C L & B INC
Code Of Conduct

Principles of C L & B INC Etiquette

• Assume good faith. Wikipedia has worked remarkably well so far based on a policy of nearly complete freedom to edit. People come here to collaborate and write good articles.

• Remember the Golden Rule: Treat others the way you would want to be treated.

• Be polite.

• Keep in mind that raw text may be ambiguous and often seems ruder than the same words coming from a person standing in front of you. Irony is not always obvious when written. Remember that text comes without facial expressions, vocal inflection, or body language. Be careful choosing the words you write: what you mean might not be what others understand. Likewise, be careful how you interpret what you read: what you understand might not be what others mean.

• Civilly work towards agreement.

• Argue facts, not personalities.

• Do not intentionally make misrepresentations. Apologize if you inadvertently do so.

• Do not ignore reasonable questions.

• If someone disagrees with your edit, provide good reasons why you think that it is appropriate.

• Concede a point when you have no response to it, or admit when you disagree based on intuition or taste.

• Although it is understandably difficult in an intense argument, if other editors are not as civil as you would like them to be, be more civil, not less. That way at least you are not moving towards open conflict and name-calling; by your own action you are actively doing something about it. Try to treat others with dignity—they are people as well.

• It may help to politely let the others know if you are not comfortable with their tone (e.g., "I feel that you have been sarcastic above, and I don't feel good about it. Let's try to resolve the issue").

• Be prepared to apologize. In animated discussions, we often say things we later wish we had not. Say so.

• Forgive and forget.

• Recognize your own biases, and keep them in check.

• Give praise when it's due. Everybody likes to feel appreciated, especially in an environment that often requires compromise. Drop a friendly note on users' talk pages.

• Remove or summarize resolved disputes that you initiated.

• Help mediate disagreements between others.

• Take it slowly. If you are angry, spend time away from instead of posting or editing. Come back in a day or a week. You may find that someone else made the desired change or comment for you. If you think mediation is needed, enlist someone.  

• Remember what C L & B INC is not.

• Do not use jargon that others might not understand. Use acronyms carefully and clarify if there is the possibility of any doubt.