The following are adapted from the usage guidelines of the Canadian Optometry Group. Indirect thanks to Walt Mayo, OD, for providing the original notes.
SysOp
==Anyone may request membership as Author by submitting a request here.
== Categories of Allowed Members ==
Only individuals working in vision rehabilitation-related fields are permitted to become Authors on this site. All others are welcome to view posts and comment.
Specifics (may not cover all situations… moderators can change or add to these at any time) :
== All List posts are public essentially ==
You should assume that anyone, and everyone in the entire global surface of this planet we call Earth will read your post. The number of moles – people who forward messages to non-list members is unlimited. The number of people who lurk who subscribed by lying about their credentials is undoubtedly high, as well. So again anything you post can come back to haunt you. Say what you want, but don’t be upset if you get some surprising private replies.
== No flames ==
What is a flame? A flame is an insult, basically. You can call someone’s ideas stupid but don’t call the person stupid. Yes, there is a difference. Flaming will not be tolerated and is grounds for immediate suspension of posting privileges.
== No anti-trust messages ==
Any messages that encourage price fixing, boycotts, etc. are not allowed on the list for obvious reasons. Simply reporting fees may be OK but its thin ice to be sure. Many people who never show their face, nor even are legitimately supposed to be reading these messages are reading them. While the public may not be allowed to join, or post.
There are no end to the ways people get a hold of messages to read. If you post, assume you are posting to the world.
== Keeping threads on topic ==
Make sure that you’re keeping your subject lines on topic. If you wander off topic with your post, note that in the subject line either changing the topic completely, or adding a small addendum to the subject line. It only take a few seconds. This helps a lot, especially for selective readers.
== Trim your quotes! ==
Please keep quotes to a minimum just enough to keep some continuity to a given thread.
==This is an Email Forum==
Once you post to the site, it is automatically sent to EVERYONE who is a member and who has signed up for updates. drboulet.com content is always available online to members only, and distributed via email to those who have requested email updates.
== Quoting Private Conversations ==
No matter how much you may dislike someone, quoting their private message to you in message routed to vtdoc.net is inappropriate and likely to get you in trouble.
== Unsolicited Private Mail to Other Listees ==
Sending unsolicited private email to another list member is fine. Doing so repeatedly, in any sort of harassing manner, is cause for removal from the list. Failure to stop sending email to a list member after requests to cease such action is cause for immediate removal.
==Participate==
The best type of forum is one where people contribute. You don’t have to post daily or even every few days, but one short contribution weekly (eg. a link to something interesting in eye care, a clinical question or case, a practice management tip etc etc) helps others.
==Referrals==
If you like the list, tell your friends (your Canadian optometric friends as a priority, but it is open to all VTODs) and ask them to join. The more good quality content we have, the better. It is quite appropriate to use the list to locate clinics for clients referrals.