ApneaSupport.org has a rather large, extremely active and diverse community. We have members coming from many different countries with a wide range of personal experiences and backgrounds. This wonderful diversity provides an incredible resource to you, our members. However, it can also lead to misunderstandings and conflict, as can only be expected with any group of people. Therefore, we have compiled a set of rules and a few points of etiquette (Chatiquette) which we expect everyone to support. By logging into our chat rooms, you agree to abide by these rules, with the understanding that failure to do so may result in our Admins or Moderators kicking you from the room and banning your re-entrance.

I agree to the rules below

Return to Forum

RULES

Joining chat means you agree to obey these rules.

Chatroom Use and Purpose:
The ASAA provides a chatroom for your interaction with other sleep apnea patients to share information which might assist in successful diagnosis, treatment and compliance with prescribed therapy. Patients discuss common frustrations and successful experiences providing compassionate support to each other. We encourage more experienced chatters to welcome newcomers by focusing extra attention on their concerns and problems. Please keep your conversations in the public chatroom "on topic" and refrain from discussion of unrelated issues and subjects, especially when a new chatter is visiting. If you and another chatter would like to discuss "off topic" subjects, hobbies, experiences etc, you can open a Private Message dialogue with their consent. Please be respectful of other chatters whose backgrounds, experiences and opinions may be vastly different than yours. Refrain from derogatory, taunting, flaming, argumentative, cursing, sexually explicit or flirtatious language; the use of "caps" (screaming) and colored backgrounds and text that could be offensive to others in the room. The opinions and advice given in the chatroom is the personal opinion of the individual poster, and should never be used to replace qualified medical advice of your personal physician. Do not give or request information on changing therapeutic settings (clinical menu) of equipment as prescribed by the physician.

The chatroom is NOT crisis intervention or emergency responder. If you are experiencing a crisis, please call the appropriate local authorities 911 or crisis helpline. We cannot assist you in contacting emergency intervention agencies, including police, ambulance or suicide prevention.  

Choosing a chat name:

We will know you by the name you use regularly. Please avoid using a name very similar to one in use by other regular chatters to avoid confusion.  Please choose a name that will not be offensive to others, obscene, mocking, or advertising a product or website. You may not include Host, Adm or Moderator in your chat name. The moderator may ask you to change your chat name; refusal may result in banning from room.  Maintain your own privacy and safety by not using your personal email address in the public chatroom, or posting identifying information such as name, address, contact info as part of your chat name.
 
About Administrators / Moderators:

During your chats, a moderator may or may not be online.  When present, we will join in the discussions while also observing adherence to chatroom guidelines.  Moderators may "boot", "kick" or block chatters who are disruptive or in violation of posted rules.  If you experience a problem when a moderator is not present, you may use the "save" button then "private message" the offensive text to Administrators or Moderators for appropriate actions. If you are annoyed or harassed in private message by another chatter, use the Ignore feature - highlight the chatter's name and click the Ignore button. If a moderator is present, tell that person in a private message about the problem.   If a chatter is annoying the room in public when no moderator is present, all other chatters should use the Ignore feature.