PIUG/PATMG Patent Information Discussion List

| Joining the PIUG Discussion List | Sending Messages to the List |
| Guidelines for Commercial Postings | Access the PIUG List Archive |

LIST OWNER: Patent Information Users Group (PIUG)

Co-chairs/Co-moderators: Contact A.J. D'Ambra and Tom Wolff (piug_discussion_list-owner(at)v2(dot)listbox(dot)com) with any questions or problems. This list is maintained on the commercial hosting service, Listbox.

The PIUG/PATMG Patent Information Discussion List (PIUG List) serves as a forum for discussion of questions relating to patent information. News and questions and concerns about new developments in patent information from patent information users, patent offices, including the USPTO, the EPO and others, and patent information vendors are encouraged. Indexing and searching techniques, new databases and systems (online, in-house or on CD-ROM), and developments in existing databases are suitable as topics for discussion.

This list which was originally started by the Patent Information Users Group as a DIALMAIL Bulletin Board in 1989 is now available on the Internet. The Patent and Trademark Group (PATMG) of IIS also collaborate in providing patent information. The initial web-based PIUG-L was used until October 2006 and was provided courtesy of Thomson Scientific, whose support for many years is greatfully acknowledged.

Messages sent to PIUG List are not reviewed before distribution. Messages are not verified for accuracy and/or content, and submission on the list does not imply any endorsement by the list owner. The authors of messages are solely responsible for their content. It is recommended that messages do not normally exceed 150 lines.

PIUG List is a closed list, meaning that the only people who can post messages without delay directly to the list are those who are subscribed, and sending the message from the subscribed email account.

Non-subscribers and subscribers using non-subscribed email addresses may send messages to the PIUG List and those messages will normally be subject to a slight delay for the PIUG List Moderators to approve them for distribution.

Unlike in the previous list, users can specify daily, weekly or monthly digests of PIUG List messages without having to subscribe via a different means.

Everyone may send messages to PIUG officers, committee people and staff using the User Comments and Questions Form.

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Maintaining Subscription to the PIUG List

Complete this form to join or leave the PIUG List

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The web addresses for these forms are http://v2.listbox.com/subscribe/?list_id=9135 [subscribe] and http://v2.listbox.com/member/?list_id=9135 [unsubscribe and other subscription options].

Once you have been subscribed to the list, you will receive a welcome message. It contains instructions for unsubscribing from the list.

To subscribe to the PIUG List by email, send a message to subscribe-piug_discussion_list(at)listbox(dot)com. Listbox will send a confirmation message to that address. Please click on the link contained in that message, or reply to the message to activate your subscription to the list.

To unsubscribe to the PIUG List by email, send a message to unsubscribe-piug_discussion_list(at)listbox(dot)com. If you are subscribed to the list with the address you are writing from, you will be automatically unsubscribed.

Complete this form to change subscription parameters, such as email address, name, affiliation, digest frequency, password, suspend messages during vacation; or to access the archives (since November 2006):

 

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The web address for this form is http://v2.listbox.com/member/?list_id=9135.

Full archives are available on the Archives webpage.

Send messages to the PIUG List co-chairs to piug_discussion_list-owner(at)v2(dot)listbox(dot)com).

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Sending Messages to the PIUG/PATMG Patent Information
Discussion List - General Rules and Guidelines

Send messages intended for the discussion list to: piug_discussion_list@v2.listbox.com

PLEASE REMEMBER THE FOLLOWING:

  1. Messages sent to PIUG List are not reviewed before distribution. Messages are not verified for accuracy and/or content, and submission on the list does not imply any endorsement by the list owner. The authors of messages are solely responsible for their content. Authors are encouraged to keep their messages brief and to edit REPLIES so as to avoid resending lengthy threads of messages.
  2. EVERYTHING you send to this address will be sent to everyone on the list. Messages relating to the operation of the list or to irregularities in receipt of messages should be sent to the list co-chairs rather than the list itself.
  3. Messages posted to the list should be in html or text format without attachments; for the most part, their formatting will be maintained. Attachments containing executable files or in Word, PowerPoint or Excel format may contain viruses, and any postings containing them will be automatically deleted by the Listbox software. Please remove signature files or v-cards attached to your postings as separate files, as well any disclaimers regarding confidential or privileged info. Messages with attachments will be delayed because they will need PIUG List Moderator approval for distribution without the attachments.
  4. Disable all email delivery options before posting messages to the PIUG List. Such options include return receipt and sign/encrypt, which may be enabled by default in your e-mail client software. These features automatically double the e-mail traffic through the list, and propagate – like an annoying virus – through any subsequent replies to messages carrying such options.
  5. Avoid bombarding List members with out-of-office replies. Each member who posts to the list can received dozens of out-of-office messages unless subscribers take appropriate action. Please configure your email software not to autosend to the PIUG list. If you don't know how to do this, consult your software's help menu or ask your local IT help desk. For Microsoft Outlook, use the Out Of Office Assistant: at the bottom of the form, there are options for setting custom rules that will be followed for auto-responses. For example, setup Outlook using the Advanced option to auto-reply to emails that are NOT from *@*.listbox.com.
  6. All messages to the PIUG list are automatically archived.
  7. Job Postings - Notifications of professional positions in the patent information area are welcome. It is suggested that such postings start with the label "Job Posting:" to highlight them for recipients and to facilitate locating them in the current archive. Job postings are moved to a separate section of the Archives periodically.
  8. Create meaningful titles for messages posted to PIUG List and modify the title of a REPLY when the title of the original message is not appropriate to your own message. Many people receive 20 or more email messages a day from different lists. A meaningful title will increase the probability that your message will be read.
  9. Sign messages sent to the PIUG List: Some computer systems remove the headers from incoming email. Please sign any messages with your name, company, email, etc. to identify the author of each message.
  10. Check the email address on REPLYs. One common mistake made by users of email forums is to issue a "REPLY" command to a query or opinion, thinking that the response will go only to the person who originally sent the message. Depending upon the email software used by the originator of the message and the receiver, the reply may go to everyone on the list. Therefore if you want to reply just to the sender of the original message, note the address of that person and send a new message only to that address.
  11. Users of this forum are expected to adhere to professional standards of courtesy; personal disagreements should be discussed privately and not posted to the discussion list.
  12. Consult with one or more PIUG officers if you believe that a posting violates these guidelines or the guidelines for commercial postings (below). Please do not post a REPLY castigating the sender of the offending message. The names and email addresses of PIUG officers are listed on the PIUG website Officers webpage. In the event that the officers decide that a pattern of non-compliance has been established by a particular individual or company, that individual or company will be contacted privately by one of the PIUG officers and requested to comply with established guidelines for posting. In extreme cases, further action (including termination of PIUG List membership) will be undertaken as necessary by the Executive Committee.

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Sending Messages to the PIUG/PATMG Patent Information
Discussion List - Guidelines for Commercial Postings

The following guidelines have been developed for posting of information about commercial products on the PIUG/PATMG Patent Information Discussion List:

  1. Commercial postings, including press releases, are not monitored, but only those that are clearly related to patents and related information sources should be placed on PIUG-L.
  2. Responses by commercial representatives to questions about the content or features of their products are welcomed and encouraged.
  3. Information on new products, services or pricing structures, training seminars or classes, press releases containing business information relevant to the interests of PIUG members, and replies to requests for assistance are welcome. Messages focused on marketing or advertising the company itself, as opposed to providing specific information regarding products or services of use to the membership of PIUG, should be avoided.
  4. Commercial postings should be short, without attachments (no PDF, WORD or executable files), and may include a location, e.g. a web address, where more detailed information can be obtained if desired.
  5. Company representatives are expected to avoid disparaging comparisons with competing products. Comparisons with competitors should be limited to brief factual statements about content, price or features.
  6. An individual who is not a company representative may submit comparisons with competing products, however such postings are expected to avoid unsupported attacks on commercial products or their representatives.
  7. Prices should be summarized briefly, and messages should include a name, phone or FAX number or e-mail address for people who want to follow up on the prices of products.

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Last edited: 19 February 2008 / Tom Wolff

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Webmaster: Tom Wolff (piugwebmaster @ gmail.com): – Updated: 6 May 2008