Conch-l list subscribers have always been allowed to include a brief
comment in their signature file. As Gary stated, this is a common practice
observed by all list groups. In your signature file you can include things
like a the name of your company, a link to your commercial web site, a plug
for your favorite shell group, ask for trades or sales, or mention that you
host auctions every week.
What you can not do is use conch-l for inexpensive commercial advertisements.
Amy, list manager
From the web site:
-----------------------
Rule No. 1: NO Advertising:
Commercial Advertising is not allowed; not even by non-profit
organizations. UGA, as a community service, "grants the use of its
facilities to organizations whose activities contribute to its mission."
CONCH-L is considered to be an "educational resource," and therefore falls
within UGA's mission. However, UGA and the State of Georgia have strict
rules that do not allow use of these resources for personal gain, thus no
free advertising or commercial messages. In particular:
a.Offering to sell or recommending your own products or services is NOT
allowed (this includes lists of shells, book catalogues, equipment and
trips). CONCH-L is not to be used as an inexpensive substitute for
commercial advertising. However, this list was set up to encourage
discussions and therefore this rule can be bent a little (please remember
the qualifier 'a little'.)
If you are responding to a request for information about your product
please limit your reply to a brief answer and address (home, email or web)
where the requester can find more information.
If you wish to send a large document (image, article or catalog) please
send it directly to the person who requested the information and not to the
list.
b.Requesting information on, or recommending products or services or
sources where they may be obtained IS allowed. One of the goals of this
list is to help people make connections and learn more about Malacology and
Conchology. People wishing to exchange shells and publications may announce
that their trading lists are available, but should not post lists to
CONCH-L.
c.Public-service announcements of new publications (books and journals),
shell clubs, and web sites (including commercial websites) ARE allowed, as
are posting of general information on shell shows and conventions. Of
course this includes posting about an updated internet site or reprinted
publication. Book reviews by non-interested individuals are encouraged as
an educational resource. If the announcement concerns a commercial site
please use discretion.
If you have doubt about whether your message is advertising or not, send it
to the List Manager at
[log in to unmask] who will look it over and let you know if it's
postable.
----------------
>The guidelines for Conch-L do indeed prohibit advertising. However, most
>Internet discussion lists that I know of do not regard giving an address in
>the signature of an email message as advertising. Perhaps this should be
>clarified in the Conch-L guidelines, which can be view at
>
>http://museum.nhm.uga.edu/CONCH-L/CONCH-Lrules.html
>
>Gary
>---------------------------------------------------------------------
>Gary Rosenberg, Ph.D. [log in to unmask]
>Malacology & Invertebrate Paleontology gopher://erato.acnatsci.org
>Academy of Natural Sciences http://www.acnatsci.org
>1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway Phone 215-299-1033
>Philadelphia, PA 19103-1195 USA Fax 215-299-1170
Amy Edwards, Program Coordinator ------ [log in to unmask]
Museum of Natural History -------- phone (706) 542-4137
University of Georgia -------- FAX 706-542-3920
Athens, GA 30602-1882 -------- http://museum.nhm.uga.edu/
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"A man's mind, stretched by new ideas, can never go back to its original
dimensions." Oliver Wendell Holmes
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