Being a Nowist

Our membership practices are incredibly flexible, as the purpose of the Nexus of Networked Orthodoxy for the Web is to serve the Web, not vice versa. The following topics should help answer your questions:

• Who is a Nowist?
• How do I become a Nowist?
• What happens if I change my mind?
• Is there excommunication?
• How do I report a Nowist I think is breaking the Big 10?

To call yourself a member of the Nexus of NOW, all you need to do is inform us of your intent to follow the ten commandments of the Web (the Big 10), and then actually follow them. The reason for this is simple: the whole point of the Nexus of NOW is to cultivate and promote a better Web. Since we can't change other people, the only way we can create a better Web is to improve our interactions within it. Anything less just misses the mark, and we can't have people claiming to be a part of the Nexus while simultaneously unravelling it.

At the same time, the only distinctions we really make between Nowists and other netizens is that Nowists are expected to always try to behave themselves, and to make amends when they trip up. We actually expect all netizens to behave to the best of their ability, but we recognize some of them aren't ready, willing or able to play nice. Everyone who exhibits good behavior is worthy of our appreciation, and everyone who doesn't is worthy of our compassion, if not our attention. The Web is made up of ALL netizens, no matter what they call themselves or how they participate.

In fact, because what happens on the Web touches all aspects of modern life, it may be said that it includes those who are offline, as well...

Member Signatures
Some of our members may make themselves known by mentioning their membership on their websites, or through an email or message board signature line. We are currently developing a page with recommended wording and/or graphics, but in the meantime, the following may be used:

Spinning a Better Web with the <a href="http://www.nexusofnow.org/">Nexus of NOW</a><br> Member #[insert number here]

If you can't use HTML code in your signature, use this instead:

Spinning a Better Web with the Nexus of NOW
Member #[insert number here] - www.nexusofnow.org

If you represent yourself as a Nowist, please include your member number (from the memberlist) and/or your Nowist nickname in the post, signature, or what-have-you. This enables our community to recognize each other, and to ensure that those claiming to represent us can be kept accountable for their responsibilities to uphold the Big 10.

To become a Nowist, visit the Official Forums and register a username, and write down your ID Number from the memberlist. Then, email us with your Forum ID Number and your desire to become a Nowist. At this time, you must also include in the Personal Message field the member name or ID number of an existing member who'll vouch for you. It may actually be fastest to have your friend email us with your username or number at the same time, rather than wait for us to email them and get a response.

We'll process your request as soon as we can, and change your status in the roster to Nowist. Pretty simple, eh?

Submitting your request for membership is, in effect, swearing that you understand and will always endeaver to uphold the Ten Commandments of the Nexus of Networked Orthodoxy for the Web. As much as we joke around, we take this very seriously. Please make sure you do, too.

Maintaining your membership in Nowism is very simple: keep following the Big 10, and you'll be counted among our number until you request we remove you. In that case, your membership status will be listed as 'Renounced', unless you request we de-list you entirely. We would then completely delete your registration, with no hard feelings whatsoever.

Once you've renounced your membership, you are still invited to visit the Nexus and participate in our public activities. Just keep following our required codes of behavior, and you will always be welcome.

If you violate the Ten Commandments of the Web, and fail to make an honest effort to remedy the situation, you will probably be expelled. We all have our slip-ups, and it's important to treat others and ourselves with patience in that regard, but particularly serious (or malicious) actions may result in immediate suspension and/or removal.

If we're made aware of an infraction, we'll contact you first at the email address you give us to let you know what's come up. Even if it appears to be a massive transgression, like spamming hatemail, we'll give you an opportunity to prove you didn't do it and/or make amends. We'll keep a record for at least a year if you do make up for it, but if you show that you've really turned things around, we'll most likely let it get deleted.

If it turns out that you really have no intention and/or ability to uphold the Big 10, your membership will be taken away. Your member status will be listed as 'Revoked', unless you request we de-list you (see above). While we seriously want to protect your privacy, we reserve the right to give warnings or alerts to our members if we feel your actions pose a threat to the Nexus. In that rare and unfortunate situation, we'd let you know; we're not malicious gossips, but we will do what's needed to protect our community.

Even though we hope that every Nowist will do their absolute best to always uphold the rules of the Big 10, we recognize that will not always be the case. Because we have no desire to constantly monitor our members, when one of them does slip up and cause some damage, we rely on those who feel they were affected to speak up and tell us. If you feel you've been harmed by a Nowist's infraction of the Big 10 and you don't let us know, there's not a darn thing we can do to help.

When we are alerted to an infraction, we'll get with the Nowist in question via email to share what we've been told, and to give the Nowist an opportunity to resolve the situation (see above). Wherever plausible, we'll preserve the anonymity of the person making the report. Though we sometimes might provide advice and mediation when appropriate, we'll try not to get into the middle of the situation. We just want to help people make things right as quickly and smoothly as possible, without wasting anyone's time or energy.

We'll try to keep the review process as open-minded and casual as the situation allows, since the intent is to help Nowists be good netizens, and not to punish anybody for making mistakes. We're not here to nail anyone to a wall, we're just trying to help make the Web a more enjoyable and beneficial place for everyone. Please help us achieve that goal, and work with us to resolve situations quietly and with mutual respect.

With all that in mind, if you ever have to report an infraction, please email us with the following information:

Who are you?

What is your relationship to the Nowist you're writing about?

What is the Nowist's membership number?

Which commandment do you feel was violated, and why?
- When and where did this incident take place?
- What happened?
- How were you involved?

What has been done so far to rectify the situation?

What do you think would need to be done to resolve the situation?

Tips:

• Provide URLs if the incident is publicly available.
• Store a copy of the incident on your own computer and include it as an attachment, if possible.
• Be reasonably brief, and please don't spend hours agonizing over whether you're phrasing things exactly correctly, so long as you're as clear as you think you can be.
• Don't stress out about it. We're serious, here -- we don't want anyone's Saturday evening ruined by an unpleasant situation. Just get the information into an email, check it for clarity, accuracy and completeness, then send it on, let it go, and don't fret.

We'll either contact you to help make sure the situation got resolved, or just to confirm we got your report, depending on what the situation warrants. The actual review process is completely confidential, and you will only be notified of information we feel is due to you. Thanks for your help.