Cohousing-L Mailing List: re:advertising

[horner,andrew w (awh]

Rob Sandelin wrote:

> So, yes or no, Would it be OK for cohousing groups to inform others on 
> this list that they have units for sale. (I guess I've already done that huh?)
> 
> So, yes or no, Is it OK for forming cohousing groups to solicit members 
> on this list?


Rob has put his finger on a grey area in my thesis. I, too, am no expert on
net etiquette, but I think if we talk this out, we can come to an appropriate
consensus for this list.

To go back to the example I used in my first post, it seems to me that 
posting announcements of groups with openings is similar to you recommending
a book to me along with its price and a place where I can get it. From that
perspective, it seems okay to me. To once again consider context, there are
two contextual factors that apply: 1) People on this list frequently request
information about coho groups with openings, and 2) My assumption is that if
opinions are offered (using words such as "beautiful", "friendly", or
"cooperative") the person offering them actually holds that opinion and is
not just spouting buzzwords that he or she knows will attract potential
buyers. This means having a certain amount of trust in each other. If the
sender has no such personal experience, I don't necessarily
think she should not pass on the information, I just think she should
be explicit about her ignorance.

At the risk of being overly proscriptive, I would suggest the following are
okay:

Example 1:
Following is a list of names and contacts for cohousing groups that
currently have openings. . .

Example 2:
I have visited xyz cohousing. It's in a beautiful area and is looking
for new members. For more information, contact . . .

Example 3:
I have brochures from 6 groups in the area. I am listing their names and
contact information. I am also including a summary paragraph from each
of their brochures. I have no knowledge of whether their claims are true.

Simply posting a brochure or an ad without any other information is, in
my opinion, inappropriate.

Andy
awh [at] cc.bellcore.com