Conference misery::feline_v1

        This file was converted to a VAX Notes conference on
        9-February-1986.
        
Jim Stratton, moderator

        New VAX Noters -- you can use the command 

        	SET SEEN /BEFORE=date-time
                
        to "reset" this file to where you were before.  Use the "last
        since" time from your NOTES-11 notary, and you'll be in good
        shape.  The "keypad comma" key is similar to "next unseen"
        in NOTES-11.  And just keep hitting "Enter" and you'll read
        all the new notes in order.
        
        Happy noting!
        
        Tom

Are there any KEYWORDS defined for this conference?

							.wIx.

    It would be appreciated if those that wish to post a note telling
    of a cat or kittens up for adoption include the following information
    in their note:              

      		where the cat is located
    		gender (and if the cat has been neutered/spayed)
    		age
    		long-hair/short-hair
    		coat pattern
    		breed
    		size		
        	endearing traits
		anything else you may think is important (indoor or
			    outdoor, shy or friendly, etc.)

    You can either post your note in the adoption note #415, or create
    a new base note if you wish. If you opt to place a note in note
    415, please delete your note if you have placed your cat. If you
    create a new base note, when you've placed your cat, please put
    in a reply saying that the cat has been placed.
    
    Thank you,
    Deb (wearing her moderator hat)
    

Please put any announcements of forthcoming cat shows for any geography
into note 1093.

Pam

    
    The FELINE conference will be set NOWRITE on Friday 10-JUN-1988 at
    approximately noon time. The file will be moved to VAXWRK and will
    be available early Monday morning (the reason for such a long
    unavailable time is because the machines are being powered down
    Friday evening because of lab work).
    
    Frequent readers of this file will need to change their notebook
    entry via a MODIFY ENTRY FELINE/FILE=VAXWRK::FELINE.
    
    Deb
    

We feel it is important that people know about bad products, services,
vets, etc. and support the right to discuss such things here.  However,
we feel it is equally important that Digital, as a corporation, have no
legal liability in that regard.  Therefore, the following policy will
go into effect as of today:

1) Any note suggesting a boycott of any vet, product, service, etc. will
be immediately deleted and returned to the author with an explanation.  Notes
may mention that a boycott is occurring or that other groups are proposing
a boycott.  But the author of a note or reply must not suggest that the noting
community boycott a product.

2) Notes or replies may be written to alert others to bad treatment received
from a vet, or bad experiences with a product or service.  However, any note or
reply doing so (or discussing a boycott as in point #1, or a letter-writing
campaign) must mention that the opinions expressed are solely the opinion of
the author of the note and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of Digital
Equipment Corporation.  Any note not following these rules will also be
deleted and returned to the author.

Pam

    The following is extracted from VTX. It is the company's
    new WORLDWIDE POLICY on the proper use of computers, systems and
    networks, and it will soon be in the orangebook.

    I urge you all to read this, especially the section labeled "Notes
    files and conferences". In particular, I'd like to point out the
    prohibition of solicitation and and the upholding of the the company's
    policy of respect for the individual (i.e., valuing differences of
    opinion).

    
    Effective immeditaly, the moderators will be enforcing this new
    policy.
    
    Deb 
    
 Updated worldwide policy on proper use of computers, systems, networks

 Digital has updated its worldwide policy defining the appropriate use of 
 its computers, systems and networks.  This version includes a philosophy 
 statement that reaffirms the importance of our systems and network 
 utilities as business tools.  It also defines "misuse" and spells out 
 the responsibilities of all employees and managers.

 The policy is effective immediately and will be available on VTX and
 hardcopy on or before November 1.


Philosophy

 Systems and network utilities are powerful business tools, encouraging 
 creativity and the exchange of ideas needed to maintain our competitive 
 edge.  These tools allow for instantaneous creation of "electronic" 
 organizations to focus worldwide resources on urgent tasks.  We want to 
 encourage our people to use these tools in accordance with company 
 philosophy and values.
 
 Our peer-to-peer, open computing environment reflects our corporate culture.  
 We sell this concept to customers, and business and society are clearly 
 moving toward this way of operating.  We believe that what we sell to our 
 customers will get better if we use it ourselves.


 Information and the ability to communicate it freely are valuable assets 
 that play a significant role in Digital's success.  The protection and 
 appropriate use of these assets is everyone's responsibility.  We must strike 
 a balance between encouraging open systems and protecting these assets if they 
 are to continue to support our success.

Notes files and conferences

 Digital provides systems to its employees to maintain computer conferences 
 (notes files) in direct support of company business (i.e., product 
 development, financial analysis, business planning, etc.).  Digital also 
 permits access to these systems to communicate matters of opinions and 
 common interests.


 In all cases, a computer conference must have an identified conference 
 moderator.  Where the conference directly supports the company's business, 
 the conference moderator and the responsible systems manager may elect to 
 restrict access to the conference.  Digital classified information may only 
 be placed in a conference with restricted access.  Conferences created to 
 communicate matters of opinion and common interests may not be used for 
 solicitations of any kind, and must be open to all employees.
 
 In addition, these conferences may not be used to promote behavior which is 
 contrary to the company's values or policy (i.e., they may not promote 
 discrimination, disrespect for the individual, violence, etc.). ... The 
 company reserves the right to terminate any notes file it believes is 
 inappropriate or in violation of this policy.

 
Responsibility for content of messages sent or posted on the network

  Messages mailed or posted over the Digital network are the responsibility 
  of the original author.  Posting these materials in a notes file/conference 
  without the explicit permission of the author is prohibited and is a 
  violation of this policy.  When forwarding messages or posting them to 
  conferences, removal or falsification of the original message header (which 
  indicates the author) is prohibited.	        
 
Policy violations
 
  Managers who suspect that systems are being used improperly should discuss 
  the problem with the employee in question and, if appropriate, involve 
  security.  In cases where improper use has been clearly established, the 
  employee should be dealt with in accordance with the corrective action and 
  disciplinary policy (6.21).

**DIGITAL INTERNAL USE ONLY **
    
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Message from Ron Glover Corporate Personnel     OCT 1990
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    Over the last several months Digital has been contacted by a number
    of individuals and business entities that were angry about negative
    comments made about them in our Notesfiles and Conferences. As the
    Personnel Policy Manager for Digital I have been the recipient of
    many of those notes. I thought I should take the time to post this
    note to inform employees that it is not appropriate for them to make
    negative comments or references about any person or business entity
    in any of Digital's employee interest notesfile or conferences.

    There are several reasons why we are establishing this rule. The
    first has to do with fundamental fairness. It is simply not fair for
    an employee to make a negative comment about a business when we
    don't provide those businesses an opportunity to respond and defend
    themselves. This is particularly true given the fact that we have no
    way of determining whether the comment is honest, fair or accurate.
    Clearly Digital has no intention, or desire, to open up its
    notesfiles to third-party businesses so that they can engage in a
    debate about whether they provide quality services. The only logical
    solution then is to ask our employees to refrain from using the
    Notesfiles to air grievances they have with individuals, vendors, or
    organizations.

    In addition to out concerns about fairness, we are concerned about
    the potential damage that these kinds of comments may cause to
    third-party businesses. In that regard, employees should understand
    that they may be personally liable if the statements they make cause
    harm to any person or business. Moreover, there is some possibility
    Digital may be held liable for such comments as well. Stated more
    simply, comments made in a Notesfile or conference are in no way
    privileged or immune from claims of liable, slander or defamation.

    We are asking all of the users of Notesfiles to exercise discretion
    and judgement in the comments that they make in the system. We are
    also asking moderators to go back and review the notesfiles they
    moderate and to remove any notes that include derogatory references
    to third-party businesses.

    Please feel free to contact your moderator if you have any questions
    on this subject.

    Ron Glover
    Corporate Personnel Policy Manager

    The moderators would like to ask a favor of the readership of this
    conference. ALl three of us have been *VERY* busy lately and sometimes
    don't get into FELINE until the end of the day. I'll come right to the
    point. If you a problem in the file, either flames starting, or
    comments made that might open the company up for litigation, please
    SEND MAIL TO *ALL* OF THE MODERATORS ASAP!!! That way we will be able to
    go in and calm things down before any serious damange is done. And we will
    keep any mail we recieve about these problems confidential.
    
    thank you,
    FELINE moderators

A noter who works for a shelter contacted the moderators and asked us if 
we could set a new policy regarding the posting of individuals' names, 
addresses, and home phone numbers in Feline.  The moderators all felt 
that the noter made a reasonable case for why a new policy was needed. 

From time to time, noters have pointed each other to folks who volunteer at
humane societies, shelters, and cat protection leagues.  Many times, the 
volunteers' full names, home phone numbers, and/or home addresses have been 
published in Feline.  We can no longer allow this practice to continue.  It is 
an invasion of these volunteers' privacy and is a discourtesy to them.  

In the future, if noters wish to point each other to such sources, they 
can use the name of the organization itself, whose number is already 
public knowledge (via the phone book), or they can offer pointers via 
mail or other private means.  Or, if there happens to be a noter who 
also volunteers at a shelter, who wishes to post his/her own name and phone 
number, they may do so.  Bottom line is that no names and phone numbers 
can be posted unless they belong to the person entering the note.  

We do not wish to prohibit the exchange of the information, but we do 
need to be aware of how we exchange that information, and how that 
exchange might affect individuals. 

If the moderators find a note with an individual's name, home 
address, or phone number in it, and that information does not belong to 
the author of the note, that note will be set hidden and the author notified 
that the reference must be removed before the note will be reposted.

Jo