Etiquette Reminders on Conducting External Affairs at Eratosphere
 

Rules of etiquette and common courtesy would dictate that, at least, anyone making business-related post about matters external to the Eratosphere would at least seek permission in advance before doing so. I've more or less ignored such posts up to now despite the bad form. However, since they appear to be on the rise, it's now necessary to spell some things out for everyone.

Those who wish to use to use the make posts, especially of a financial nature, for a business related to their enterprise and external to Able Muse / Eratosphere must first obtain explicit permission before doing so. This also applies to external presses harvesting Eratosphere archives or event collections for their ends. This is especially troubling when there is not so much as a courtesy note to that effect.

Only a limited number of scenarios have been provided here, so, if you feel your post or activity might be questionable in light of the above, be sure to obtain express authorization beforehand.

Thank you all for your cooperation in this matter.

...Alex

Alex--

Just to be on the paranoid side of caution, I assume this is exclusive of contests (e.g. the Nemerov or Hecht), new books/chapbooks (which it would be nice if people bought), and new issues of magazines (to which subscriptions would be nice). I'm not saying this to be difficult, but I'm not quite sure what you mean.

Hi Quincy,

Yes, that's right. Presses and journals and other such venues can still continue to announce their products (books, issues), events, contest, publications, etc. It's only when it escalates to the next level, such as external fundraising activities conducted here, or even harvesting Eratosphere archives or collections from Eratosphere events for publication by external presses, etc. without so much as courtesy note to me that I'm objecting to.

Cheers,
...Alex

Sorry if the Round-Up thing is what sparked this. It took me a bit by surprise as well, for what it's worth.

Thanks, Quincy. I hope all goes with with the new project.

Cheers,
...Alex

Quincy,

Alex is right on this one. On the one hand, it's considered professional courtesy to allow emergency discussions on one site for the purpose of resurrecting another. It's not out of bounds to discuss server status, configuration or migration issues, including systems, costs to migrate, availability, etc. Sometimes, with systems down, there's no other practicable way for parties to communicate when under "critical failure" status.

On the other hand, the fund-raising clearly crossed the line. It was unseemly, and inappropriate. I tried to stay out of that part, but I should have spoken up. Alex was right to be troubled by it. I'm sorry, Alex, for that part of it.

The good news? The crisis is past, the migration over. Maybe the best outcome of all this would be an end to sphere-bashing on external sites. After all, every member, yes, every member over there owes Alex a big thank you. Without the Sphere, that site might be down for the count.

Thanks,

Bill

The coast is clear.

Nemo

Bill,

Whatever apologies you owe Alex for moderator missteps might be better given in private. Quincy graciously apologised for something he did not even initiate, and yet you felt the need to spank him once more now that his pants are up? Come on, Bill. We all know how aware you are without such gratuitous, passive-aggressive reminders.

Nick

So, like, my kid selling Girl Scout cookies...no, right?

Yeah...and an equal donation to The Sphere, as well.

:)

I understand Alex's point, and yes, we are all grateful for Eratosphere's existence, not all in the same ways or to the same extent, of course. And yes, etiquette has its place when "business" or pleasure is being conducted. Though referring to poetry discussions as business, considering the debit-credit ink, is almost delusional--depending on where you are in the poetry cosmos, perhaps--and that's a huge perhaps.

Thanks to Nick for pointing out that Bill did not need to add his punitive 2 cents to the matter, thanks to Alex for reminders that courtesy and thanks are of the essence. I agree with Quincy that it's good this place (and Bill) helped him get his board back up.

It's also true that numerous Sphereans have benefitted from the long-term and often labor-intensive work that Quincy [not to mention Wendy Sloan, Eric Norris, myself and others] has done on Carmine Street Metrics as well as Raintown Review (with thanks of course to Anna Evans). So can we please give Quincy a break here? The fertilization goes both ways.

I am not in favor of further restraints on the Round-Up, and don't expect any that haven't already been put in place. It is unfair to demonize Quincy for giving certain members there some breathing space. I find he's done an amazingly even-handed job of keeping the peace there with a minimum of bans. In fact, arguments could be made that the Round-Up has enhanced rather than detracted from the Sphere. I'm perfectly serious.

I second that. Whole-heartedly. Thanks, Terese.

Dear Nick,

Thanks for your note. Of course you're right. I'm feeling a tad defensive, which means I'm in the wrong. :eek:

On the other hand, I was concerned about something entirely different. We've all seen people, over these past many years, commit large public faults and try to rectify them with small private apologies. Since my fault was public, I considered it best for my apology to be public. Anything else would be as knavish and cowardly as a shouted insult followed by a whispered apology. ;)

I'm sorry I gave you the impression I was "spanking" Quincy. That's was certainly not my intent, I do support his goals. I hope you'll put it down to my inarticulate expression. That way we can all move forward. :cool:

As for girl scout cookies, I'm trying to bake my own, from a new recipe. I need to go check the oven: it smells like they're burning...

Thanks,

Bill

A couple of things to note.

1. Bill and I and Alex and I have had pleasant email exchanges over the course of the day. None of us are angry with each other.

2. I would take issue with a potential implication in Bill's post--that the Round-Up is anti-Sphere. Not so. Many members are members of both--indeed everyone who's chimed into this thread has been a member at least at some point at the Round-Up. I don't think Lo or Alex has joined at the new place, but both can, and both would be welcome. There are a couple of ex-Sphereans at the Round-Up, too. Neither of them has ever tried to sneak back on or disrupt the Sphere's activities. I'll not hop on them for the periodic wisecrack. But really, the boards aren't enemies or even really rivals.

But really, the boards aren't enemies or even really rivals.

Different, but complementary, my dear (Doctor) Watson.

Anyway, I'm glad I started the thread, and that, with Bill's able assistance, you are back in business. Back online, I mean.

Philip