Conference smurf::civil_war

    To make CIVIL_WAR a pleasant place for people to note, we ask that you
    try to follow the "noter's etiquette" guidelines as given in Chapter 3
    of the _VAX Notes User/Reference Manual_.  Some of the most important
    suggestions are:
    
    o  Use correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation.  Use DECspell or
       a dictionary; if you haven't got access to either, ask a friend.

    o  Use mixed case.  USING ALL UPPER CASE makes your notes harder to
       read, and it is generally interpreted as shouting.

    o  Use narrow line width.  Don't allow your lines to run off the edges
       of the screen.  For xnotes users, this problem afflicts the last
       lines of paragraphs.

    o  Make paragraphs about five to seven lines long.

    o  Avoid libelous remarks.  (See note 1.2 for amplification.)

    o  Do not post content-free inflamatory material (like "Buell was a
       jerk").  Feel free to express opinions, but then explain why you
       have made such a statement.  Own what you think and write.

    o  If you post notes from an account that does not identify who you are
       (SYSTEM, FIELD, OPERATOR, etc.), you *must* include your own name
       somewhere in the note, either within the text or as part of your
       Notes personal name.  Notes that cannot be attributed to a specific
       person will be summarily deleted by the moderators.

    When writing notes in this conference, please do not make defamatory,
    slanderous, or offensive remarks about any person, group of persons, or 
    business.  In addition to drawing intense return fire, such remarks can
    incur direct legal liability against Digital.
    
    Defining "slander" is a very hard task.  In general, you should avoid
    making comments that:
    
    o  Are mostly insulting in nature
    
    o  Offer maliciously worded negative opinions

    o  Offer subjective conclusions as fact
    
    o  Endanger the reputation or livelihood of a person, business, group,
       etc.
    
    This file exists througth the good will of Digital management and of
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    owe it to these people not to cause hassles for them.
    
    This does not mean that everything in here has to be positive, but it
    means that you must be careful and very low-key when making negative
    statements about others.
    
    Notes that are considered by the moderators to violate the rules stated
    herein will be set hidden by the moderators until the issues they raise
    are resolved.  The moderators have the final say in what is allowed
    here.

    Before starting a topic (i.e., new note), first check that there isn't
    already a topic on the same thing.  For example, don't start a new
    topic to reply to someone's statement in a currently-active topic.  You
    can find existing topics by using the following commands:
    
    DIRECTORY/KEYWORD=<word_of_interest>
    
    DIRECTORY/TITLE=<word_of_interest>
    
    DIRECTORY/TEXT="words of interest"
    
    Use the SHOW KEYWORDS command to get a list of current keywords.  You
    can help others by adding keywords liberally to your notes.
    
    Please make titles meaningful.  A title like "Jeb" could indicate that
    your note is about J.E.B. Stuart, but it's not really adequate for
    newcomers who may not know the alternative forms of Stuart's name. 
    Most people use the DIRECTORY/TITLE command a fair amount, so please
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    Using DIRECTORY/TEXT can take several lifetimes if the file grows very
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    Multiple topics on the same discussion may be moved or deleted at the
    moderators' discretion.
    
    If you enter something in the Rathole topic, please make sure it refers
    to the note from which it is a digression.  The easiest way to do that
    is to use "Re: <note_id>" as the first line of your note.

    There are several reserved notes for particular common purposes. 
    Please use the following notes if they apply - don't start random
    topics to rathole a discussion, say goodbye, or offer something for
    sale.
    
    Topic	Title			Remarks
       2	Sign in, please!	Who are you?  Don't respond to
    					intros here; respond in Topic 6.
       3	The Rathole		Digressions, diversions, and other
    					unrelated ramblings - carry things
    					to the Rathole from other topics if
    					they're not really on the thread.
       6	Responses to intros	Want to welcome someone?  Or to say
    					farewell?  Do it here.
       7	Help Requests		Ask for help or resources here.  Do
    					not reply offering them here - do
    					it by mail!
       8	Classified Ads		Offer things for sale or swap here.
    					Please delete your notes when your
    					merchandise is sold or traded.
      16	Civil War Events	Post notices of re-enactments or
    					other ACW events here.