ATX Communities Rules of Conduct
(revised March 26, 2008)
The ATX Communities Discussion Group is offered as a voluntary service by CCH Small Firm Services (“CCH SFS”) with the intention of providing you with a place to discuss ATX products and tax issues with other ATXers. We hope you will find the Discussion Group useful for sharing your experiences, ideas and tips with others.
The ATX Communities Discussion Group (the "Site") is intended for ATX customer use only. While the Site is moderated by CCH SFS representatives, it is not guaranteed that they will contribute information or provide answers. The ATX Communities is meant as an open discussion where ideas, views, helpful hints, etc. can be shared. CCH SFS representatives will not formally provide specific technical support within the Site, although other members are free to provide such support as they see fit. If you have a specific or urgent support issue that requires an answer, please consider the other resources made available to you. To submit an online request directly to our technical support staff, use the E-mail Tech Support link on the Home page of www.MyATX.com –or you can contact technical support by calling 800-638-8291. To submit an online suggestion to be considered for implementation in future versions of ATX tax and accounting software, use the Suggestion Box link on the Home page.
These ATX Communities Rules of Conduct (the "Rules") provide important information about your use of the Site. You should read and understand the Rules before taking part in any discussions on the Site.
PLEASE NOTE: You must accept the Rules as presented to you or else not use the Site. At any time CCH SFS may modify the Rules or any feature or part of the Site. If it does so, CCH SFS will update the Rules here and may also post such changes elsewhere on the Site. IF YOU DO NOT AGREE WITH ANY FUTURE CHANGE(S) THEN YOU SHOULD DISCONTINUE USING THE ATX COMMUNITIES. YOUR CONTINUED USE INDICATES YOUR ACCEPTANCE OF THE RULES AND ANY CHANGES TO THEM.
1. GENERAL TERMS & CONDITIONS
a. As long as you comply with the Rules and remain a current, registered ATX user, CCH SFS grants you a personal, non-exclusive, non-transferable, limited privilege to enter and use the Site.
b. In addition to the terms and conditions in the Rules, all use of the Site is governed by the CCH SFS Terms of Use (available at http://www.atxinc.com/legal). In the event of any conflict between the Rules and the CCH SFS Terms of Use, the terms of these Rules will govern.
c. The views expressed by the users of the Site are not endorsed by CCH SFS.
d. CCH SFS does not prescreen information submitted by users of the Site (“Content”). CCH SFS retains the right, but not the responsibility, to edit or remove any Content, including that deemed by CCH SFS to violate these Rules. CCH SFS will make good faith efforts to investigate allegations that Content violates the Rules but (a) makes no warranty to you that it will edit, remove, or continue to permit the display of any specific Content, whether or not subject to such allegations, and (b) will have no liability whatsoever for editing, removing, or continuing to permit the display of any Content whatsoever.
e. CCH SFS does not formally provide technical support or tax advice on the Site. However, any information that is provided by CCH SFS or CCH SFS employees is offered on an “AS IS” basis without warranties of any kind. Furthermore, you acknowledge that you will not rely upon CCH SFS for advice regarding the appropriate treatment of tax, accounting and/or other matters.
f. You agree not to interfere with or disrupt the Site or servers or networks connected to the Site, or disobey any requirements, procedures, policies or regulations of networks connected to the Site.
- SUBMISSIONS
a. Stay relevant. Post questions, comments, and information relevant to the professional interests of other members of the Site. While some off-topic communications are permitted as part of the environment promoted by the ATX Communities, excessive off-topic postings detract from the effectiveness of the Site for other members. The Site is here to help people use ATX software more effectively. Unless otherwise noted, do not add Content that strays outside the topics of the tax profession and/or using ATX software.
b. Provide a specific subject line. Help people scan the Site postings by always including a subject line that is specific as possible. Avoid vague subject headings such as "Help" or "Software Question."
c. Check before you submit. Before you post a question that you suspect already has been discussed at length within the Site, we urge you to check the archives. You may find your answer there much faster than awaiting a new response.
d. Be polite. Members of the ATX Communities should feel comfortable reading Content and participating in discussions. Do not "stalk" or otherwise harass another user. CCH SFS will not tolerate flames or other inappropriate statements, material, or links. Most often, a "flame" is simply a statement that is taunting and thus arbitrarily inflammatory. However, this also includes those which are libelous, defamatory, indecent, harmful, harassing, intimidating, threatening, hateful, objectionable, discriminatory, abusive, vulgar, obscene, pornographic, sexually explicit, or offensive in a sexual, racial, cultural, or ethnic context. And please, avoid the use of all caps…it’s the equivalent of SHOUTING.
e. Post constructive comments and questions. Unless otherwise noted, your Content should either be a technical support or tax profession question or an appropriate answer to such a question. Constructive feedback about product features is welcome as well. As a general rule, if your Content contains, or could contain, the phrase “I’m sorry for the rant, but…” you are likely in violation of this policy.
f. Do not post polls or petitions or links to the same.
g. Test your answer. When possible, make sure any answer you may provide in response to another member’s question works on your own computer before you post it.
h. No advertising. Do not use the Site to sell or market your own products to others and do not post a URL unless it directly answers a user’s question. If any portion of your submission, including any posted URL, results in any accrual of compensation or benefit to you, you must note this in your post by stating, “I may receive some form of compensation, financial or otherwise, from my recommendation or link.” As well, the following are not allowed:
1. A submission created solely to advertise a book, service, software or some other item for sale.
2. Any reference, including a link, to a commercial item that is not directly related to a relevant question or answer.
3. Uploading, posting, e-mailing or otherwise transmitting any unsolicited or unauthorized advertising, promotional materials, "junk mail," "spam," "chain letters," "pyramid schemes," or any other form of solicitation.
i. No inappropriate user names (“Aliases”) or impersonations. Inappropriate or offensive user names or aliases will be removed. User names should not contain website, e-mail addresses or other contact information. You must not attempt to impersonate any person or entity, including, but not limited to, a CCH SFS employee, forum leader, guide or host. You must also not falsely state or otherwise misrepresent your affiliation with a person or entity or forge headers or otherwise manipulate identifiers in order to disguise the origin of any Content.
j. Be mindful of the Law
1. No material may be submitted that is intended to promote or commit or that in fact constitutes an illegal act.
2. Do not submit software or descriptions of processes that break or otherwise ‘work around’ digital rights management of CCH SFS or third party software.
3. Do not upload, post, e-mail or otherwise transmit any material that contains software viruses or any other computer code, files or programs designed to interrupt, destroy or limit the functionality of any computer software or hardware or telecommunications equipment.
4. Do not collect or store personal data about other users.
5. Do not post defamatory material.
k. Material submitted must be your own work or work to which you have a license. Don’t post articles to the Site from any publication (except for federal government documents). All published articles carry a copyright, whether or not it is stated on the article. When you post a copyrighted article to the Site, you violate the publisher’s copyright and federal copyright law because you are distributing it to hundreds of other people. You warrant and represent that you own or otherwise control all of the rights to the information contained in your Content. You must also not upload, post, e-mail or otherwise transmit any Content that infringes any patent, trademark, trade secret, copyright or other proprietary rights of any party.
l. License to Use Content. By providing Content to the Site you agree to grant CCH SFS a perpetual, royalty-free, non-exclusive worldwide right and license to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, create derivative works from, distribute, perform, play, make available to the public, and exercise all copyright and publicity rights with respect to the Content. If you do not want to grant to CCH SFS the rights set out above, do not send provide Content to the Site.
3. BREACH OF THE RULES
a. If you fail to abide by these terms CCH SFS may, at its sole discretion, remove your Content. CCH SFS may also send an e-mail that informs you that your Content has been deleted or edited. Repeated inappropriate Content may result in your relevant account or accounts being placed into temporary or permanent suspension of your ability to participate in any or all of the areas on the Site.
b. If you post or send offensive or inappropriate Content anywhere on or to the Site or otherwise engage in any disruptive behavior which CCH SFS considers to be serious and/or repeated, CCH SFS may use all available information about you to stop any further infringements. This may include informing relevant third parties such as your employer, school, Internet service provider, or law enforcement authorities of the infringement.
c. CCH SFS reserves the right to delete any Content, or take action against any account, at any time, for any reason.
- INDEMNITY
You agree to indemnify and hold CCH SFS and its subsidiaries, affiliates, officers, agents, and employees, harmless from any claim or demand, including legal fees, made by any third party due to or arising out of Content you submit, post to or transmit through the Site, your use of the Site, your connection to the Site, your violation of these Rules, or your violation of any rights of another.
- WARRANTY AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
The information contained in the Content on the Site is only for information purposes. The material on the Website does not constitute advice and you should not rely on any material found on the Site to make (or refrain from making) any decision or take (or refrain from taking) any action. The pages contained on the Site may contain technical inaccuracies and typographical errors. The information in these pages may be updated from time to time and may at times be out of date. We accept no responsibility for keeping the information in these pages up to date or liability for any failure to do so.
THE SITE AND ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED BY CCH SFS (INCLUDING ITS SUBSIDIARIES, AFFILIATES, OFFICERS, AGENTS, AND EMPLOYEES) OR BY ANY THIRD PARTY ON THE SITE, ARE PROVIDED “AS IS” WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. CCH SFS EXCLUDES ALL LIABILITY FOR ANY ILLEGALITY ARISING FROM OR ERROR, OMISSION OR INACCURACY IN INFORMATION ON THE SITE. YOU BEAR THE ENTIRE RISK AS TO USE OF THE SITE AND RELIANCE UPON INFORMATION THEREON. CCH SFS DOES NOT WARRANT THE AVAILABILITY OF THE SITE OR THAT IT WILL PROPERLY OPERATE ON ANY SPECIFIC OPERATING SYSTEM OR COMPUTER HARDWARE OR CONFIGURATIONS OR THAT WILL BE FREE FROM COMPUTER VIRUSES OR ANY OTHER MALICIOUS OR IMPAIRING COMPUTER PROGRAMS. CCH SFS SHALL IN NO EVENT BE LIABLE TO YOU OR ANY OTHER PERSON FOR CONSEQUENTIAL, EXEMPLARY, INCIDENTAL OR TORT DAMAGES OR FOR ANY LOST PROFITS ARISING OUT OF THE USE OF OR INABILITY TO USE THE SITE, EVEN IF CCH SFS HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES, OR FOR ANY OTHER CLAIM BY YOU OR ANY OTHER PERSON.
Without prejudice to the above, our liability under these Terms (whether arising in negligence or otherwise) will not under any circumstances exceed $10.
- VIOLATIONS
Please report any violations of the Rules to by clicking Report Abuse at the bottom of the submission that you are attempting to report.