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The internet discussion list for gay men who are HIV+

Posting Guidelines

• SECTION A: General Information
  
  
• SECTION B: Guidelines
  
  
• SECTION C: How to Post to The GayPoz List
  
  
• SECTION D: How to Unsubscribe
  
  
• SECTION E: How to Retrieve a List of Commands
                          to Send to the Server
  
  
• SECTION F: Administrative Notes

SECTION A: General Information

I. What is GayPoz?

GayPoz is an Internet discussion list exclusively for GAY MEN WHO ARE HIV POSITIVE to share emotional support, medical information, everyday life experiences, and topics of general interest while living with HIV/AIDS.

II. Why is GayPoz restricted to Gay Men who are HIV Positive?

Although HIV/AIDS affects people throughout society, the ways in which the disease presents itself, including clinical markers, can vary significantly by gender. The social, economic and political implications of living with HIV/AIDS also vary by the community affected. Just as some women are more comfortable discussing women's health issues only in the safety of an all woman's group, some Gay men living with HIV feel more comfortable discussing certain issues only in a group whose participation is limited to HIV POSITIVE GAY MEN. The sole purpose of GayPoz is to provide a safe environment for such discussion.

III. What is the nature of the GayPoz List?

GayPoz is a CLOSED list. Potential members must be APPROVED by a List Administrator before becoming a subscriber. This is accomplished through our application process.

IV. How do you subscribe to GayPoz?

1.) Send a message either to:

gaypoz-subscribe@gaypoz.org (individual format)

or to

gaypoz-digest-subscribe@gaypoz.org (digest format)

Note: You may subscribe to either or both formats. Subscribers to the individual format receive messages posted to the list in real time as they are processed by our server. Subscribers to the digest format receive a complete compilation of all messages posted to the list in the previous twelve hour period, or when the cache of stored messages on our server exceeds 40K in size. DIGESTS are generated at approximately 08h30 and 20h30 GMT each day unless there are no new messages in the cache.

2.) Upon receipt of a subscription request, The List Administrators will send out the GayPoz Subscription Application.

     a.) The GayPoz Subscription Application will be sent to the address from which the application was received.

     b.) Answer ALL the questions contained in the application and return it to The List Administrators. Please use the address gaypoz-owner@gaypoz.org to return the application.

3.) A List Administrator will review the application and will respond within twenty-four hours. If you qualify, you will be subscribed immediately.

V. Is GayPoz Censored by the List Administrators?

1.) NO.

2.) GayPoz is an UNMODERATED list. Submitted postings go directly to and are processed by the server without prior review, editing or censorship.

3.) All Postings, however, MUST FALL WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES of the GayPoz Guidelines listed in SECTION B of the Guidelines below.

4.) In the event of a problem, one of the List Administrators will correspond privately with the subscriber involved to discuss and resolve the problem.

     a.) Since administrative correspondence is private, it may not be forwarded, or quoted in a post, to the list.

     b.) The actions of the List Administrators are not subject to discussion on the list.

5.) The List Administrators may occasionally make a public [GPLM] (GayPoz List Manager's Announcement) to clarify a posting policy or to announce something of special interest to the group. These postings are not subject to the restrictions set out in 4b above.

SECTION B: Guidelines

Here are some guidelines for the GayPoz Internet Discussion List.

NOTES:

     a.) It is neither desirable, nor even possible, to anticipate every situation which might arise on a support list such as GayPoz within a single set of guidelines. The purpose of these Guidelines is to establish a general framework for promoting the purpose and harmony of the list.

     b.) Applicability and interpretation of these guidelines is at the sole discretion of the List Administrators.

     c.) A List Administrator's decision is final and not subject to discussion by the subscribers on the list itself.

1.) Feel free to share information, experiences, feelings, opinions, and topics of general interests in a compassionate and supportive manner.

2.) The assumption is that HIV IS THE CAUSE OF AIDS.

     a.) Messages to the contrary ARE NOT to be posted.

     b.) Messages with URL's to denialist sites ARE NOT to be posted.

NOTE: Any subscriber who breaks this guideline may be unsubscribed immediately without prior warning and be banned permanently from this list.

3.) Do not post any advertisements.

4.) Researchers and observers are asked NOT to subscribe.

     a.) This list is for GAY MEN LIVING WITH HIV.

     b.) Respect our privacy and confidentiality.

5.) Respect each other.

     a.) Do not attack another subscriber for his opinion. One can ask for clarification in a kind way.

     b.) Do not swear at another subscriber or tell him where he needs to go or what he can do to himself.

6.) No blaming or telling people that they will die if they don't follow your treatment ideas or beliefs.

     a.) This refers not only to experimental treatments but to supplemental treatments and traditional methods, (i.e. treatment methods not following the accepted western medical model).

     b.) This can, however, also apply to HAART as well as other approved treatments.

7.) Please take the time to make your message the best it can be.

     a.) Is your post appropriate for an E-mail support group?

     b.) Will your email further the purpose of the group? Remember, your message will be seen by hundreds of people who are taking their time to read it.

     c.) PLEASE quote ONLY the portion of the message to which you are responding to rather than reproducing the entire message.

          i.) Just don't hit the "reply" or "send now" button.

          ii.) Highlight the portion of the message that you are responding to and THEN send it to the list with your comments.

     d.) PLEASE USE SPELL CHECK! Proper spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and line and paragraph breaks will help make your message more readable.

     e.) DO NOT use the "CC" function when posting to the list. Your "CC" may contain a message to someone who is NOT HIV POSITIVE and others who see the GayPoz address may assume incorrectly that the person is HIV POSITIVE. Instead use the "BCC" function.

8.) Never forward, resend, or redirect any E-mail you receive on GayPoz without:

     a.) First obtaining the sender's specific permission, and

     b.) After permission has been granted, removing all GayPoz identifying information from the message.

9.) Do not respond on the list to any message which you have received in private from another GayPoz Subscriber without first obtaining the sender's permission to do so.

10.) Avoid sending "Test" messages to the list. If you believe you are having problems receiving or sending messages to GayPoz, please contact a List Administrator. You may contact any of the administrators privately or by sending your message to:

gaypoz-owner@gaypoz.org

1.) Once you are subscribed, you may post messages by addressing your message(s) to:

gaypoz@gaypoz.org

2.) Messages MUST be sent from your SUBSCRIBED address. The server recognizes email addresses, not subscribers' names. Messages coming from unrecognized addresses will be bounced by the server.

3.) Messages MUST contain a Subject line. Messages without a subject line will be bounced by the server.

4.) Threads evolve. If, in replying to another member's message, you find that you are changing topics, please take time to change the original Subject Line of your response.

SECTION D: How to Unsubscribe

1.) To unsubscribe from the individual format send a blank email from your subscribed address to the address

gaypoz-unsubscribe@gaypoz.org

To unsubscribe from the digest format send a blank email from your subscribed address to:

gaypoz-digest-unsubscribe@gaypoz.org

2.) You may also unsubscribe from GayPoz by sending your request to a List Administrator at:

gaypoz-owner@gaypoz.org

They will manually remove your address from the subscription roster. When contacting a list administrator with any subscription request, please reference the format to which you are subscribed in the body of the message.

3.) Please do not send your request to the list itself.

SECTION E: How to Retrieve a List of Commands to Send to the Server

1.) For a list of commands that you can send to this list server, send a blank message (i.e. a message with no subject and no body text) to:

gaypoz-help@gaypoz.org

SECTION F: Administrative Notes

1.) This is a PRIVATE list. Only the List Administrators can retrieve members E-mail addresses.

     a.) Except as may be required in compliance with applicable Federal, State or Local law, we will never release the E-mail address of any subscriber to any third party.

     b.) While this policy offers reasonable privacy to members of the list, please remember that not much is truly private on the internet. Please help us to maintain an atmosphere of confidentiality and trust.

     c.) Our Privacy Statement can be found on the Internet at:

http://www.gaypoz.org/list-confidentiality.html

2.) If GayPoz mail sent to your subscribed address bounces back to our server, the server may automatically suspend your subscription.

     a.) The List Administrators do not receive notice from the server about members who are thus unsubscribed.

     b.) If you believe that you have been removed from the list simply send a request to be resubscribed to the list administrators at:

gaypoz-owner@gaypoz.org

c.) Do not worry about being subscribed more than once. The server software automatically prevents this. When contacting a list administrator with any subscription request, please reference the format to which you are subscribed in the body of the message.

3.) Messages posted to the list reflect the opinion of the person posting the message.

     a.) No claim is made as to the accuracy or validity of any information posted.

     b.) Individual treatment strategies and decisions are the responsibility of the individual and his physician.

4.) Please make sure your mail program is configured to send only plain text messages when posting to the list. Messages utilizing enhanced text, stationery, HTML or embedded graphics are strictly prohibited. It is, however, permissible to include URLs (hyperlinks) to relevant websites in your posts.

     a.) Enhanced text, stationery, HTML or embedded graphics can create problems for our visually impaired members using older text to speech engines to access the list.

     b.) Our server will not allow graphics or other coded attachments to be passed through to the list.

     c.) Attachments include programs, images, MS Word documents, etc.

NOTE: If you want to send attachments to an individual subscriber, please send them to the subscriber directly.

5.) Neither the originators of messages to this list, the List Administrators, the Board of Directors of Positive Lists, Inc. nor our host, BoyGenius Incorporated, share in the responsibility for individual treatment strategies and/or decisions.

6.) GayPoz is hosted as a courtesy by BoyGenius Incorporated.

     a.) BoyGenius does not monitor the contents of this list.

     b.) BoyGenius disclaims any responsibility for any of the contents of any of the messages distributed via this list.

     c.) BoyGenius will never distribute your E-mail address or personal information to any party for any reason.

     d.) BoyGenius will never distribute messages which pass through this list to any party who is not a GayPoz List Subscriber.

By Subscribing to this list, you agree that you understand and acknowledge receipt of this notice.

7.) Positive Lists, Inc. also maintains a MORE GENERAL AND INCLUSIVE mailing list called HIV-Support.

LIST ADMINISTRATORS

Robert K Armstrong
New York, NY USA

Robert K Nemeth
Toronto, Ontario CANADA

James Michael Hayes
Boston, Massachusetts USA

All can be reached at: gaypoz-owner@gaypoz.org

WEBMASTER

Mark E Davies
Ekurhuleni, Gauteng, REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA

c/o: gaypoz-owner@gaypoz.org

BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF POSITIVE LISTS. INC.

James Michael Hayes, President
Stephen Matthew Hogan, Secretary
Robert K Armstrong, Treasurer
Eric O Moore
Robert K Nemeth

EMERITUS

Randall J Hayden, President Emeritus

LIST HOSTING

Boy Genius Incorporated

WEBSITE

http://www.GayPoz.org