From: Ray Anderson ([email protected])
Date: Thu Nov 11 1999 - 11:15:47 PST
Si-List :
Arghhh! Here we go again. As many of the subscribers will have
noted, there has been a recent increase in the number of "commercial"
messages posted to the list describing various simulation and modeling
tools.
The long-standing list policy has been to maintain si-list as a
'commercial-free' zone. The list supports many interesting, instructive
and thought-provoking technical discussions, which are the reason the
majority of the subscribers subscribe to the list. The posting of commercial
offers tends to degrade the signal-to-noise ratio of the list. Also,
the practice tends to put those who do refrain from posting ad's at
a competitive disadvantage relative to those who don't.
I realize that the temptation to place ones ad's in front of
a hand picked targeted group of 1500 + potential customers is indeed great
for the vendors. However, if this were allowed to proliferate, si-list
would end up being just another source of spam mail.
I've recently received several e-mails from various vendors
expressing their annoyance with some of their competitor's postings.
So, as the list maintainer, I guess it is time to repost a short, succinct
list of guidelines on what is and isn't allowable relative to vendor
messages.
1. Obvious advertisements and commercial postings
are not allowed.
2. Vendor responses to technical questions regarding
the use and capabilities of various tools can be
valuable. Please limit the response to the technicalities
and refrain from the marketing. It is allowable and
desirable to invite those interested to contact you
directly via e-mail or to visit your web site.
3. Vendors who have a new tool that they want to announce to
the world can make a simple statement of fact and then
refer those interested to e-mail or a web address for
further information.
Enough rules. It make me feel like a 'net-cop' writing these
kind of messages.
I hope the comments on commercial postings and the re-statement
of rules are taken in the spirit intended and don't come across as
insulting towards vendors. The SI engineer would have a much harder
time doing his job without the benefit of many of the fine tools offered
by a number of the list's member vendors.
To conclude, I just encourage the vendors amongst us to review
their postings prior to sending them to the list. If it sounds like a
commercial, then it probably is, or at least it may be interpreted as such.
Back to our regularly scheduled programming......
Ray Anderson
si-list administrator
Sun Microsystems Inc.
(The si-list forum is graciously hosted on Sun facilities by Sun Microsystems
for the benefit of the SI community. Any statements or comments relayed
through the si-list are solely the opinions of the posters.)
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