Today's internet does not carry the same "commercial-free" implication that the internet had a few years ago. Commerce and the internet now go hand in hand. Many professional services of the internet, this mailing list included, now cater to both commercial entities (people wanting to increase their business through the internet) and professional entities (people who use this list for the free exchange of information, ideas, solutions to problems, and questions.) While some people may still harbor "commercial-free" notions about the internet, the owner of this list does not. In addition, the owner of this list does not believe that the professional entities served by this list want to be inundated by commercial postings.

Therefore:

Advertising on NAOSMM (advertising is defined as posting messages to NAOSMM sponsoring or promoting an individual product or service in which the poster has a vested financial interest) is discouraged. Spam on NAOSMM (spam is defined as posting repeated or blatantly off-topic messages that relate to either nonsense or some hot-button issue) is prohibited. Forwards of internet warnings on computer viruses, internet chain letters, internet Christmas cards, etcetera, count as spam.

Persons wishing to post commercial messages must first contact the list owner ( blakeney@ruf.rice.edu) with the text of the message. Posters failing to contact the list owner with text of the proposed message will be summarily removed from the list. Persons posting spam will also be summarily removed from the list.

Commercial posts to NAOSMM must bear the characters AD: or COMMERCIAL: as the first in the subject line. This is a courtesy to our subscribers who have little time for sorting/reading e-mail. Commercial posts must pertain to scientific materials management, reporting, transportation, storage and/or disposal of materials to be distributed to the list.

Job postings are welcome on the NAOSMM listserv as long as they pertain to the interests of this group. They may be posted by any member or forwarded to the listserv manager at blakeney@ruf.rice.edu.

Please forward any questions about the NAOSMM Advertisement & Spam Policy to the listowner, blakeney@ruf.rice.edu.

Thank you,

Thomas Blakeney Internet Committee Member