, but generally should be  avoided  (there
          are several notebooks which encourage flaming, but these are generally
          marked as such in the rationale).

          If you MUST flame, precede the flame with something like  <FLAME  ON>.
          This  is  considered  a signal to the reader that there is a potential
          for a long and boring block of text ahead.  You  should  place  flames
          near  the end of a note/reply.  Do not expect people to muddle through
          your machinations to get to the gem of information placed at the  end.
          The structure should be:

          1.  Informational Gem (if any)

          2.  Warning (<FLAME ON>)

          3.  Flame

          4.  Off-the-record responses


          Why are flames and irrelevant notes so objectionable?   Remember  that
          people  read  notesfiles  to  benefit  from  the  information therein,
          usually for professional purposes.  They may  or  may  not  appreciate
          being  entertained  while  they  gather this information; the point is
          that  edification,  not  entertainment,  is  their  primary  objective
          (except  in  files so marked).  Humorous or tangential material is not

Etiquette in NOTES                                                      Page 7-5


          objectionable if it is sufficiently brief; however, the definitions of
          "sufficiently  brief"  are  quite  different  on  a hardwired terminal
          reading a notesfile on the  same  system  and  on  a  dialup  terminal
          reading  a  notesfile  half  a  world  away.  The latter is not a rare
          "worst  case";  it's  common  enough  that  NOTES  users   should   be
          considerate of it.

          The cost of irrelevant notes, in terms  of  person-hours  and  network
          resources,  is  staggering.   If your sentiment is worth writing, it's
          worth writing in the appropriate place; take the  time  to  find  that
          place.



          7.1.5  Posting of MAIL messages

          Occasionally, MAIL messages are posted in a  notesfile.   Mail  should
          generally  be  considered  a private communication channel.  Placing a
          mail message into a notesfile should only be done with the  permission
          of the sender of the mail message.



          7.1.6  Masquerading

          Masquerading as a fictitious person, or  worse,  as  a  real  user  is
          perhaps  the most serious offense in both NOTES and MAIL.  Subversions
          like this are treated as  criminal  offenses  in  other  communication
          media.  Masquerading in NOTES is not cute or clever.  DON'T DO IT!



          7.1.7  The notebook title / rationale

          When a notebook is first established, two things  are  normally  done.
          First,  a  title is applied to the notebook by the creator.  Second, a
          welcome note is created, which normally describes the  intent,  scope,
          and  local rules for the use of the notebook.  Newcomers should always
          read this first note, and its replies, which may  contain  updates  on
          the scope, etc.  Clarifications of the intent should either be covered
          in a separate note, or by private communication with the owner (if the
          owner can be identified).

          The title of a notebook can be (unfortunately) be  changed  by  anyone
          with  write  access  to  the file.  The title should be considered off
          limits to all but  the  owner.   Adjusting  the  title  is  much  like
          masquerading - it is neither cute nor clever.  DON'T DO THIS EITHER!



          7.1.8  Timezones

          Timezone support is on of the major reasons for the  rapid  spread  of
          NOTES-11.   The  so-called time travel problem can be a major irritant
          to Noters around the world.  Do not change the time zone value  for  a

Etiquette in NOTES                                                      Page 7-6


          file  you  do  not own.  Even if it looks wrong.  It may have been set
          that way for a specific reason.  If you are a system manager make sure
          that  NOTES$TIMEZONE is properly set up.  If NOTES$TIMEZONE is not set
          up on your system try and get it set up system wide.  Until then,  you
          can set it for yourself in your LOGIN.COM file.



          7.1.9  The naive user versus the wizards

          There appear to be two basic classes of people who write notes:  Those
          who  know  everything, and those who don't.  Detailed knowledge of the
          internals of many systems should not be assumed by the authors of many
          notes  -  some  people  may  barely  have  a  grasp  on  what  you are
          discussing.

          Although it is often necessary to delve into the more esoteric aspects
          of  operating  systems,  compilers,  etc., be considerate of the naive
          user whenever possible (e.g., some people may prefix a  note/paragraph
          with  something like:  "If you don't know about the argle bargle, then
          type SINCE right now.").

          Project names and code names also fall into this category.  If you are
          not  prepared  to elaborate on "the Synthocortex project", then either
          refer to it ambiguously or don't mention it at all.



          7.1.10  Security

          NOTES provides an excellent forum for  free  exchange  of  information
          WITHIN  Digital.   The  caveat  of  all this free exchange is that the
          information contained within the notesfiles can be (and  probably  is)
          transmitted  outside of company bounds.  This could, potentially, make
          it difficult for Digital to defend a trade secret.   Keep  discussions
          of unannounced or sensitive products to a minimum (or relegate them to
          a more secure  forum  (e.g.,  password-protected  notesfile)).   Don't
          discuss  ship  dates  and  prices.   If  in  doubt  about whether some
          information is public knowledge or not, assume it isn't.  Be prudent!



          7.2  Other rules of thumb

          Here are some additional rules that will help you become  a  respected
          "citizen of the network":



          7.2.1  Use descriptive titles

          Readers should be able to decide whether to read or skip  items  based
          on  their  titles.   For  example  if  you  are  having trouble with a
          compiler you might submit  an  item  titled  "Need  help  with  Pascal
          compiler".  Don't submit an item titled "Need Help."

Etiquette in NOTES                                                      Page 7-7


          7.2.2  Lead in long notes

          If you are going to be writing a fairly long note, which may  only  be
          interesting  to  a  portion  of  the  reading community, then consider
          writing a "lead in", followed  by  the  major  section  of  the  note.
          Placing  a  form  feed  between  the  two portions will cause NOTES to
          pause.  This allows the reader to consciously read  the  rest  of  the
          note - or move on and pass up reading your gift of wit and wisdom.



          7.2.3  Spelling and Grammar counts

          Although NOTES takes on the flavor of a  cocktail  party,  you  should
          take  the  time  to  make  your  entries  readable and pertinent.  The
          transmission of information and ideas isn't nearly as much fun when it
          is  garbled.   Correct  spelling  and proper grammar are essential, at
          minimum their absence indicates a lack of care.  On  the  other  hand,
          don't castigate someone for making mistakes - remember that this is an
          INTERNATIONAL forum:  the person you are criticizing may have  English
          as  a  SECOND  language (or third)!  VAX users have DECspell available
          for an easy means of checking one's spelling - use it!



          7.2.4  Be brief as possible

          The network spans the world, and so do NOTES readers.  Give  the  ones
          who are half-way around the world a break.  In general, do NOT include
          memo headers such as poster headings,  memo  formats  and  other  time
          consuming junk.



          7.2.5  Use mixed case

          A note written in all upper case is a pain in the  eyes.   Mixed  case
          notes  are  much easier to read.  Upper case is often used to indicate
          the Notes equivalent of shouting.  This could cause your  note  to  be
          misunderstood.   A note written in all upper case is almost guaranteed
          to bring at least one reply and/or one  MAIL  message  asking  you  to
          "stop shouting" or if your CAPS LOCK key is broken.



          7.3  In Summary

          Remember the medium that you are working with, and  (above  all):   Be
          Considerate.  NOTES is a great tool, let's use it wisely.

          [Thanks to Dave Larrick and Simon Szeto for their suggestions -dmg]

          [Thanks to Dave Griffin who put this together - act2 ]