An important message to the Board

From: Tracy [IAS Administrator] (tracy.joslin@adhesions.org)
Sat Apr 12 15:57:52 2003


Please take a moment to review this message regarding recent posts on the board this week. Actually – it’s a long message, so get a cup of tea and get comfy.

While attempts to keep the board a safe and friendly site for everyone (men, women and children), may seem to recently been discussed, you are correct. In recent months, it has become necessary to remind everyone of a few guidelines; however, these guidelines for use of the message board have been in place since the site went live in 1996, with recent updates.

Because of disregard for the purpose of the message board and our website during the past year, Dr. Wiseman decided it was time to remind everyone of the guidelines for using the board (and our website). This was done by way of an announcement via a database emailing and posted on our website in December 2002. (See “What’s New" for this document). These guidelines are more lenient than many message boards out there, including the boards run by our own website host! Many boards will read each message, correct spellings and kick back messages to the author long before the message ever makes it out to everyone. The IAS Message Board does not work that way. Dr. Wiseman sees the messages the same time as everyone else does.

With the new website, we have been able to place a link to these guidelines directly on the main Message Board page for everyone to review. This was done at the request of many of our members.

Now, let me clear up a few things for everyone. The posts going back and forth about emails being rejected, what you can/can’t say, etc., while related – are not the same subject. Due to filters in place on our email server; hosted by obgyn.net, there are words you may put into your signature line, the subject line or into your message that could cause your email to be returned or not get through. These filters are in place to keep the people out who post messages about pornography, buying illegal drugs, touting hurtful religious ramifications, and unsolicited email asking us to join Yahoo groups and the like. Unfortunately, from time to time, this may impact messages that we want to get.

While you may not have noticed a decrease in this type of activity on the board – we have. Our server admin at obgyn.net has had fewer requests to delete these types of messages in the past few months. This is definitely giving Dr. Wiseman and I more time to focus on getting research funding, creating awareness and building the new website.

As for deleting messages – again, our website server admin (obgyn.net) is the only person able to delete messages and only after a request from Dr. Wiseman or myself. Usually it takes a few days to get our requests taken care and often times longer because I only ask for rushed assistance on the pornography and illegal drug messages. We all see the messages at the same time so it is impossible for me to do anything ahead of time. If you do not see your message on the board, please know (as I have stated before) that it is 99-100% of the time it is because of a problem with the server (traffic jams, system down, etc). Please stop jumping to the conclusion you have been “banned” from the site. If you have a question about this contact Dr. Wiseman or myself!

Members of our message board also have the ability to ask us to have a message deleted that they feel may be hateful or abusive – so keep this in mind the next time you jump onto the deleting of messages bandwagon; you have some say in what stays or goes also.

The initial email began by Karla was to let me know that email she was trying to forward directly to my adhesions.org email address, was being sent back as SPAM. There had to have been wording in her email that the filters picked up that did not allow her message to go through. Often it is words that appear in the subject line. And for the record, I’ve learned that “sweetie” and sometimes “hello” are words that seem to get kicked back if they are the only word in the subject line. To let you know how best to get your message through to our private emails is not a violation of free speech as someone had stated earlier.

Just remember that we do expect you to be courteous and respectful. If not, then take it offline. Nobody is getting kicked off the board or has been told to stop posting because of something they said, or a particular word they may have used. There is no reason to jump to the conclusion that you have to be afraid to post a message.

We have asked that the message board be used to discuss topics related to Adhesions and ARD, after all – that is the purpose of the board. The guidelines are not in place to upset anyone, just keep things going smoothly. Very simple.

Everyone has done a great job with their posts! The volume of emails on our board are growing each month and we are happy to see the support everyone is providing to others. There is nothing you need to change, continue posting your messages as you have been. We get many emails from newcomers saying how welcomed they feel and how much information and support they are receiving. For many people, the IAS may only be their outlet for information and/or support.

As the IAS gains stature in the global community as being the leader in patient support and research for Adhesions & ARD, we must ensure that continued presence of our message board be made favorable to everyone - men, women and children. To that end, we must be respectful of everyone. Also, more members of the medical community and the media are visiting our website than ever before.

Our time is better spent trying to help patients find doctors, seek funding for research into effective treatment for Adhesions & ARD, not policing the message board. As I stated in my last post – I am now off to finish working on updating our links to continue providing you with the information everyone has suggested – though this topic of discussion has exhausted most of my energy for the day. I myself am becoming sicker each day as I go through my own ordeal with adhesions and pending surgery. Between being ill this week and my dsl router being obnoxious and keeping me from email and internet – I apologize for the delay in getting this message out to everyone.

I would like to ask that if you have comments or questions, to please direct them to Dr. Wiseman or myself. This ends this discussion topic.

Thank you.

--
Tracy Joslin
IAS Administrator
tracy.joslin@adhesions.org

Neither the IAS, Synechion, Dr. Wiseman or any other representative offers medical advice. Always consult a qualified medical professional.


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