Welcome to the OCRA Discussion Forum

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Respect, encourage, and help new arrivals. We were ALL new to the forum once and only arrived where we now are through question and answer, trial and error. If somebody asks a question and you know the answer, please offer a helping hand. Somebody will be there to offer you help when you need it, as well.

The "subject" you give to any message you post is the only indication anyone has to the content of your message. Somebody's decision whether or not to read what you have written will be made based on the subject line alone. Please make your "subjects" as specific and as descriptive as possible. For instance, "ASCII problem" is better than simply "Problem."

OCRA Discussion Forum messages are to be posted in the first person.

When a message thread (conversation) drifts away from its designated subject, please post a new message with a new subject.

Dissenting opinions, disagreement and debate are welcome, but it is expected that participants in OCRA Discussion Forum will express their views in ways which avoid giving offense to others. In short, if you can disagree without being disagreeable, this is the place for you.

Mean-spirited messages or messages containing profanity, name-calling, or any other verbiage deemed inappropriate by OCRA's Board of Directors will be removed.

Spelling, grammar and punctuation do not "count" in posted messages. Participants post messages under a variety of circumstances. Many messages are written in a hurry, without proofreading; others are written by members of our global community for whom English is not a primary or "native" language. Therefore, any message appearing in the OCRA Discussion Forum that is critical of another person's vocabulary, punctuation, spelling, grammar, etc., will be removed.

Any person "speaking" in the OCRA Discussion Forum is presumed to be speaking solely and exclusively as an individual. Every participant is responsible for any and all statements he or she makes within any message. There is no immunity from slander and/or libel just because the communication is online. You, and you alone, are responsible for your words.

The use of a "handle" (a name other than your real name) or anonymous is not permitted. This is a friendly place and we like to know with whom we're speaking. Most of your peers and colleagues want to know, also.

Due to antitrust laws, avoid discussing what reporters, scopists, and other individuals or firms charge (in dollars) for various professional services. This is not a legal opinion. It's not even an illegal opinion, actually. But due to antitrust considerations, it's best to avoid discussing specific pricing.

Complaints, if any, are to be presented in a responsible, constructive manner, clearly stating the reason for the complaint, and incorporating suggestions for remedying the problem. Mean-spirited, unsubstantiated outbursts such as, "I hate Vendor ABC" or rhetoric designed to influence the behavior of others such as "Avoid dealing with Vendor DEF," will be removed. In the case of the former, there is little anyone on the receiving end of such a comment can do to correct a perceived problem when presented with such meaningless information. In the case of the latter, please keep in mind that OCRA Discussion Forum was created to serve as a platform to foster and encourage better communication, not to be wielded as a weapon against any individual or organization.

Any message posted within the OCRA Discussion Forum may not be distributed in any manner outside of the OCRA Discussion Forum without first obtaining the written (email) permission of the author. Can we enforce this? Heck, no! But common courtesy dictates that permission must first be obtained. There is also the inherent danger of removing a message from its appropriate context within a thread, thus irrevocably altering its meaning.

By participating in OCRA Discussion Forum, you agree to hold OCRA Discussion Forum and all persons associated in any capacity with OCRA Discussion Forum and the Oklahoma Court Reporters Association harmless from and against any claims, damages, losses, liabilities, costs and expenses (including reasonable or unreasonable attorney's fees) resulting, directly or indirectly, from your participation in OCRA Discussion Forum or the Oklahoma Court Reporters Association's web site. Succinctly stated: You're on your own.

Please be advised that neither the OCRA Board of Directors nor its agents are under any obligation to arbitrate or intervene in the case of any dispute between participants within OCRA Discussion Forum.

Finally, OCRA Discussion Forum reserves the right to remove any messages from any of its sections at any time without notice.  No Soliciting!

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