There is some, probably, unnecessary duplication about the real name issue in paragraphs 1 and 2.

Great job Anne Marie!

Yes indeed,Anne Marie, a great job. What a pleasure to read a document like this and have it be so understandable.

One question I have concerns the prohibition about posting a link to Web sites advertising goods or services. The first thing that came to mind was books at Amazon. Is linking to a book at a site which sells books disallowed? I also wondered about planning, for example at the Opok Farm Village thread we are exploring compressed soil brick making. Is it disallowed to point to a page which describes various machinery or tools if such pages also make those available for sale?

Good point John - and if we are selling goods at lifeinafrica.org or madebysurvivors.com are those links also disallowed?

John Powers said:

Yes indeed,Anne Marie, a great job. What a pleasure to read a document like this and have it be so understandable.

One question I have concerns the prohibition about posting a link to Web sites advertising goods or services. The first thing that came to mind was books at Amazon. Is linking to a book at a site which sells books disallowed? I also wondered about planning, for example at the Opok Farm Village thread we are exploring compressed soil brick making. Is it disallowed to point to a page which describes various machinery or tools if such pages also make those available for sale?

John, I believe I can speak for the board and say all of the links that you mentioned should be allowed. My own justification of that answer is that I think we are looking to eliminate links to advertisements and sales sites that are blatantly self-serving.

The same goes for LiA and TEN - although both Christina and John benefit financially from those organization, they are mainly not self-serving.

Thanks Linda, although at this point we have only put money into TEN and have not taken any wages - though we will have to soon.

I think the idea of that point is not to prohibit even linking to other social enterprises that are not ned related if you are doing so in the same way you would with a conversation between friends - ie, have you seen this cool new place? The idea is to prohibit using Ned as an not topical marketing campain.

Dear All, I dont know whether i will be out of context but i request to know the rationale of giving say +1 feedback and or more, and negative feedbacks and what value does it add to a recepient of such points or a loser,and what economic value does it have on the Ned.com members corresponding? Kindly let me get to know this for my effective participation. Gerald.

I give people points for valuable contributions and when they have done something that would increase my trust of them. I have not had to consider giving anyone here negative feedback points but would look at them as a "No! No! No!" for the first one and increasingly more harsh a reprimand as the number went up.

I guess I really don't see them as having any economic value though they certainly do have value. People who have more points tend to be people who contribute more and are more active. They might be someone who would be considered to be valued by the community for the contributions they have made and they might be someone that a new member could turn to for help.

Does that help a little?

Linda

I see points as a simple way of letting the quality material become more visible on the site.

For instance, if a discussion gets enough points, it can show up on the front page.

Thanks Linda+Carroll for the hints and putting me in the lights i can now participate effectively in whatever discussion in place. Gerald.