PLANETA

Planeta Forum Guidelines (Español)

HANDOUT
PLANETA FORUM

In obscurity or fame we're all playing in this game.
- Collaboration Notebook

PHOTO GALLERY: Planeta Forum

The Planeta Forum has 300+ registered members and more than 9,000 articles and is offered to colleagues as a courtesy. If you want to have your say, please follow these guidelines and read this first!

ABOUT THE FORUM

Writers are our readers and the photographs are mostly of our friends or by our friends. And to keep things really lively, we host an online forum inspired by the methodology of Open Space Technology. The cost of admission is engaged participation.

To avoid spambots for everyone's protection, members must first be approved. We need to know who you are, so please take some time to review the following guidelines so you make a good impression!

REQUIREMENTS AND REQUESTS

REQUIREMENT -- Participants need to be active. Give it a go! Please post at least two messages per year to maintain your account. Your first message should be posted within a week of your account being activated. Inactive accounts will be removed.

TIP - Be Generous: Like this website? Let us know and talk it up. We welcome financial contributions from donors.

RECIPROCITY RULES -- Participants with websites should add a link to Planeta.com.

SUGGESTIONS

During the registration process, answer 'interests' and 'occupation' and if you have a website, include the URL. Ignore the signature line.

Feedback about our website is welcome via our Suggestion Box

For delightfully nerdy technical details, review the PhPbb User Guide

RULES OF THE PLANETA FORUM

Want to be a fully engaged member? Follow these rules (based on the Rules of Bar Camp, based on Rules of Fight Club)

1st Rule: Talk about the Planeta Forum and Planeta.com.
2nd Rule: Link to the Planeta Forum and Planeta.com site. If you can, blog about the forum.
3rd Rule: Discussions will go on as long as they need.
4th Rule: If this is your first month on the forum, introduce yourself.

BACKGROUND

Membership in our forum is a privilege, not a right. Every online forum has its own set of guidelines. We ask that participants agree to guidelines presented here and the Forum FAQ. Messages may be deleted if they are not on topic or do not further the discussion. Also, topics and forums are archived as long as they are active.

WHY REGISTER?

Registered participants can introduce themselves and reply to topics.

If you wish to pay attention to a particular topic, click 'watch this topic for replies' in the lower left-hand corner.

AVOIDING SPAM

To avoid forum spam, we are asking a simple question in the registration process:

What number is after five?
Answer: six
In what year was the 2002 Year of Ecotourism?
Answer: 2002

WHAT'S NEW?

Check out what's new. Once you log in, select view posts since last visit.

CREATING NEW TOPICS

Only administrators can introduce new topics. Participants may suggest a new topic.

MAINTAINING A TOPIC

If we create a topic for you in our forum, we ask that you keep us updated at least every two months. We want to know what's happening in your corner of the world!

GENERAL GUIDELINES

FOCUS -- Focus on two or three topics and provide continuity. After you post an announcement or ask a question, share what you learn.

PROMOTE PEACEFUL ENGAGEMENT -- A dialogue requires global understanding and peaceful engagement. Be open to learning and share your views in a way that allows for differences in POV.

FAQ

Q - I'm stuck. When I click on 'New Topic,' the page tells me that only moderators can post.

A - That's right. Only moderators can create new topics. But you can open a topic and click 'post reply' to enter your message.

RATIONALE -- We prefer a slow and steady dialogue over a multitude of new topics in which there is no follow-up. Creating a new topic is easy if there is demand. But chances are a message will fit within the existing range of topics.

Q - I am trying to register and it keeps rejecting my signature.

A - Solution - leave 'signature' blank. If you have a website, please add that link. Readers of your posts will then be able to visit your site by clicking the 'www' button under your message.

RATIONALE -- Our system is set up not to show signatures.

PRACTICAL TIPS

1) TAKE YOUR TIME BUT DON'T LURK! -- After you register, a great place to provide input is our Suggestion Box.

2) INTRODUCE YOURSELF -- When you register, remember the Web is global, so be sure to tell us where you are -- this means the city and country where you work. This information can be included in your member profile.

3) PLAY NICE -- Enjoy your visit! Our forum encourages a frank and open discussion. Disagreement is allowed, but personal insults are not.

4) SHARE THE NEWS -- What is new in your corner of the world? Send first-hand information. Please do not send the complete text of articles that you did not write.

5) INCLUDE THE URL -- If a document appears elsewhere on the web, please provide the specific URL, including the "http://" which activates the hyperlink if copied to an email or word document program.

6) SPACING -- In between paragraphs, include a hard return so that the text is easy to read.

7) BREVITY IS BEAUTIFUL -- We suggest a word limit of 250 words or 2 or 3 short paragraphs. Instead of posting a long message, you have a few options: a) You can offer to email the document, b) You can place it on your own website and include the URL in your message.

8) SPELLLING -- If you have software for spell checking, please use this technology and then copy and paste. Also, be selective when using CAPITAL LETTERS which can be interpreted (particularly by English-language readers) as SHOUTING.

9) REPLYING -- When replying to a message, it is best to edit the comment into your response.

10) GO WITH THE FLOW -- Online dialogues ebb and flow. Know what you want to say, know what you want to learn and go with the flow.

RESPONSIBILITIES

EVENT ORGANIZERS -- Keep us up-to-date on your preparation and please post a summary within two weeks. If Planeta accepts an invite, we'll feature the event in our calendar.

WEBSITE OWNERS -- Create a link to Planeta. URLs remain stable to destination and topical guides. You can also link to the forums in which you are participating or advising. And, yes, we also have Banners!