Given events a few threads down this might be as good a time as any to discuss in a general way how the Interchange works. Oldtimers have heard all this before, but new readers may not have heard our spiel. So--All Aboard, here goes:

We are not a "good news only" forum. Thoughtful critical obervations are key to improving standards in our field, and we welcome them. We don't moderate the forum to "protect" any one or another group or organization.

However, after 4 years' experience we have devleoped some rules of the road for critical discussion on this forum. Criticism should be constructive; it should not use insults or argument by appeal to emotion; it should be rooted in argments and observations of fact. Opinions are welcome, even negative ones, but we strongly encourage people to distinguish clearly between asserting an opinion and stating a fact.

We find that nearly anything can be said and discussed within these rules of the road--and discussed more productively than if we use flames and invective.


eledbetter@rypn.org