<HTML><BODY style="word-wrap: break-word; -khtml-nbsp-mode: space; -khtml-line-break: after-white-space; ">A proposal for a shared netiquette on this mailing list<DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Dear All,</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>a few times in the past, the question has been raised as to whether nicknames and hidden personal identities should be allowed in this mailing list. I would like to elaborate a little bit on this point, in the hope to arrive at a shared netiquette.</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Revealing one's own identity should be considered as a sign of politeness and fairness to the other list members. I think it would be wrong to enforce this policy, but I also believe that each of us should make a serious effort to understand that it is far more pleasant to talk and to write to a human being with a name and an address, rather than to a virtual science-pal of whom one ignores everything but the nickname. This would also enhance mutual understanding and reinforce the feeling of this forum as a community. This being said, I think that we should all respect those who, for one reason or the other, prefer to stay anonymous: they will continue to receive the same attention (or lack thereof ;-) as the other "named" members.</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Personal e-mails among list members, though, deserve a particular and different attention. As one of the promoters of this mailing list, I feel the responsability of making e-mail addresses of its list members publicly available. I think that revealing one's own identity should be considered as mandatory when addressing in private to another list member. Particularly so, when the identity of the addressee is publicly know. If the idenity of the addressee is publicly known, hiding one's own identity in a private correspondence is like placing an anonymous telephone call. You will all agree that this is not a practice to be encouraged.</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>In conclusion: I do appreciate knowing the identity of my correspondents, but I do not mind answering anonymous ("nicknamed") requests on the mailing list. Anonymity in the private correspondence among list members should instead be strongly discouraged, although, of course, we cannot make anything to forbid it.</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Many thanks for your patient reading of my thoughts.</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Stefano Baroni</DIV><DIV>Professor of Physics</DIV><DIV>Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati</DIV><DIV>Trieste</DIV><DIV><BR><DIV> <SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: auto; -khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: none; text-indent: 0px; -apple-text-size-adjust: auto; text-transform: none; orphans: 2; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: auto; -khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: none; text-indent: 0px; -apple-text-size-adjust: auto; text-transform: none; orphans: 2; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: auto; -khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: none; text-indent: 0px; -apple-text-size-adjust: auto; text-transform: none; orphans: 2; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: auto; -khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: none; text-indent: 0px; -apple-text-size-adjust: auto; text-transform: none; orphans: 2; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: auto; -khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: none; text-indent: 0px; -apple-text-size-adjust: auto; text-transform: none; orphans: 2; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: auto; -khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: none; text-indent: 0px; -apple-text-size-adjust: auto; text-transform: none; orphans: 2; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: auto; -khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: none; text-indent: 0px; -apple-text-size-adjust: auto; text-transform: none; orphans: 2; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: auto; -khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: none; text-indent: 0px; -apple-text-size-adjust: auto; text-transform: none; orphans: 2; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: auto; -khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: none; text-indent: 0px; -apple-text-size-adjust: auto; text-transform: none; orphans: 2; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; "><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><FONT class="Apple-style-span" size="3"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; ">---</SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></FONT></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><FONT class="Apple-style-span" size="3"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; ">Stefano Baroni - SISSA</SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT class="Apple-style-span" size="3"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT class="Apple-style-span" size="3"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; ">&</SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT class="Apple-style-span" size="3"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT class="Apple-style-span" size="3"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; ">DEMOCRITOS National Simulation Center - Trieste</SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></FONT></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><FONT class="Apple-style-span" size="3"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; ">[+39] 040 3787 406 (tel) -528 (fax) / stefanobaroni (skype)</SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></FONT></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><FONT class="Apple-style-span" size="3"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></SPAN></FONT></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><FONT class="Apple-style-span" size="3"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; ">Please, if possible, don't</SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT class="Apple-style-span" size="3"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT class="Apple-style-span" size="3"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; ">send me MS Word or PowerPoint attachments</SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></FONT></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><FONT class="Apple-style-span" size="3"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; ">Why? See:</SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT class="Apple-style-span" size="3"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; "> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></FONT><A href="http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/no-word-attachments.html"><FONT class="Apple-style-span" color="#0023E9" size="3"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;; color: rgb(0, 35, 233); -khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 35, 233); font-size: 12px; -khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 35, 233); font-size: 12px; -khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 35, 233); font-size: 12px; -khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 35, 233); font-size: 12px; -khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 35, 233); font-size: 12px; -khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 35, 233); font-size: 12px; -khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 35, 233); font-size: 12px; -khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 35, 233); font-size: 12px; -khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/no-word-attachments.html</SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></FONT></A></DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><BR class="Apple-interchange-newline"></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN> </DIV><BR></DIV></BODY></HTML>