PIUG/PATMG Patent Information Discussion List
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Guidelines for Commercial Postings |
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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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Complete this form to join or leave the PIUG List
The web addresses for these forms are
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PLEASE REMEMBER THE FOLLOWING:
- 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.
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irregularities in receipt of messages should be sent to the list
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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
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Moderator approval for distribution without the attachments.
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carrying such options.
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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.
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- 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.
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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.
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remove the headers from incoming email. Please sign any messages with your
name, company, email, etc. to identify the author of each message.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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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The following guidelines have been developed for posting of
information about commercial products on the PIUG/PATMG Patent Information Discussion List:
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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.
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Responses by commercial representatives to questions about the content
or features of their products are welcomed and encouraged.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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
© 2008 The Patent Information Users Group, Inc. – PIUG Website Committee
Webmaster: Tom Wolff (piugwebmaster @ gmail.com): –
Updated: 6 May 2008
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