E-mail Discussion Groups

E-mail Discussion Group Rules, Disclaimers, Etiquette, and Tips

By joining and using PICPA's e-mail discussion groups, you agree that you have read and will follow the rules and guidelines set for these peer discussion groups. You also agree to reserve list discussions for topics best suited to the medium. Basic questions on how to use the discussion groups should be sent directly to info@picpa.org.

Please read the following:

• Etiquette
• Rules
  
• Disclaimers/Legal Rules

Etiquette

• Include a signature tag on all messages. Include your name, affiliation, location, and e-mail address.
  
• Clearly and concisely state the specific topic of the comments in the subject line.
  
• Include only relevant portions of an original message in replies. Delete any header information, and put your response before the original posting.
  
• Only send a message to the entire list when it contains information that everyone can benefit from.
  
• Send messages such as "thanks for the information" or "me, too" to individuals -- not to the entire list. You can do this by using your e-mail application's forwarding option and typing in or cutting and pasting the e-mail address of the individual to whom you want to respond.
  
• Do not send administrative messages, such as remove me from the list, through the listserver. Follow the commands in your welcome letter, or send a message to info@picpa.org to change your settings.
  
• Warn other list subscribers of lengthy messages either in the subject line or at the beginning of the message body with a line that says "Long Message."
  
• If you choose the digest feature option, do not send a reply to a question posted within the digest format by hitting the Reply button. The entire discussion for that day's digest will be sent, and thus picked up again in the next day's digest. Please respond to a message in the digest mode by creating a new message addressed to the group, and include in the subject line the header of the subject to which you are responding.

Rules

As with any community, there are guidelines governing behavior on e-mail discussion groups. For instance, violating antitrust regulations, libeling others, and selling and marketing are not permissible. Please take a moment to acquaint yourself with these important guidelines. If you have questions, contact the list manager as noted in your welcome instructions. PICPA reserves the right to suspend or terminate membership on all lists for members who violate these rules.

• Do not challenge or attack others. The discussions on the lists are meant to stimulate conversation not to create contention. Let others have their say, just as you may.
  
• Do not post commercial messages. Contact people directly with products and services that you believe might help them.
  
• Use caution when discussing products. Information posted on the lists is available for all to see, and comments are subject to libel, slander, and antitrust laws.
  
• All defamatory, abusive, profane, threatening, offensive, or illegal materials are strictly prohibited. Do not post anything in a listserver message that you would not want the world to see or that you would not want anyone to know came from you.
  
• Carefully note all items listed in the disclaimer and legal rules below, particularly regarding the copyright ownership of information posted to the list.
  
• Remember that PICPA and other e-mail list participants have the right to reproduce postings to the listserver for their personal use only.
  
• Do not send the same message to multiple PICPA lists. You may send your message to only the most appropriate list. Cross-posting of messages is not allowed.

E-Mail Discussion Group Disclaimers and Legal Rules

The discussion groups are provided as a service of the Pennsylvania Institute of CPAs. PICPA accepts no responsibility for the opinions and information posted on the sites by others. PICPA disclaims all warranties with regard to information posted on this site, whether posted by PICPA or any third party; this disclaimer includes all implied warranties of merchantability and fitness. In no event shall PICPA be liable for any special, indirect, or consequential damages or any damages whatsoever resulting from loss of use, data, or profits, arising out of or in connection with the use or performance of any information posted on this site.

Do not post any defamatory, abusive, profane, threatening, offensive, or illegal materials. Do not post any information or other material protected by copyright without the permission of the copyright owner. By posting material, the posting party warrants and represents that he or she owns the copyright with respect to such material or has received permission from the copyright owner. In addition, the posting party grants PICPA and users of this list the nonexclusive right and license to display, copy, publish, distribute, transmit, print, and use such information or other material.

Messages should not be posted if they encourage or facilitate members to arrive at any agreement that either expressly or impliedly leads to price fixing, a boycott of another's business, or other conduct intended to illegally restrict free trade. Messages that encourage or facilitate an agreement about the following subjects are inappropriate: prices, discounts, or terms or conditions of sale; salaries; profits, profit margins, or cost data; market shares, sales territories, or markets; allocation of customers or territories; or selection, rejection, or termination of customers or suppliers.

Views expressed are the authors' responsibility alone and are intended as general information, not specific accounting advice and are based upon the limited information provided by the questioner. The ideas are not intended or written to be used and cannot be used for the purpose of avoiding or evading taxes or penalties under the IRS code or regulations. Views expressed do not imply an opinion of the PICPA, its officers, directors, employees, or members.

PICPA reserves the right to terminate access to any user who does not abide by these guidelines.

Contact information

Questions about the e-mail discussion groups can be sent to info@picpa.org, or you can call us directly at (215) 472-9CPA, or (888) 272-2001.