Privacy of Communication

[Charlie Poole]

Hi Matt,

On Fri, Feb 10, 2012 at 7:23 AM, mheusser <matt.h...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> I'm okay with this being on a semi-public list, Lance.
>
> Quoting me and putting it on your blog, not so much.
>
> No oops here, but I could have avoided a reference to an (apparently)
> obscure rule of protocol, sure.

The Wellbourne Protocol essentially says "private communicatio to me
may become public at my option." It's an exception to normal expectations
of privacy, which is why it is always called out prominently (or should be)
on sites that use it.

However, it's out of context here because we're in a public group, which
anyone can join. You are protected only by the obscurity of the group.

Since it's a public group, I would normally not hesitate to quote or reference
anything posted here - it's already published information - unless the poster
asked for it to be kept to the group - which is how I take you.

But be aware that you *are* in public here and your boss or co-workers
are free to join this group at any time - assuming they have heard of it.

Charlie

[mheusser]

On Feb 10, 12:40 pm, Charlie Poole <nunit...@gmail.com> wrote:
> But be aware that you *are* in public here and your boss or co-workers
> are free to join this group at any time - assuming they have heard of it.
>

Yes. I was aware of that; my post complied in entirety with the
social media policy of the client, and I have implicit permission to
make it, in a discussion list specifically designed for lonely
coaches.

blogging in public, not so much, hence the request.


--heusser

[Malcolm Anderson]

Matt

I don't get it.

You seem to be saying that it's ok for you to post to public forums, but it's not ok for your words to show up on someone's blog.

If your company has a policy against employees words showing up on someone's blog then they have an implicit policy against posting to any and all public forums because anything anyone says in public is fair game for *someone's* blog.

Malcolm

[RonJeffries]

Malcolm,

On Feb 10, 2012, at 3:06 PM, Malcolm Anderson wrote:

I don't get it.

You seem to be saying that it's ok for you to post to public forums, but it's not ok for your words to show up on someone's blog.

If your company has a policy against employees words showing up on someone's blog then they have an implicit policy against posting to any and all public forums because anything anyone says in public is fair game for *someone's* blog.

Yes, what is said in public can, in principle, be posted anywhere, in the sense that there is nothing physically opposing it.

It seems to me, however, that in a smaller community such as this one, a person might reasonably request confidentiality, with a reasonable expectation that their wishes would be honored.

To do otherwise, it seems to me, would be quite discourteous.

Ron Jeffries

www.XProgramming.com

 Before you contradict an old man, my fair friend, you should endeavor to understand him. - George Santayana

[mheusser]

Thank you Ron, and that about covers it, I appreciate your charity.

By the way, the social media policy only requests that I, as a
consultant, not write things in public from which the identity of the
company be discerned. This list is a small enough community that I
was willing to post a little.

I didn't think spin-off blog posts would be appreciated, and I tried
to make that clear.

Can we talk about software now?


--heusser