CpapWiki - User contributions [en]

CpapWiki:What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not

2008-10-25T02:05:42Z

Sleeppunk: /* The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not made of paper */

{{guideline}}
[[Image:Moon_2.png|right|thumb|100px|Yes, sometimes even guideline pages need a nice image.]]
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is an online knowledge-base of information and articles pertaining to CPAP use and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. As a means to that end, it is also an online community. Therefore, there are some things that the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki '''is not'''. Above all, use common sense.
== Content ==
=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not made of paper ===
This may seem obvious. The main point is that the CPAPtalk.com CPA Wiki is potentially limitless, and includes formatting and links typically not found in paper publications, and is dynamically created by many people. However, there is a big difference between what can be done and what should reasonably be carried out.

Keep in mind the primary scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is on articles pertaining to CPAP usage, and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. This is not the place for articles about unrelated topics. Refer to the [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]] and [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]], as needed.

* It should be made clear, that because this is not a paper publication, but is instead a wiki, any of user submissions to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki may (or may not) be edited mercilessly, temporarily removed, permanently deleted, moved, disputed, changed, modified, discussed, critiqued, rearranged, reformatted, linked to, lost, placed in a historical archive, replaced, referred to, used as an example, featured on the wiki, viewed by many, viewed by few or none, translated, reworded, and may or may not be replicated, copied or transcluded or used in other ways defined within in the CPAPtalk.com User Agreement.
* It should be made clear that most user submissions to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki are publicly viewable by anyone with access to the internet. Please use discretion when posting publicly viewable information on the internet, and respect the privacy of others.

If anything above is unacceptable to you, do not make any user contributions or submit anything to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Instead, use this website as a read-only informational tool.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, podium, or pulpit ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, pulpit, podium, or an outlet for advertising, self-promotion, promotion of your personal biased opinions or passionate beliefs, recruitment of any kind (commercial, political, religious, or other), rumors, or editorial opinion pieces.

* '''Advertising''' (of any kind;commercial or non-commercial) is not acceptable on this wiki. Inserting links to external websites just to promote your business or product(s) is not the intended use of this site and will not be tolerated. Writing or editing articles to promote your business, organization, events, product(s), self, or other things you may be involved in personally or directly, is not recommended. External links to major commercial organizations are acceptable if they identify major organizations related to that article. Articles about notable companies should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view guidelines]].

* '''Recruiting''' people for your business, project, organization, religion, political party, other website, event, or for any other reason, is not the intended use of this wiki. Please do not engage in this kind of behavior.

* '''Editorial opinion pieces''' are not the intended use of this wiki. Articles should be unbiased and strive for a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV]]. If you want to share your biased opinions or personal pet views, consider going to the [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum], or another website on the internet.

* '''Self-promotion''' is not the reason this wiki is here. While it is tempting to write about a company you work for, or about yourself, or things you are involved in, it is difficult to remain objective. Therefore, it is recommended that you do not write about these type of things that you are directly involved in so that a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view]] might be accomplished.

* '''Rumors''' are not acceptable here and this is not the place to write about or speculate over future events or products. It is also not the place to write rumors about people, companies, or organizations that may constitute libel, or slander.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, or image and media storage site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, image hosting site, or storage site for other files, or media.

* This wiki is not the place to make long lists of links to external websites, or upload images that will not be used in an article.
* It is not a place to replicate another website (or portion thereof) as a mirror site.
* It should not be used as personal web storage space for files, lists, images, and the like.
* This is also not the place to dump or copy large portions of information from public domain sources.

There are many other websites on the internet that can be used for these kinds of activities.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a webspace provider or social networking site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a social networking site like [http://www.myspace.com MySpace] or [http://www.facebook.com Facebook]. While there are certainly social aspects to a collaborative project, the pages here, including user pages, are intended to help the community collaborate on building and improving the wiki for the benefit of CPAP users, and others who visit the wiki. You may not host your own website here or build your own wiki here. There are many other websites on the internet that provide webhosting, social networking, and wiki spaces, either for free, or for a fee. Again, this is not a file hosting website. Uploaded images should be used in relevant articles on the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not censored ===
Articles and pages on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki can be edited or created by just about anyone, and the changes show up instantaneously, once submitted. For this reason, some readers may see content that they consider offensive or objectionable. So, the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki cannot guarantee that content here will always be acceptable to everyone, or adhere to your social (or religious) norms and standards, ideas, personal viewpoints, or beliefs.

Inappropriate content (links to porn sites, profanity, hate words, etc.) is typically the work of vandalism and is often removed quickly by members or Sysops of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Content that is judged to be in violation of the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], and the general policies and guidelines of CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, will be removed.

There could be content here that may be offensive to some users (information, ideas, concepts, text, images, links, language, people), but relevant to an article within the scope of the wiki. Discussions about controversial content should focus not so much on the possible offensiveness of the content, but whether or not it is appropriate and important to the article.

You must be 18 years of age, or older as mentioned in the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], to use this website.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not medical advice ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a doctor or medical practitioner. This site is largely created and edited by its members who are mostly not in the medical profession. Even if the information is accurate, or is written in part or completely by a medical professional (doctor, nurse, pharmacist, etc.), or someone claiming to be a medical professional, it may not apply to your particular situation.

For more information see [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer#Use_This_Site_At_Your_Own_Risk|this disclaimer]].

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information. Instead, it is an organized collection of articles relevant to the scope of this wiki and of interest to the CPAPtalk.com community. There are also guidelines to be aware of when writing articles here. Therefore, articles should typically not just be:

* '''Lists''' of statistics, websites, phone numbers, addresses, genealogical entries, directories, etc. are not the intended use of this wiki. While there are lists that may be incorporated into an article because the information is relevant to the topic, articles which are simply long lists should be avoided. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the yellow pages and it is not an internet guide or listing service.
* '''Scientific papers''' are not appropriate here on the wiki, because articles need to be written with a wider audience in mind, and scientific papers are often difficult for the lay audience to understand. However, research papers and scientific journals may be used as a reference, or citation, or there may be cases where an external link to such material might be appropriate.
* '''Sales information''' is not the intended use of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Nor is it intended to be a place used for conducting business. Articles about products should not list pricing information unless there is some kind of historical or notable significance to mentioning pricing. Articles should not be a list of products you or your organization sells, and should also not contain sales pitches or be slanted with bias towards trying to promote the product. Do not post press releases here. Articles should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV guidelines]].
* '''FAQ formats''' should usually not be used here on the wiki. Articles should be presented in a more formal manner. Exceptions are the [[CPAP_FAQs|CPAP FAQs]] page, and the [[Help:FAQs|Help FAQs]] page, as well as pages designed to help members utilize and improve the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a news service ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the place to write articles covering current events or news. This is also not the place to self-promote, or write about an event you are personally involved in. There may be news or events, on occasion, that are noteworthy and relevant to an article in which case it should be mentioned or referred to in the appropriate article, and cited as a reference. Please, do not post press releases here.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dictionary ===
The CPAPtalk.com is not a dictionary. Therefore, articles here should start by defining the topic with a quality description of the subject matter, and then expand on other aspects of the topic with relevant information. If an article is simply a definition and nothing more, then it should be expanded upon if at all possible. Avoid making lists of words, or glossaries.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not Wikipedia ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki has some elements that are similar to [http://wikipedia.org/ Wikipedia], the two websites are different in scope, policies, and style. Wikipedia is universal in scope and is constructed in an encyclopedic nature. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is limited in scope and does not exactly fall under the definition of ''encylopedia''. Wikipedia also has different rules, policies and guidelines, and in particular, they have different rules about user submissions and usage of content, as well as many other variations from the policies and guidelines set forth here on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

* A lot may be learned from Wikipedia, but articles should not be copied or imported here from any of the Wikipedia family of websites (or any other source). Nor should articles here be copied to Wikipedia, or any other place.

* See the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]] for more information about ''User Submissions and Content License'' and ''Usage of Content'' from this website.

* There may be times when linking to information on Wikipedia may be appropriate in an article here. For example, if the article topic is not within the scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and therefore should not be created here, but the information about said topic would be useful in relation to another article that is appropriate here, then placing an external link to the Wikipedia article might be appropriate.

== Community ==

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum or message board. While there are places here to discuss and collaborate for the purpose of writing and improving articles, and for the construction and general maintenance of the wiki, this is not a forum open for discussions about anything and everything.

* Avoid taking discussions into the articles themselves.
* Use the user talk pages, and appropriate article talk pages to resolve issues involved in writing or improving articles on the wiki.
* Talk pages exist for the purpose of improving articles and are not general discussion pages about the topic.
* Talk pages are also not a technical help desk for support or instructional assistance about the subject.

The [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum] is a discussion forum, or message board, for CPAP users, where you can ask questions, get help, meet other CPAP users, speak more freely, help others, and be less concerned with spelling, formatting, and [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV]] issues.

There are also many other places on the web that may be used as discussion forums about all kinds of topics.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a battlefield ===
All CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki users are expected to treat each other with respect and have an attitude of cooperative kindness towards the goal of improving the wiki. It is not appropriate to make threats, hold grudges, create conflict or drama, or personally attack, harass, insult, or attempt to instill fear or hatred in others here. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated and a user may be blocked or banned as a result of engaging in these type of activities.

Try to treat others the same way you would like to be treated. If conflict does occur, stay calm and use intelligent and polite discussion to resolve the matter. If another user does not follow these guidelines, that does not give you rationalization to retaliate.

Creating or modifying articles here with the intention of making a point or in response to a conflict or disagreement with someone (or something) here is not acceptable. Do not engage in edit wars.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dating website ===
This is not the appropriate place to discuss or pursue your personal relationship or sexual desires, sexual preferences, or try to make advances towards other members. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated. There are many other places, online and offline, that would be better suited for these purposes.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy. Nor is it a political or social experiment. The primary means of determining consensus is through editing and discussing articles, not voting. While editors may occasionally use straw polls or surveys to check for consensus, this is generally discouraged and may actually impede the process of improving the article.

While the members here play a very large role in determining what should be included in the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and what should or should not happen on this website, it is owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., which reserves the right at their sole discretion, to be the final arbiter about any aspect of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not an anarchy ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is relatively free and open for the purposes of building a dynamic website with information for CPAP users and those afflicted with Obstructive Sleep Apnea, it restricts both freedom and openness where it may interfere with that purpose. Even though the wiki is self-governing to a large degree, the idea here is '''not''' to push the limits of, or experiment with, anarchy, but to focus on the task of improving the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a viral marketing site ===
This is not the place to attempt to market anything, for any reason, in any way shape or form, viral or otherwise. Simply, do not try it. There are many other places on the internet to attempt marketing campaigns of all kinds, free, or for a fee. Please go there instead.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest. Simply put, this wiki is not here to see who has the most edits, or knowledge, or intelligence, or who can win and get their way, or make the fastest improvements, or become Sysop, or any other type of competitive self-aggrandizing game or contest.

Whether a member simply reads articles, or makes minor edits once in awhile, or is a master writer and editor, or an expert on a topic, or is a Sysop, or contributes in other ways to the wiki, does not really matter and does not make one member better than another. The fact is that people contribute in their own way, at their own pace, and in their own time. Not everyone wants to get involved and there are many users who mainly read articles for informational purposes. Members should not criticize each other for not contributing to the wiki and should try to keep a healthy attitude and perspective towards individual contributions, large and small, including their own contributions. Though, there is generally nothing wrong with having a healthy ambition and a positive perspective towards the task of improving the wiki.

If you start feeling like working on the wiki is a competition, contest, or something you are becoming obsessed with to your own detriment, or the detriment of others, or if you may be using this site to escape from real life, then please consider taking a break from the wiki, and if necessary, seek professional help.

== See also ==
* [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer|General Disclaimers]]
* [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]]
* [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]]
* [[Help:Contents|Help Contents]]
* [[CpapWiki:About|About the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki]]
* [[CpapWiki:Administrators|CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki Administrators]]

CpapWiki:What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not

2008-10-25T02:03:40Z

Sleeppunk: /* The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest */

{{guideline}}
[[Image:Moon_2.png|right|thumb|100px|Yes, sometimes even guideline pages need a nice image.]]
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is an online knowledge-base of information and articles pertaining to CPAP use and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. As a means to that end, it is also an online community. Therefore, there are some things that the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki '''is not'''. Above all, use common sense.
== Content ==
=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not made of paper ===
This may seem obvious. The main point is that this wiki is potentially limitless, and includes formatting and links typically not found in paper publications, and is dynamically created by many people. However, there is a big difference between what can be done and what should reasonably be carried out.

Keep in mind the primary scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is on articles pertaining to CPAP usage, and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. This is not the place for articles about unrelated topics. Refer to the [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]] and [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]], as needed.

* It should be made clear, that because this is not a paper publication, but is instead a wiki, any of user submissions to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki may (or may not) be edited mercilessly, temporarily removed, permanently deleted, moved, disputed, changed, modified, discussed, critiqued, rearranged, reformatted, linked to, lost, placed in a historical archive, replaced, referred to, used as an example, featured on the wiki, viewed by many, viewed by few or none, translated, reworded, and may or may not be replicated, copied or transcluded or used in other ways defined within in the CPAPtalk.com User Agreement.
* It should be made clear that most user submissions to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki are publicly viewable by anyone with access to the internet. Please use discretion when posting publicly viewable information on the internet, and respect the privacy of others.

If anything above is unacceptable to you, do not make any user contributions or submit anything to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Instead, use this website as a read-only informational tool.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, podium, or pulpit ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, pulpit, podium, or an outlet for advertising, self-promotion, promotion of your personal biased opinions or passionate beliefs, recruitment of any kind (commercial, political, religious, or other), rumors, or editorial opinion pieces.

* '''Advertising''' (of any kind;commercial or non-commercial) is not acceptable on this wiki. Inserting links to external websites just to promote your business or product(s) is not the intended use of this site and will not be tolerated. Writing or editing articles to promote your business, organization, events, product(s), self, or other things you may be involved in personally or directly, is not recommended. External links to major commercial organizations are acceptable if they identify major organizations related to that article. Articles about notable companies should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view guidelines]].

* '''Recruiting''' people for your business, project, organization, religion, political party, other website, event, or for any other reason, is not the intended use of this wiki. Please do not engage in this kind of behavior.

* '''Editorial opinion pieces''' are not the intended use of this wiki. Articles should be unbiased and strive for a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV]]. If you want to share your biased opinions or personal pet views, consider going to the [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum], or another website on the internet.

* '''Self-promotion''' is not the reason this wiki is here. While it is tempting to write about a company you work for, or about yourself, or things you are involved in, it is difficult to remain objective. Therefore, it is recommended that you do not write about these type of things that you are directly involved in so that a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view]] might be accomplished.

* '''Rumors''' are not acceptable here and this is not the place to write about or speculate over future events or products. It is also not the place to write rumors about people, companies, or organizations that may constitute libel, or slander.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, or image and media storage site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, image hosting site, or storage site for other files, or media.

* This wiki is not the place to make long lists of links to external websites, or upload images that will not be used in an article.
* It is not a place to replicate another website (or portion thereof) as a mirror site.
* It should not be used as personal web storage space for files, lists, images, and the like.
* This is also not the place to dump or copy large portions of information from public domain sources.

There are many other websites on the internet that can be used for these kinds of activities.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a webspace provider or social networking site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a social networking site like [http://www.myspace.com MySpace] or [http://www.facebook.com Facebook]. While there are certainly social aspects to a collaborative project, the pages here, including user pages, are intended to help the community collaborate on building and improving the wiki for the benefit of CPAP users, and others who visit the wiki. You may not host your own website here or build your own wiki here. There are many other websites on the internet that provide webhosting, social networking, and wiki spaces, either for free, or for a fee. Again, this is not a file hosting website. Uploaded images should be used in relevant articles on the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not censored ===
Articles and pages on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki can be edited or created by just about anyone, and the changes show up instantaneously, once submitted. For this reason, some readers may see content that they consider offensive or objectionable. So, the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki cannot guarantee that content here will always be acceptable to everyone, or adhere to your social (or religious) norms and standards, ideas, personal viewpoints, or beliefs.

Inappropriate content (links to porn sites, profanity, hate words, etc.) is typically the work of vandalism and is often removed quickly by members or Sysops of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Content that is judged to be in violation of the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], and the general policies and guidelines of CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, will be removed.

There could be content here that may be offensive to some users (information, ideas, concepts, text, images, links, language, people), but relevant to an article within the scope of the wiki. Discussions about controversial content should focus not so much on the possible offensiveness of the content, but whether or not it is appropriate and important to the article.

You must be 18 years of age, or older as mentioned in the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], to use this website.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not medical advice ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a doctor or medical practitioner. This site is largely created and edited by its members who are mostly not in the medical profession. Even if the information is accurate, or is written in part or completely by a medical professional (doctor, nurse, pharmacist, etc.), or someone claiming to be a medical professional, it may not apply to your particular situation.

For more information see [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer#Use_This_Site_At_Your_Own_Risk|this disclaimer]].

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information. Instead, it is an organized collection of articles relevant to the scope of this wiki and of interest to the CPAPtalk.com community. There are also guidelines to be aware of when writing articles here. Therefore, articles should typically not just be:

* '''Lists''' of statistics, websites, phone numbers, addresses, genealogical entries, directories, etc. are not the intended use of this wiki. While there are lists that may be incorporated into an article because the information is relevant to the topic, articles which are simply long lists should be avoided. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the yellow pages and it is not an internet guide or listing service.
* '''Scientific papers''' are not appropriate here on the wiki, because articles need to be written with a wider audience in mind, and scientific papers are often difficult for the lay audience to understand. However, research papers and scientific journals may be used as a reference, or citation, or there may be cases where an external link to such material might be appropriate.
* '''Sales information''' is not the intended use of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Nor is it intended to be a place used for conducting business. Articles about products should not list pricing information unless there is some kind of historical or notable significance to mentioning pricing. Articles should not be a list of products you or your organization sells, and should also not contain sales pitches or be slanted with bias towards trying to promote the product. Do not post press releases here. Articles should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV guidelines]].
* '''FAQ formats''' should usually not be used here on the wiki. Articles should be presented in a more formal manner. Exceptions are the [[CPAP_FAQs|CPAP FAQs]] page, and the [[Help:FAQs|Help FAQs]] page, as well as pages designed to help members utilize and improve the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a news service ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the place to write articles covering current events or news. This is also not the place to self-promote, or write about an event you are personally involved in. There may be news or events, on occasion, that are noteworthy and relevant to an article in which case it should be mentioned or referred to in the appropriate article, and cited as a reference. Please, do not post press releases here.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dictionary ===
The CPAPtalk.com is not a dictionary. Therefore, articles here should start by defining the topic with a quality description of the subject matter, and then expand on other aspects of the topic with relevant information. If an article is simply a definition and nothing more, then it should be expanded upon if at all possible. Avoid making lists of words, or glossaries.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not Wikipedia ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki has some elements that are similar to [http://wikipedia.org/ Wikipedia], the two websites are different in scope, policies, and style. Wikipedia is universal in scope and is constructed in an encyclopedic nature. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is limited in scope and does not exactly fall under the definition of ''encylopedia''. Wikipedia also has different rules, policies and guidelines, and in particular, they have different rules about user submissions and usage of content, as well as many other variations from the policies and guidelines set forth here on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

* A lot may be learned from Wikipedia, but articles should not be copied or imported here from any of the Wikipedia family of websites (or any other source). Nor should articles here be copied to Wikipedia, or any other place.

* See the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]] for more information about ''User Submissions and Content License'' and ''Usage of Content'' from this website.

* There may be times when linking to information on Wikipedia may be appropriate in an article here. For example, if the article topic is not within the scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and therefore should not be created here, but the information about said topic would be useful in relation to another article that is appropriate here, then placing an external link to the Wikipedia article might be appropriate.

== Community ==

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum or message board. While there are places here to discuss and collaborate for the purpose of writing and improving articles, and for the construction and general maintenance of the wiki, this is not a forum open for discussions about anything and everything.

* Avoid taking discussions into the articles themselves.
* Use the user talk pages, and appropriate article talk pages to resolve issues involved in writing or improving articles on the wiki.
* Talk pages exist for the purpose of improving articles and are not general discussion pages about the topic.
* Talk pages are also not a technical help desk for support or instructional assistance about the subject.

The [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum] is a discussion forum, or message board, for CPAP users, where you can ask questions, get help, meet other CPAP users, speak more freely, help others, and be less concerned with spelling, formatting, and [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV]] issues.

There are also many other places on the web that may be used as discussion forums about all kinds of topics.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a battlefield ===
All CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki users are expected to treat each other with respect and have an attitude of cooperative kindness towards the goal of improving the wiki. It is not appropriate to make threats, hold grudges, create conflict or drama, or personally attack, harass, insult, or attempt to instill fear or hatred in others here. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated and a user may be blocked or banned as a result of engaging in these type of activities.

Try to treat others the same way you would like to be treated. If conflict does occur, stay calm and use intelligent and polite discussion to resolve the matter. If another user does not follow these guidelines, that does not give you rationalization to retaliate.

Creating or modifying articles here with the intention of making a point or in response to a conflict or disagreement with someone (or something) here is not acceptable. Do not engage in edit wars.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dating website ===
This is not the appropriate place to discuss or pursue your personal relationship or sexual desires, sexual preferences, or try to make advances towards other members. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated. There are many other places, online and offline, that would be better suited for these purposes.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy. Nor is it a political or social experiment. The primary means of determining consensus is through editing and discussing articles, not voting. While editors may occasionally use straw polls or surveys to check for consensus, this is generally discouraged and may actually impede the process of improving the article.

While the members here play a very large role in determining what should be included in the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and what should or should not happen on this website, it is owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., which reserves the right at their sole discretion, to be the final arbiter about any aspect of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not an anarchy ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is relatively free and open for the purposes of building a dynamic website with information for CPAP users and those afflicted with Obstructive Sleep Apnea, it restricts both freedom and openness where it may interfere with that purpose. Even though the wiki is self-governing to a large degree, the idea here is '''not''' to push the limits of, or experiment with, anarchy, but to focus on the task of improving the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a viral marketing site ===
This is not the place to attempt to market anything, for any reason, in any way shape or form, viral or otherwise. Simply, do not try it. There are many other places on the internet to attempt marketing campaigns of all kinds, free, or for a fee. Please go there instead.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest. Simply put, this wiki is not here to see who has the most edits, or knowledge, or intelligence, or who can win and get their way, or make the fastest improvements, or become Sysop, or any other type of competitive self-aggrandizing game or contest.

Whether a member simply reads articles, or makes minor edits once in awhile, or is a master writer and editor, or an expert on a topic, or is a Sysop, or contributes in other ways to the wiki, does not really matter and does not make one member better than another. The fact is that people contribute in their own way, at their own pace, and in their own time. Not everyone wants to get involved and there are many users who mainly read articles for informational purposes. Members should not criticize each other for not contributing to the wiki and should try to keep a healthy attitude and perspective towards individual contributions, large and small, including their own contributions. Though, there is generally nothing wrong with having a healthy ambition and a positive perspective towards the task of improving the wiki.

If you start feeling like working on the wiki is a competition, contest, or something you are becoming obsessed with to your own detriment, or the detriment of others, or if you may be using this site to escape from real life, then please consider taking a break from the wiki, and if necessary, seek professional help.

== See also ==
* [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer|General Disclaimers]]
* [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]]
* [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]]
* [[Help:Contents|Help Contents]]
* [[CpapWiki:About|About the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki]]
* [[CpapWiki:Administrators|CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki Administrators]]

CpapWiki:What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not

2008-10-25T02:03:26Z

Sleeppunk: /* The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest */

{{guideline}}
[[Image:Moon_2.png|right|thumb|100px|Yes, sometimes even guideline pages need a nice image.]]
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is an online knowledge-base of information and articles pertaining to CPAP use and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. As a means to that end, it is also an online community. Therefore, there are some things that the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki '''is not'''. Above all, use common sense.
== Content ==
=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not made of paper ===
This may seem obvious. The main point is that this wiki is potentially limitless, and includes formatting and links typically not found in paper publications, and is dynamically created by many people. However, there is a big difference between what can be done and what should reasonably be carried out.

Keep in mind the primary scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is on articles pertaining to CPAP usage, and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. This is not the place for articles about unrelated topics. Refer to the [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]] and [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]], as needed.

* It should be made clear, that because this is not a paper publication, but is instead a wiki, any of user submissions to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki may (or may not) be edited mercilessly, temporarily removed, permanently deleted, moved, disputed, changed, modified, discussed, critiqued, rearranged, reformatted, linked to, lost, placed in a historical archive, replaced, referred to, used as an example, featured on the wiki, viewed by many, viewed by few or none, translated, reworded, and may or may not be replicated, copied or transcluded or used in other ways defined within in the CPAPtalk.com User Agreement.
* It should be made clear that most user submissions to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki are publicly viewable by anyone with access to the internet. Please use discretion when posting publicly viewable information on the internet, and respect the privacy of others.

If anything above is unacceptable to you, do not make any user contributions or submit anything to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Instead, use this website as a read-only informational tool.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, podium, or pulpit ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, pulpit, podium, or an outlet for advertising, self-promotion, promotion of your personal biased opinions or passionate beliefs, recruitment of any kind (commercial, political, religious, or other), rumors, or editorial opinion pieces.

* '''Advertising''' (of any kind;commercial or non-commercial) is not acceptable on this wiki. Inserting links to external websites just to promote your business or product(s) is not the intended use of this site and will not be tolerated. Writing or editing articles to promote your business, organization, events, product(s), self, or other things you may be involved in personally or directly, is not recommended. External links to major commercial organizations are acceptable if they identify major organizations related to that article. Articles about notable companies should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view guidelines]].

* '''Recruiting''' people for your business, project, organization, religion, political party, other website, event, or for any other reason, is not the intended use of this wiki. Please do not engage in this kind of behavior.

* '''Editorial opinion pieces''' are not the intended use of this wiki. Articles should be unbiased and strive for a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV]]. If you want to share your biased opinions or personal pet views, consider going to the [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum], or another website on the internet.

* '''Self-promotion''' is not the reason this wiki is here. While it is tempting to write about a company you work for, or about yourself, or things you are involved in, it is difficult to remain objective. Therefore, it is recommended that you do not write about these type of things that you are directly involved in so that a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view]] might be accomplished.

* '''Rumors''' are not acceptable here and this is not the place to write about or speculate over future events or products. It is also not the place to write rumors about people, companies, or organizations that may constitute libel, or slander.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, or image and media storage site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, image hosting site, or storage site for other files, or media.

* This wiki is not the place to make long lists of links to external websites, or upload images that will not be used in an article.
* It is not a place to replicate another website (or portion thereof) as a mirror site.
* It should not be used as personal web storage space for files, lists, images, and the like.
* This is also not the place to dump or copy large portions of information from public domain sources.

There are many other websites on the internet that can be used for these kinds of activities.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a webspace provider or social networking site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a social networking site like [http://www.myspace.com MySpace] or [http://www.facebook.com Facebook]. While there are certainly social aspects to a collaborative project, the pages here, including user pages, are intended to help the community collaborate on building and improving the wiki for the benefit of CPAP users, and others who visit the wiki. You may not host your own website here or build your own wiki here. There are many other websites on the internet that provide webhosting, social networking, and wiki spaces, either for free, or for a fee. Again, this is not a file hosting website. Uploaded images should be used in relevant articles on the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not censored ===
Articles and pages on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki can be edited or created by just about anyone, and the changes show up instantaneously, once submitted. For this reason, some readers may see content that they consider offensive or objectionable. So, the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki cannot guarantee that content here will always be acceptable to everyone, or adhere to your social (or religious) norms and standards, ideas, personal viewpoints, or beliefs.

Inappropriate content (links to porn sites, profanity, hate words, etc.) is typically the work of vandalism and is often removed quickly by members or Sysops of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Content that is judged to be in violation of the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], and the general policies and guidelines of CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, will be removed.

There could be content here that may be offensive to some users (information, ideas, concepts, text, images, links, language, people), but relevant to an article within the scope of the wiki. Discussions about controversial content should focus not so much on the possible offensiveness of the content, but whether or not it is appropriate and important to the article.

You must be 18 years of age, or older as mentioned in the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], to use this website.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not medical advice ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a doctor or medical practitioner. This site is largely created and edited by its members who are mostly not in the medical profession. Even if the information is accurate, or is written in part or completely by a medical professional (doctor, nurse, pharmacist, etc.), or someone claiming to be a medical professional, it may not apply to your particular situation.

For more information see [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer#Use_This_Site_At_Your_Own_Risk|this disclaimer]].

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information. Instead, it is an organized collection of articles relevant to the scope of this wiki and of interest to the CPAPtalk.com community. There are also guidelines to be aware of when writing articles here. Therefore, articles should typically not just be:

* '''Lists''' of statistics, websites, phone numbers, addresses, genealogical entries, directories, etc. are not the intended use of this wiki. While there are lists that may be incorporated into an article because the information is relevant to the topic, articles which are simply long lists should be avoided. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the yellow pages and it is not an internet guide or listing service.
* '''Scientific papers''' are not appropriate here on the wiki, because articles need to be written with a wider audience in mind, and scientific papers are often difficult for the lay audience to understand. However, research papers and scientific journals may be used as a reference, or citation, or there may be cases where an external link to such material might be appropriate.
* '''Sales information''' is not the intended use of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Nor is it intended to be a place used for conducting business. Articles about products should not list pricing information unless there is some kind of historical or notable significance to mentioning pricing. Articles should not be a list of products you or your organization sells, and should also not contain sales pitches or be slanted with bias towards trying to promote the product. Do not post press releases here. Articles should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV guidelines]].
* '''FAQ formats''' should usually not be used here on the wiki. Articles should be presented in a more formal manner. Exceptions are the [[CPAP_FAQs|CPAP FAQs]] page, and the [[Help:FAQs|Help FAQs]] page, as well as pages designed to help members utilize and improve the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a news service ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the place to write articles covering current events or news. This is also not the place to self-promote, or write about an event you are personally involved in. There may be news or events, on occasion, that are noteworthy and relevant to an article in which case it should be mentioned or referred to in the appropriate article, and cited as a reference. Please, do not post press releases here.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dictionary ===
The CPAPtalk.com is not a dictionary. Therefore, articles here should start by defining the topic with a quality description of the subject matter, and then expand on other aspects of the topic with relevant information. If an article is simply a definition and nothing more, then it should be expanded upon if at all possible. Avoid making lists of words, or glossaries.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not Wikipedia ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki has some elements that are similar to [http://wikipedia.org/ Wikipedia], the two websites are different in scope, policies, and style. Wikipedia is universal in scope and is constructed in an encyclopedic nature. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is limited in scope and does not exactly fall under the definition of ''encylopedia''. Wikipedia also has different rules, policies and guidelines, and in particular, they have different rules about user submissions and usage of content, as well as many other variations from the policies and guidelines set forth here on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

* A lot may be learned from Wikipedia, but articles should not be copied or imported here from any of the Wikipedia family of websites (or any other source). Nor should articles here be copied to Wikipedia, or any other place.

* See the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]] for more information about ''User Submissions and Content License'' and ''Usage of Content'' from this website.

* There may be times when linking to information on Wikipedia may be appropriate in an article here. For example, if the article topic is not within the scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and therefore should not be created here, but the information about said topic would be useful in relation to another article that is appropriate here, then placing an external link to the Wikipedia article might be appropriate.

== Community ==

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum or message board. While there are places here to discuss and collaborate for the purpose of writing and improving articles, and for the construction and general maintenance of the wiki, this is not a forum open for discussions about anything and everything.

* Avoid taking discussions into the articles themselves.
* Use the user talk pages, and appropriate article talk pages to resolve issues involved in writing or improving articles on the wiki.
* Talk pages exist for the purpose of improving articles and are not general discussion pages about the topic.
* Talk pages are also not a technical help desk for support or instructional assistance about the subject.

The [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum] is a discussion forum, or message board, for CPAP users, where you can ask questions, get help, meet other CPAP users, speak more freely, help others, and be less concerned with spelling, formatting, and [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV]] issues.

There are also many other places on the web that may be used as discussion forums about all kinds of topics.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a battlefield ===
All CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki users are expected to treat each other with respect and have an attitude of cooperative kindness towards the goal of improving the wiki. It is not appropriate to make threats, hold grudges, create conflict or drama, or personally attack, harass, insult, or attempt to instill fear or hatred in others here. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated and a user may be blocked or banned as a result of engaging in these type of activities.

Try to treat others the same way you would like to be treated. If conflict does occur, stay calm and use intelligent and polite discussion to resolve the matter. If another user does not follow these guidelines, that does not give you rationalization to retaliate.

Creating or modifying articles here with the intention of making a point or in response to a conflict or disagreement with someone (or something) here is not acceptable. Do not engage in edit wars.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dating website ===
This is not the appropriate place to discuss or pursue your personal relationship or sexual desires, sexual preferences, or try to make advances towards other members. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated. There are many other places, online and offline, that would be better suited for these purposes.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy. Nor is it a political or social experiment. The primary means of determining consensus is through editing and discussing articles, not voting. While editors may occasionally use straw polls or surveys to check for consensus, this is generally discouraged and may actually impede the process of improving the article.

While the members here play a very large role in determining what should be included in the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and what should or should not happen on this website, it is owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., which reserves the right at their sole discretion, to be the final arbiter about any aspect of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not an anarchy ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is relatively free and open for the purposes of building a dynamic website with information for CPAP users and those afflicted with Obstructive Sleep Apnea, it restricts both freedom and openness where it may interfere with that purpose. Even though the wiki is self-governing to a large degree, the idea here is '''not''' to push the limits of, or experiment with, anarchy, but to focus on the task of improving the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a viral marketing site ===
This is not the place to attempt to market anything, for any reason, in any way shape or form, viral or otherwise. Simply, do not try it. There are many other places on the internet to attempt marketing campaigns of all kinds, free, or for a fee. Please go there instead.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest. Simply put, this wiki is not here to see who has the most edits, or knowledge, or intelligence, or who can win and get their way, or make the fastest improvements, or become Sysop, or any other type of competitive self-aggrandizing game or contest.

Whether a member simply reads articles, or makes minor edits once in awhile, or is a master writer and editor, or an expert on a topic, or is a Sysop, or contributes in other ways to the wiki, does not really matter and does not make one member better than another. The fact is that people contribute in their own way, at their own pace, and in their own time. Not everyone wants to get involved and there are many users who mainly read articles for informational purposes. Members should not criticize each other for not contributing to the wiki and should try to keep a healthy attitude and perspective towards individual contributions, large and small, including their own contributions. Though, there is generally nothing wrong with having a healthy ambition and a positive perspective towards the take of improving the wiki.

If you start feeling like working on the wiki is a competition, contest, or something you are becoming obsessed with to your own detriment, or the detriment of others, or if you may be using this site to escape from real life, then please consider taking a break from the wiki, and if necessary, seek professional help.

== See also ==
* [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer|General Disclaimers]]
* [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]]
* [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]]
* [[Help:Contents|Help Contents]]
* [[CpapWiki:About|About the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki]]
* [[CpapWiki:Administrators|CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki Administrators]]

CpapWiki:What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not

2008-10-25T02:02:41Z

Sleeppunk: /* The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest */

{{guideline}}
[[Image:Moon_2.png|right|thumb|100px|Yes, sometimes even guideline pages need a nice image.]]
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is an online knowledge-base of information and articles pertaining to CPAP use and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. As a means to that end, it is also an online community. Therefore, there are some things that the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki '''is not'''. Above all, use common sense.
== Content ==
=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not made of paper ===
This may seem obvious. The main point is that this wiki is potentially limitless, and includes formatting and links typically not found in paper publications, and is dynamically created by many people. However, there is a big difference between what can be done and what should reasonably be carried out.

Keep in mind the primary scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is on articles pertaining to CPAP usage, and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. This is not the place for articles about unrelated topics. Refer to the [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]] and [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]], as needed.

* It should be made clear, that because this is not a paper publication, but is instead a wiki, any of user submissions to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki may (or may not) be edited mercilessly, temporarily removed, permanently deleted, moved, disputed, changed, modified, discussed, critiqued, rearranged, reformatted, linked to, lost, placed in a historical archive, replaced, referred to, used as an example, featured on the wiki, viewed by many, viewed by few or none, translated, reworded, and may or may not be replicated, copied or transcluded or used in other ways defined within in the CPAPtalk.com User Agreement.
* It should be made clear that most user submissions to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki are publicly viewable by anyone with access to the internet. Please use discretion when posting publicly viewable information on the internet, and respect the privacy of others.

If anything above is unacceptable to you, do not make any user contributions or submit anything to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Instead, use this website as a read-only informational tool.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, podium, or pulpit ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, pulpit, podium, or an outlet for advertising, self-promotion, promotion of your personal biased opinions or passionate beliefs, recruitment of any kind (commercial, political, religious, or other), rumors, or editorial opinion pieces.

* '''Advertising''' (of any kind;commercial or non-commercial) is not acceptable on this wiki. Inserting links to external websites just to promote your business or product(s) is not the intended use of this site and will not be tolerated. Writing or editing articles to promote your business, organization, events, product(s), self, or other things you may be involved in personally or directly, is not recommended. External links to major commercial organizations are acceptable if they identify major organizations related to that article. Articles about notable companies should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view guidelines]].

* '''Recruiting''' people for your business, project, organization, religion, political party, other website, event, or for any other reason, is not the intended use of this wiki. Please do not engage in this kind of behavior.

* '''Editorial opinion pieces''' are not the intended use of this wiki. Articles should be unbiased and strive for a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV]]. If you want to share your biased opinions or personal pet views, consider going to the [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum], or another website on the internet.

* '''Self-promotion''' is not the reason this wiki is here. While it is tempting to write about a company you work for, or about yourself, or things you are involved in, it is difficult to remain objective. Therefore, it is recommended that you do not write about these type of things that you are directly involved in so that a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view]] might be accomplished.

* '''Rumors''' are not acceptable here and this is not the place to write about or speculate over future events or products. It is also not the place to write rumors about people, companies, or organizations that may constitute libel, or slander.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, or image and media storage site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, image hosting site, or storage site for other files, or media.

* This wiki is not the place to make long lists of links to external websites, or upload images that will not be used in an article.
* It is not a place to replicate another website (or portion thereof) as a mirror site.
* It should not be used as personal web storage space for files, lists, images, and the like.
* This is also not the place to dump or copy large portions of information from public domain sources.

There are many other websites on the internet that can be used for these kinds of activities.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a webspace provider or social networking site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a social networking site like [http://www.myspace.com MySpace] or [http://www.facebook.com Facebook]. While there are certainly social aspects to a collaborative project, the pages here, including user pages, are intended to help the community collaborate on building and improving the wiki for the benefit of CPAP users, and others who visit the wiki. You may not host your own website here or build your own wiki here. There are many other websites on the internet that provide webhosting, social networking, and wiki spaces, either for free, or for a fee. Again, this is not a file hosting website. Uploaded images should be used in relevant articles on the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not censored ===
Articles and pages on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki can be edited or created by just about anyone, and the changes show up instantaneously, once submitted. For this reason, some readers may see content that they consider offensive or objectionable. So, the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki cannot guarantee that content here will always be acceptable to everyone, or adhere to your social (or religious) norms and standards, ideas, personal viewpoints, or beliefs.

Inappropriate content (links to porn sites, profanity, hate words, etc.) is typically the work of vandalism and is often removed quickly by members or Sysops of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Content that is judged to be in violation of the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], and the general policies and guidelines of CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, will be removed.

There could be content here that may be offensive to some users (information, ideas, concepts, text, images, links, language, people), but relevant to an article within the scope of the wiki. Discussions about controversial content should focus not so much on the possible offensiveness of the content, but whether or not it is appropriate and important to the article.

You must be 18 years of age, or older as mentioned in the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], to use this website.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not medical advice ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a doctor or medical practitioner. This site is largely created and edited by its members who are mostly not in the medical profession. Even if the information is accurate, or is written in part or completely by a medical professional (doctor, nurse, pharmacist, etc.), or someone claiming to be a medical professional, it may not apply to your particular situation.

For more information see [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer#Use_This_Site_At_Your_Own_Risk|this disclaimer]].

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information. Instead, it is an organized collection of articles relevant to the scope of this wiki and of interest to the CPAPtalk.com community. There are also guidelines to be aware of when writing articles here. Therefore, articles should typically not just be:

* '''Lists''' of statistics, websites, phone numbers, addresses, genealogical entries, directories, etc. are not the intended use of this wiki. While there are lists that may be incorporated into an article because the information is relevant to the topic, articles which are simply long lists should be avoided. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the yellow pages and it is not an internet guide or listing service.
* '''Scientific papers''' are not appropriate here on the wiki, because articles need to be written with a wider audience in mind, and scientific papers are often difficult for the lay audience to understand. However, research papers and scientific journals may be used as a reference, or citation, or there may be cases where an external link to such material might be appropriate.
* '''Sales information''' is not the intended use of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Nor is it intended to be a place used for conducting business. Articles about products should not list pricing information unless there is some kind of historical or notable significance to mentioning pricing. Articles should not be a list of products you or your organization sells, and should also not contain sales pitches or be slanted with bias towards trying to promote the product. Do not post press releases here. Articles should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV guidelines]].
* '''FAQ formats''' should usually not be used here on the wiki. Articles should be presented in a more formal manner. Exceptions are the [[CPAP_FAQs|CPAP FAQs]] page, and the [[Help:FAQs|Help FAQs]] page, as well as pages designed to help members utilize and improve the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a news service ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the place to write articles covering current events or news. This is also not the place to self-promote, or write about an event you are personally involved in. There may be news or events, on occasion, that are noteworthy and relevant to an article in which case it should be mentioned or referred to in the appropriate article, and cited as a reference. Please, do not post press releases here.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dictionary ===
The CPAPtalk.com is not a dictionary. Therefore, articles here should start by defining the topic with a quality description of the subject matter, and then expand on other aspects of the topic with relevant information. If an article is simply a definition and nothing more, then it should be expanded upon if at all possible. Avoid making lists of words, or glossaries.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not Wikipedia ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki has some elements that are similar to [http://wikipedia.org/ Wikipedia], the two websites are different in scope, policies, and style. Wikipedia is universal in scope and is constructed in an encyclopedic nature. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is limited in scope and does not exactly fall under the definition of ''encylopedia''. Wikipedia also has different rules, policies and guidelines, and in particular, they have different rules about user submissions and usage of content, as well as many other variations from the policies and guidelines set forth here on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

* A lot may be learned from Wikipedia, but articles should not be copied or imported here from any of the Wikipedia family of websites (or any other source). Nor should articles here be copied to Wikipedia, or any other place.

* See the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]] for more information about ''User Submissions and Content License'' and ''Usage of Content'' from this website.

* There may be times when linking to information on Wikipedia may be appropriate in an article here. For example, if the article topic is not within the scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and therefore should not be created here, but the information about said topic would be useful in relation to another article that is appropriate here, then placing an external link to the Wikipedia article might be appropriate.

== Community ==

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum or message board. While there are places here to discuss and collaborate for the purpose of writing and improving articles, and for the construction and general maintenance of the wiki, this is not a forum open for discussions about anything and everything.

* Avoid taking discussions into the articles themselves.
* Use the user talk pages, and appropriate article talk pages to resolve issues involved in writing or improving articles on the wiki.
* Talk pages exist for the purpose of improving articles and are not general discussion pages about the topic.
* Talk pages are also not a technical help desk for support or instructional assistance about the subject.

The [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum] is a discussion forum, or message board, for CPAP users, where you can ask questions, get help, meet other CPAP users, speak more freely, help others, and be less concerned with spelling, formatting, and [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV]] issues.

There are also many other places on the web that may be used as discussion forums about all kinds of topics.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a battlefield ===
All CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki users are expected to treat each other with respect and have an attitude of cooperative kindness towards the goal of improving the wiki. It is not appropriate to make threats, hold grudges, create conflict or drama, or personally attack, harass, insult, or attempt to instill fear or hatred in others here. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated and a user may be blocked or banned as a result of engaging in these type of activities.

Try to treat others the same way you would like to be treated. If conflict does occur, stay calm and use intelligent and polite discussion to resolve the matter. If another user does not follow these guidelines, that does not give you rationalization to retaliate.

Creating or modifying articles here with the intention of making a point or in response to a conflict or disagreement with someone (or something) here is not acceptable. Do not engage in edit wars.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dating website ===
This is not the appropriate place to discuss or pursue your personal relationship or sexual desires, sexual preferences, or try to make advances towards other members. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated. There are many other places, online and offline, that would be better suited for these purposes.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy. Nor is it a political or social experiment. The primary means of determining consensus is through editing and discussing articles, not voting. While editors may occasionally use straw polls or surveys to check for consensus, this is generally discouraged and may actually impede the process of improving the article.

While the members here play a very large role in determining what should be included in the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and what should or should not happen on this website, it is owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., which reserves the right at their sole discretion, to be the final arbiter about any aspect of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not an anarchy ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is relatively free and open for the purposes of building a dynamic website with information for CPAP users and those afflicted with Obstructive Sleep Apnea, it restricts both freedom and openness where it may interfere with that purpose. Even though the wiki is self-governing to a large degree, the idea here is '''not''' to push the limits of, or experiment with, anarchy, but to focus on the task of improving the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a viral marketing site ===
This is not the place to attempt to market anything, for any reason, in any way shape or form, viral or otherwise. Simply, do not try it. There are many other places on the internet to attempt marketing campaigns of all kinds, free, or for a fee. Please go there instead.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest. Simply put, this wiki is not here to see who has the most edits, or knowledge, or intelligence, or who can win and get their way, or make the fastest improvements, or become Sysop, or any other type of competitive self-aggrandizing game or contest.

Whether a member simply reads articles, or makes minor edits once in awhile, or is a master writer and editor, or an expert on a topic, or is a Sysop, or contributes in other ways to the wiki, does not really matter and does not make one member better than another. The fact is that people contribute in their own way, at their own pace, and in their own time. Not everyone wants to get involved and there are many users who mainly read articles for informational purposes. Members should not criticize each other for not contributing to the wiki and should try to keep a healthy attitude and perspective towards individual contributions, large and small, including their own contributions. Though, there is generally nothing wrong with having a healthy ambition and a positive perspective. towards improving the wiki.

If you start feeling like working on the wiki is a competition, contest, or something you are becoming obsessed with to your own detriment, or the detriment of others, or if you may be using this site to escape from real life, then please consider taking a break from the wiki, and if necessary, seek professional help.

== See also ==
* [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer|General Disclaimers]]
* [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]]
* [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]]
* [[Help:Contents|Help Contents]]
* [[CpapWiki:About|About the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki]]
* [[CpapWiki:Administrators|CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki Administrators]]

CpapWiki:What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not

2008-10-25T01:52:33Z

Sleeppunk: /* The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a news service */

{{guideline}}
[[Image:Moon_2.png|right|thumb|100px|Yes, sometimes even guideline pages need a nice image.]]
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is an online knowledge-base of information and articles pertaining to CPAP use and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. As a means to that end, it is also an online community. Therefore, there are some things that the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki '''is not'''. Above all, use common sense.
== Content ==
=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not made of paper ===
This may seem obvious. The main point is that this wiki is potentially limitless, and includes formatting and links typically not found in paper publications, and is dynamically created by many people. However, there is a big difference between what can be done and what should reasonably be carried out.

Keep in mind the primary scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is on articles pertaining to CPAP usage, and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. This is not the place for articles about unrelated topics. Refer to the [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]] and [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]], as needed.

* It should be made clear, that because this is not a paper publication, but is instead a wiki, any of user submissions to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki may (or may not) be edited mercilessly, temporarily removed, permanently deleted, moved, disputed, changed, modified, discussed, critiqued, rearranged, reformatted, linked to, lost, placed in a historical archive, replaced, referred to, used as an example, featured on the wiki, viewed by many, viewed by few or none, translated, reworded, and may or may not be replicated, copied or transcluded or used in other ways defined within in the CPAPtalk.com User Agreement.
* It should be made clear that most user submissions to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki are publicly viewable by anyone with access to the internet. Please use discretion when posting publicly viewable information on the internet, and respect the privacy of others.

If anything above is unacceptable to you, do not make any user contributions or submit anything to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Instead, use this website as a read-only informational tool.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, podium, or pulpit ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, pulpit, podium, or an outlet for advertising, self-promotion, promotion of your personal biased opinions or passionate beliefs, recruitment of any kind (commercial, political, religious, or other), rumors, or editorial opinion pieces.

* '''Advertising''' (of any kind;commercial or non-commercial) is not acceptable on this wiki. Inserting links to external websites just to promote your business or product(s) is not the intended use of this site and will not be tolerated. Writing or editing articles to promote your business, organization, events, product(s), self, or other things you may be involved in personally or directly, is not recommended. External links to major commercial organizations are acceptable if they identify major organizations related to that article. Articles about notable companies should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view guidelines]].

* '''Recruiting''' people for your business, project, organization, religion, political party, other website, event, or for any other reason, is not the intended use of this wiki. Please do not engage in this kind of behavior.

* '''Editorial opinion pieces''' are not the intended use of this wiki. Articles should be unbiased and strive for a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV]]. If you want to share your biased opinions or personal pet views, consider going to the [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum], or another website on the internet.

* '''Self-promotion''' is not the reason this wiki is here. While it is tempting to write about a company you work for, or about yourself, or things you are involved in, it is difficult to remain objective. Therefore, it is recommended that you do not write about these type of things that you are directly involved in so that a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view]] might be accomplished.

* '''Rumors''' are not acceptable here and this is not the place to write about or speculate over future events or products. It is also not the place to write rumors about people, companies, or organizations that may constitute libel, or slander.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, or image and media storage site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, image hosting site, or storage site for other files, or media.

* This wiki is not the place to make long lists of links to external websites, or upload images that will not be used in an article.
* It is not a place to replicate another website (or portion thereof) as a mirror site.
* It should not be used as personal web storage space for files, lists, images, and the like.
* This is also not the place to dump or copy large portions of information from public domain sources.

There are many other websites on the internet that can be used for these kinds of activities.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a webspace provider or social networking site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a social networking site like [http://www.myspace.com MySpace] or [http://www.facebook.com Facebook]. While there are certainly social aspects to a collaborative project, the pages here, including user pages, are intended to help the community collaborate on building and improving the wiki for the benefit of CPAP users, and others who visit the wiki. You may not host your own website here or build your own wiki here. There are many other websites on the internet that provide webhosting, social networking, and wiki spaces, either for free, or for a fee. Again, this is not a file hosting website. Uploaded images should be used in relevant articles on the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not censored ===
Articles and pages on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki can be edited or created by just about anyone, and the changes show up instantaneously, once submitted. For this reason, some readers may see content that they consider offensive or objectionable. So, the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki cannot guarantee that content here will always be acceptable to everyone, or adhere to your social (or religious) norms and standards, ideas, personal viewpoints, or beliefs.

Inappropriate content (links to porn sites, profanity, hate words, etc.) is typically the work of vandalism and is often removed quickly by members or Sysops of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Content that is judged to be in violation of the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], and the general policies and guidelines of CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, will be removed.

There could be content here that may be offensive to some users (information, ideas, concepts, text, images, links, language, people), but relevant to an article within the scope of the wiki. Discussions about controversial content should focus not so much on the possible offensiveness of the content, but whether or not it is appropriate and important to the article.

You must be 18 years of age, or older as mentioned in the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], to use this website.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not medical advice ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a doctor or medical practitioner. This site is largely created and edited by its members who are mostly not in the medical profession. Even if the information is accurate, or is written in part or completely by a medical professional (doctor, nurse, pharmacist, etc.), or someone claiming to be a medical professional, it may not apply to your particular situation.

For more information see [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer#Use_This_Site_At_Your_Own_Risk|this disclaimer]].

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information. Instead, it is an organized collection of articles relevant to the scope of this wiki and of interest to the CPAPtalk.com community. There are also guidelines to be aware of when writing articles here. Therefore, articles should typically not just be:

* '''Lists''' of statistics, websites, phone numbers, addresses, genealogical entries, directories, etc. are not the intended use of this wiki. While there are lists that may be incorporated into an article because the information is relevant to the topic, articles which are simply long lists should be avoided. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the yellow pages and it is not an internet guide or listing service.
* '''Scientific papers''' are not appropriate here on the wiki, because articles need to be written with a wider audience in mind, and scientific papers are often difficult for the lay audience to understand. However, research papers and scientific journals may be used as a reference, or citation, or there may be cases where an external link to such material might be appropriate.
* '''Sales information''' is not the intended use of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Nor is it intended to be a place used for conducting business. Articles about products should not list pricing information unless there is some kind of historical or notable significance to mentioning pricing. Articles should not be a list of products you or your organization sells, and should also not contain sales pitches or be slanted with bias towards trying to promote the product. Do not post press releases here. Articles should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV guidelines]].
* '''FAQ formats''' should usually not be used here on the wiki. Articles should be presented in a more formal manner. Exceptions are the [[CPAP_FAQs|CPAP FAQs]] page, and the [[Help:FAQs|Help FAQs]] page, as well as pages designed to help members utilize and improve the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a news service ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the place to write articles covering current events or news. This is also not the place to self-promote, or write about an event you are personally involved in. There may be news or events, on occasion, that are noteworthy and relevant to an article in which case it should be mentioned or referred to in the appropriate article, and cited as a reference. Please, do not post press releases here.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dictionary ===
The CPAPtalk.com is not a dictionary. Therefore, articles here should start by defining the topic with a quality description of the subject matter, and then expand on other aspects of the topic with relevant information. If an article is simply a definition and nothing more, then it should be expanded upon if at all possible. Avoid making lists of words, or glossaries.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not Wikipedia ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki has some elements that are similar to [http://wikipedia.org/ Wikipedia], the two websites are different in scope, policies, and style. Wikipedia is universal in scope and is constructed in an encyclopedic nature. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is limited in scope and does not exactly fall under the definition of ''encylopedia''. Wikipedia also has different rules, policies and guidelines, and in particular, they have different rules about user submissions and usage of content, as well as many other variations from the policies and guidelines set forth here on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

* A lot may be learned from Wikipedia, but articles should not be copied or imported here from any of the Wikipedia family of websites (or any other source). Nor should articles here be copied to Wikipedia, or any other place.

* See the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]] for more information about ''User Submissions and Content License'' and ''Usage of Content'' from this website.

* There may be times when linking to information on Wikipedia may be appropriate in an article here. For example, if the article topic is not within the scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and therefore should not be created here, but the information about said topic would be useful in relation to another article that is appropriate here, then placing an external link to the Wikipedia article might be appropriate.

== Community ==

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum or message board. While there are places here to discuss and collaborate for the purpose of writing and improving articles, and for the construction and general maintenance of the wiki, this is not a forum open for discussions about anything and everything.

* Avoid taking discussions into the articles themselves.
* Use the user talk pages, and appropriate article talk pages to resolve issues involved in writing or improving articles on the wiki.
* Talk pages exist for the purpose of improving articles and are not general discussion pages about the topic.
* Talk pages are also not a technical help desk for support or instructional assistance about the subject.

The [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum] is a discussion forum, or message board, for CPAP users, where you can ask questions, get help, meet other CPAP users, speak more freely, help others, and be less concerned with spelling, formatting, and [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV]] issues.

There are also many other places on the web that may be used as discussion forums about all kinds of topics.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a battlefield ===
All CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki users are expected to treat each other with respect and have an attitude of cooperative kindness towards the goal of improving the wiki. It is not appropriate to make threats, hold grudges, create conflict or drama, or personally attack, harass, insult, or attempt to instill fear or hatred in others here. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated and a user may be blocked or banned as a result of engaging in these type of activities.

Try to treat others the same way you would like to be treated. If conflict does occur, stay calm and use intelligent and polite discussion to resolve the matter. If another user does not follow these guidelines, that does not give you rationalization to retaliate.

Creating or modifying articles here with the intention of making a point or in response to a conflict or disagreement with someone (or something) here is not acceptable. Do not engage in edit wars.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dating website ===
This is not the appropriate place to discuss or pursue your personal relationship or sexual desires, sexual preferences, or try to make advances towards other members. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated. There are many other places, online and offline, that would be better suited for these purposes.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy. Nor is it a political or social experiment. The primary means of determining consensus is through editing and discussing articles, not voting. While editors may occasionally use straw polls or surveys to check for consensus, this is generally discouraged and may actually impede the process of improving the article.

While the members here play a very large role in determining what should be included in the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and what should or should not happen on this website, it is owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., which reserves the right at their sole discretion, to be the final arbiter about any aspect of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not an anarchy ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is relatively free and open for the purposes of building a dynamic website with information for CPAP users and those afflicted with Obstructive Sleep Apnea, it restricts both freedom and openness where it may interfere with that purpose. Even though the wiki is self-governing to a large degree, the idea here is '''not''' to push the limits of, or experiment with, anarchy, but to focus on the task of improving the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a viral marketing site ===
This is not the place to attempt to market anything, for any reason, in any way shape or form, viral or otherwise. Simply, do not try it. There are many other places on the internet to attempt marketing campaigns of all kinds, free, or for a fee. Please go there instead.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest. Simply put, this wiki is not here to see who has the most edits, or knowledge, or intelligence, or who can win and get their way, or make the fastest improvements, or become Sysop, or any other type of competitive self-aggrandizing game or contest.

Whether a member simply reads articles, or makes minor edits once in awhile, or is a master writer and editor, or an expert on a topic, or is a Sysop, or contributes in other ways to the wiki, does not really matter and does not make one member better than another. The fact is that people contribute in their own way, at their own pace, and in their own time. Not everyone wants to get involved and there are many users who mainly read articles for informational purposes. Members should not criticize each other for not contributing to the wiki and should try to keep a healthy attitude and perspective towards individual contributions, large and small, including their own contributions.

If you start feeling like working on the wiki is a competition, contest, or something you are becoming obsessed with to your own detriment, or the detriment of others, or if you may be using this site to escape from real life, then please consider taking a break from the wiki.

== See also ==
* [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer|General Disclaimers]]
* [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]]
* [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]]
* [[Help:Contents|Help Contents]]
* [[CpapWiki:About|About the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki]]
* [[CpapWiki:Administrators|CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki Administrators]]

CpapWiki:What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not

2008-10-25T01:51:30Z

Sleeppunk: /* The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information */

{{guideline}}
[[Image:Moon_2.png|right|thumb|100px|Yes, sometimes even guideline pages need a nice image.]]
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is an online knowledge-base of information and articles pertaining to CPAP use and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. As a means to that end, it is also an online community. Therefore, there are some things that the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki '''is not'''. Above all, use common sense.
== Content ==
=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not made of paper ===
This may seem obvious. The main point is that this wiki is potentially limitless, and includes formatting and links typically not found in paper publications, and is dynamically created by many people. However, there is a big difference between what can be done and what should reasonably be carried out.

Keep in mind the primary scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is on articles pertaining to CPAP usage, and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. This is not the place for articles about unrelated topics. Refer to the [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]] and [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]], as needed.

* It should be made clear, that because this is not a paper publication, but is instead a wiki, any of user submissions to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki may (or may not) be edited mercilessly, temporarily removed, permanently deleted, moved, disputed, changed, modified, discussed, critiqued, rearranged, reformatted, linked to, lost, placed in a historical archive, replaced, referred to, used as an example, featured on the wiki, viewed by many, viewed by few or none, translated, reworded, and may or may not be replicated, copied or transcluded or used in other ways defined within in the CPAPtalk.com User Agreement.
* It should be made clear that most user submissions to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki are publicly viewable by anyone with access to the internet. Please use discretion when posting publicly viewable information on the internet, and respect the privacy of others.

If anything above is unacceptable to you, do not make any user contributions or submit anything to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Instead, use this website as a read-only informational tool.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, podium, or pulpit ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, pulpit, podium, or an outlet for advertising, self-promotion, promotion of your personal biased opinions or passionate beliefs, recruitment of any kind (commercial, political, religious, or other), rumors, or editorial opinion pieces.

* '''Advertising''' (of any kind;commercial or non-commercial) is not acceptable on this wiki. Inserting links to external websites just to promote your business or product(s) is not the intended use of this site and will not be tolerated. Writing or editing articles to promote your business, organization, events, product(s), self, or other things you may be involved in personally or directly, is not recommended. External links to major commercial organizations are acceptable if they identify major organizations related to that article. Articles about notable companies should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view guidelines]].

* '''Recruiting''' people for your business, project, organization, religion, political party, other website, event, or for any other reason, is not the intended use of this wiki. Please do not engage in this kind of behavior.

* '''Editorial opinion pieces''' are not the intended use of this wiki. Articles should be unbiased and strive for a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV]]. If you want to share your biased opinions or personal pet views, consider going to the [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum], or another website on the internet.

* '''Self-promotion''' is not the reason this wiki is here. While it is tempting to write about a company you work for, or about yourself, or things you are involved in, it is difficult to remain objective. Therefore, it is recommended that you do not write about these type of things that you are directly involved in so that a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view]] might be accomplished.

* '''Rumors''' are not acceptable here and this is not the place to write about or speculate over future events or products. It is also not the place to write rumors about people, companies, or organizations that may constitute libel, or slander.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, or image and media storage site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, image hosting site, or storage site for other files, or media.

* This wiki is not the place to make long lists of links to external websites, or upload images that will not be used in an article.
* It is not a place to replicate another website (or portion thereof) as a mirror site.
* It should not be used as personal web storage space for files, lists, images, and the like.
* This is also not the place to dump or copy large portions of information from public domain sources.

There are many other websites on the internet that can be used for these kinds of activities.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a webspace provider or social networking site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a social networking site like [http://www.myspace.com MySpace] or [http://www.facebook.com Facebook]. While there are certainly social aspects to a collaborative project, the pages here, including user pages, are intended to help the community collaborate on building and improving the wiki for the benefit of CPAP users, and others who visit the wiki. You may not host your own website here or build your own wiki here. There are many other websites on the internet that provide webhosting, social networking, and wiki spaces, either for free, or for a fee. Again, this is not a file hosting website. Uploaded images should be used in relevant articles on the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not censored ===
Articles and pages on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki can be edited or created by just about anyone, and the changes show up instantaneously, once submitted. For this reason, some readers may see content that they consider offensive or objectionable. So, the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki cannot guarantee that content here will always be acceptable to everyone, or adhere to your social (or religious) norms and standards, ideas, personal viewpoints, or beliefs.

Inappropriate content (links to porn sites, profanity, hate words, etc.) is typically the work of vandalism and is often removed quickly by members or Sysops of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Content that is judged to be in violation of the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], and the general policies and guidelines of CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, will be removed.

There could be content here that may be offensive to some users (information, ideas, concepts, text, images, links, language, people), but relevant to an article within the scope of the wiki. Discussions about controversial content should focus not so much on the possible offensiveness of the content, but whether or not it is appropriate and important to the article.

You must be 18 years of age, or older as mentioned in the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], to use this website.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not medical advice ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a doctor or medical practitioner. This site is largely created and edited by its members who are mostly not in the medical profession. Even if the information is accurate, or is written in part or completely by a medical professional (doctor, nurse, pharmacist, etc.), or someone claiming to be a medical professional, it may not apply to your particular situation.

For more information see [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer#Use_This_Site_At_Your_Own_Risk|this disclaimer]].

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information. Instead, it is an organized collection of articles relevant to the scope of this wiki and of interest to the CPAPtalk.com community. There are also guidelines to be aware of when writing articles here. Therefore, articles should typically not just be:

* '''Lists''' of statistics, websites, phone numbers, addresses, genealogical entries, directories, etc. are not the intended use of this wiki. While there are lists that may be incorporated into an article because the information is relevant to the topic, articles which are simply long lists should be avoided. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the yellow pages and it is not an internet guide or listing service.
* '''Scientific papers''' are not appropriate here on the wiki, because articles need to be written with a wider audience in mind, and scientific papers are often difficult for the lay audience to understand. However, research papers and scientific journals may be used as a reference, or citation, or there may be cases where an external link to such material might be appropriate.
* '''Sales information''' is not the intended use of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Nor is it intended to be a place used for conducting business. Articles about products should not list pricing information unless there is some kind of historical or notable significance to mentioning pricing. Articles should not be a list of products you or your organization sells, and should also not contain sales pitches or be slanted with bias towards trying to promote the product. Do not post press releases here. Articles should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV guidelines]].
* '''FAQ formats''' should usually not be used here on the wiki. Articles should be presented in a more formal manner. Exceptions are the [[CPAP_FAQs|CPAP FAQs]] page, and the [[Help:FAQs|Help FAQs]] page, as well as pages designed to help members utilize and improve the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a news service ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the place to write articles covering current events or news. This is also not the place to self-promote, or write about an event you are personally involved in. There may be news or events, on occasion, that are noteworthy and relevant to an article in which case it should be mentioned or referred to in the appropriate article, and cited as a reference.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dictionary ===
The CPAPtalk.com is not a dictionary. Therefore, articles here should start by defining the topic with a quality description of the subject matter, and then expand on other aspects of the topic with relevant information. If an article is simply a definition and nothing more, then it should be expanded upon if at all possible. Avoid making lists of words, or glossaries.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not Wikipedia ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki has some elements that are similar to [http://wikipedia.org/ Wikipedia], the two websites are different in scope, policies, and style. Wikipedia is universal in scope and is constructed in an encyclopedic nature. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is limited in scope and does not exactly fall under the definition of ''encylopedia''. Wikipedia also has different rules, policies and guidelines, and in particular, they have different rules about user submissions and usage of content, as well as many other variations from the policies and guidelines set forth here on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

* A lot may be learned from Wikipedia, but articles should not be copied or imported here from any of the Wikipedia family of websites (or any other source). Nor should articles here be copied to Wikipedia, or any other place.

* See the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]] for more information about ''User Submissions and Content License'' and ''Usage of Content'' from this website.

* There may be times when linking to information on Wikipedia may be appropriate in an article here. For example, if the article topic is not within the scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and therefore should not be created here, but the information about said topic would be useful in relation to another article that is appropriate here, then placing an external link to the Wikipedia article might be appropriate.

== Community ==

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum or message board. While there are places here to discuss and collaborate for the purpose of writing and improving articles, and for the construction and general maintenance of the wiki, this is not a forum open for discussions about anything and everything.

* Avoid taking discussions into the articles themselves.
* Use the user talk pages, and appropriate article talk pages to resolve issues involved in writing or improving articles on the wiki.
* Talk pages exist for the purpose of improving articles and are not general discussion pages about the topic.
* Talk pages are also not a technical help desk for support or instructional assistance about the subject.

The [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum] is a discussion forum, or message board, for CPAP users, where you can ask questions, get help, meet other CPAP users, speak more freely, help others, and be less concerned with spelling, formatting, and [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV]] issues.

There are also many other places on the web that may be used as discussion forums about all kinds of topics.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a battlefield ===
All CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki users are expected to treat each other with respect and have an attitude of cooperative kindness towards the goal of improving the wiki. It is not appropriate to make threats, hold grudges, create conflict or drama, or personally attack, harass, insult, or attempt to instill fear or hatred in others here. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated and a user may be blocked or banned as a result of engaging in these type of activities.

Try to treat others the same way you would like to be treated. If conflict does occur, stay calm and use intelligent and polite discussion to resolve the matter. If another user does not follow these guidelines, that does not give you rationalization to retaliate.

Creating or modifying articles here with the intention of making a point or in response to a conflict or disagreement with someone (or something) here is not acceptable. Do not engage in edit wars.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dating website ===
This is not the appropriate place to discuss or pursue your personal relationship or sexual desires, sexual preferences, or try to make advances towards other members. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated. There are many other places, online and offline, that would be better suited for these purposes.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy. Nor is it a political or social experiment. The primary means of determining consensus is through editing and discussing articles, not voting. While editors may occasionally use straw polls or surveys to check for consensus, this is generally discouraged and may actually impede the process of improving the article.

While the members here play a very large role in determining what should be included in the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and what should or should not happen on this website, it is owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., which reserves the right at their sole discretion, to be the final arbiter about any aspect of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not an anarchy ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is relatively free and open for the purposes of building a dynamic website with information for CPAP users and those afflicted with Obstructive Sleep Apnea, it restricts both freedom and openness where it may interfere with that purpose. Even though the wiki is self-governing to a large degree, the idea here is '''not''' to push the limits of, or experiment with, anarchy, but to focus on the task of improving the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a viral marketing site ===
This is not the place to attempt to market anything, for any reason, in any way shape or form, viral or otherwise. Simply, do not try it. There are many other places on the internet to attempt marketing campaigns of all kinds, free, or for a fee. Please go there instead.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest. Simply put, this wiki is not here to see who has the most edits, or knowledge, or intelligence, or who can win and get their way, or make the fastest improvements, or become Sysop, or any other type of competitive self-aggrandizing game or contest.

Whether a member simply reads articles, or makes minor edits once in awhile, or is a master writer and editor, or an expert on a topic, or is a Sysop, or contributes in other ways to the wiki, does not really matter and does not make one member better than another. The fact is that people contribute in their own way, at their own pace, and in their own time. Not everyone wants to get involved and there are many users who mainly read articles for informational purposes. Members should not criticize each other for not contributing to the wiki and should try to keep a healthy attitude and perspective towards individual contributions, large and small, including their own contributions.

If you start feeling like working on the wiki is a competition, contest, or something you are becoming obsessed with to your own detriment, or the detriment of others, or if you may be using this site to escape from real life, then please consider taking a break from the wiki.

== See also ==
* [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer|General Disclaimers]]
* [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]]
* [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]]
* [[Help:Contents|Help Contents]]
* [[CpapWiki:About|About the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki]]
* [[CpapWiki:Administrators|CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki Administrators]]

CpapWiki:What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not

2008-10-25T01:48:51Z

Sleeppunk: /* The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest */

{{guideline}}
[[Image:Moon_2.png|right|thumb|100px|Yes, sometimes even guideline pages need a nice image.]]
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is an online knowledge-base of information and articles pertaining to CPAP use and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. As a means to that end, it is also an online community. Therefore, there are some things that the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki '''is not'''. Above all, use common sense.
== Content ==
=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not made of paper ===
This may seem obvious. The main point is that this wiki is potentially limitless, and includes formatting and links typically not found in paper publications, and is dynamically created by many people. However, there is a big difference between what can be done and what should reasonably be carried out.

Keep in mind the primary scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is on articles pertaining to CPAP usage, and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. This is not the place for articles about unrelated topics. Refer to the [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]] and [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]], as needed.

* It should be made clear, that because this is not a paper publication, but is instead a wiki, any of user submissions to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki may (or may not) be edited mercilessly, temporarily removed, permanently deleted, moved, disputed, changed, modified, discussed, critiqued, rearranged, reformatted, linked to, lost, placed in a historical archive, replaced, referred to, used as an example, featured on the wiki, viewed by many, viewed by few or none, translated, reworded, and may or may not be replicated, copied or transcluded or used in other ways defined within in the CPAPtalk.com User Agreement.
* It should be made clear that most user submissions to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki are publicly viewable by anyone with access to the internet. Please use discretion when posting publicly viewable information on the internet, and respect the privacy of others.

If anything above is unacceptable to you, do not make any user contributions or submit anything to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Instead, use this website as a read-only informational tool.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, podium, or pulpit ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, pulpit, podium, or an outlet for advertising, self-promotion, promotion of your personal biased opinions or passionate beliefs, recruitment of any kind (commercial, political, religious, or other), rumors, or editorial opinion pieces.

* '''Advertising''' (of any kind;commercial or non-commercial) is not acceptable on this wiki. Inserting links to external websites just to promote your business or product(s) is not the intended use of this site and will not be tolerated. Writing or editing articles to promote your business, organization, events, product(s), self, or other things you may be involved in personally or directly, is not recommended. External links to major commercial organizations are acceptable if they identify major organizations related to that article. Articles about notable companies should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view guidelines]].

* '''Recruiting''' people for your business, project, organization, religion, political party, other website, event, or for any other reason, is not the intended use of this wiki. Please do not engage in this kind of behavior.

* '''Editorial opinion pieces''' are not the intended use of this wiki. Articles should be unbiased and strive for a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV]]. If you want to share your biased opinions or personal pet views, consider going to the [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum], or another website on the internet.

* '''Self-promotion''' is not the reason this wiki is here. While it is tempting to write about a company you work for, or about yourself, or things you are involved in, it is difficult to remain objective. Therefore, it is recommended that you do not write about these type of things that you are directly involved in so that a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view]] might be accomplished.

* '''Rumors''' are not acceptable here and this is not the place to write about or speculate over future events or products. It is also not the place to write rumors about people, companies, or organizations that may constitute libel, or slander.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, or image and media storage site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, image hosting site, or storage site for other files, or media.

* This wiki is not the place to make long lists of links to external websites, or upload images that will not be used in an article.
* It is not a place to replicate another website (or portion thereof) as a mirror site.
* It should not be used as personal web storage space for files, lists, images, and the like.
* This is also not the place to dump or copy large portions of information from public domain sources.

There are many other websites on the internet that can be used for these kinds of activities.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a webspace provider or social networking site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a social networking site like [http://www.myspace.com MySpace] or [http://www.facebook.com Facebook]. While there are certainly social aspects to a collaborative project, the pages here, including user pages, are intended to help the community collaborate on building and improving the wiki for the benefit of CPAP users, and others who visit the wiki. You may not host your own website here or build your own wiki here. There are many other websites on the internet that provide webhosting, social networking, and wiki spaces, either for free, or for a fee. Again, this is not a file hosting website. Uploaded images should be used in relevant articles on the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not censored ===
Articles and pages on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki can be edited or created by just about anyone, and the changes show up instantaneously, once submitted. For this reason, some readers may see content that they consider offensive or objectionable. So, the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki cannot guarantee that content here will always be acceptable to everyone, or adhere to your social (or religious) norms and standards, ideas, personal viewpoints, or beliefs.

Inappropriate content (links to porn sites, profanity, hate words, etc.) is typically the work of vandalism and is often removed quickly by members or Sysops of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Content that is judged to be in violation of the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], and the general policies and guidelines of CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, will be removed.

There could be content here that may be offensive to some users (information, ideas, concepts, text, images, links, language, people), but relevant to an article within the scope of the wiki. Discussions about controversial content should focus not so much on the possible offensiveness of the content, but whether or not it is appropriate and important to the article.

You must be 18 years of age, or older as mentioned in the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], to use this website.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not medical advice ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a doctor or medical practitioner. This site is largely created and edited by its members who are mostly not in the medical profession. Even if the information is accurate, or is written in part or completely by a medical professional (doctor, nurse, pharmacist, etc.), or someone claiming to be a medical professional, it may not apply to your particular situation.

For more information see [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer#Use_This_Site_At_Your_Own_Risk|this disclaimer]].

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information. Instead, it is an organized collection of articles relevant to the scope of this wiki and of interest to the CPAPtalk.com community. There are also guidelines to be aware of when writing articles here. Therefore, articles should typically not just be:

* '''Lists''' of statistics, websites, phone numbers, addresses, genealogical entries, directories, etc. are not the intended use of this wiki. While there are lists that may be incorporated into an article because the information is relevant to the topic, articles which are simply long lists should be avoided. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the yellow pages and it is not an internet guide or listing service.
* '''Scientific papers''' are not appropriate here on the wiki, because articles need to be written with a wider audience in mind, and scientific papers are often difficult for the lay audience to understand. However, research papers and scientific journals may be used as a reference, or citation, or there may be cases where an external link to such material might be appropriate.
* '''Sales information''' is not the intended use of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Nor is it intended to be a place used for conducting business. Articles about products should not list pricing information unless there is some kind of historical or notable significance to mentioning pricing. Articles should not be a list of products you or your organization sells, and should also not contain sales pitches or be slanted with bias towards trying to promote the product. Articles should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV guidelines]].
* '''FAQ formats''' should usually not be used here on the wiki. Articles should be presented in a more formal manner. Exceptions are the [[CPAP_FAQs|CPAP FAQs]] page, and the [[Help:FAQs|Help FAQs]] page, as well as pages designed to help members utilize and improve the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a news service ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the place to write articles covering current events or news. This is also not the place to self-promote, or write about an event you are personally involved in. There may be news or events, on occasion, that are noteworthy and relevant to an article in which case it should be mentioned or referred to in the appropriate article, and cited as a reference.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dictionary ===
The CPAPtalk.com is not a dictionary. Therefore, articles here should start by defining the topic with a quality description of the subject matter, and then expand on other aspects of the topic with relevant information. If an article is simply a definition and nothing more, then it should be expanded upon if at all possible. Avoid making lists of words, or glossaries.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not Wikipedia ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki has some elements that are similar to [http://wikipedia.org/ Wikipedia], the two websites are different in scope, policies, and style. Wikipedia is universal in scope and is constructed in an encyclopedic nature. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is limited in scope and does not exactly fall under the definition of ''encylopedia''. Wikipedia also has different rules, policies and guidelines, and in particular, they have different rules about user submissions and usage of content, as well as many other variations from the policies and guidelines set forth here on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

* A lot may be learned from Wikipedia, but articles should not be copied or imported here from any of the Wikipedia family of websites (or any other source). Nor should articles here be copied to Wikipedia, or any other place.

* See the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]] for more information about ''User Submissions and Content License'' and ''Usage of Content'' from this website.

* There may be times when linking to information on Wikipedia may be appropriate in an article here. For example, if the article topic is not within the scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and therefore should not be created here, but the information about said topic would be useful in relation to another article that is appropriate here, then placing an external link to the Wikipedia article might be appropriate.

== Community ==

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum or message board. While there are places here to discuss and collaborate for the purpose of writing and improving articles, and for the construction and general maintenance of the wiki, this is not a forum open for discussions about anything and everything.

* Avoid taking discussions into the articles themselves.
* Use the user talk pages, and appropriate article talk pages to resolve issues involved in writing or improving articles on the wiki.
* Talk pages exist for the purpose of improving articles and are not general discussion pages about the topic.
* Talk pages are also not a technical help desk for support or instructional assistance about the subject.

The [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum] is a discussion forum, or message board, for CPAP users, where you can ask questions, get help, meet other CPAP users, speak more freely, help others, and be less concerned with spelling, formatting, and [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV]] issues.

There are also many other places on the web that may be used as discussion forums about all kinds of topics.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a battlefield ===
All CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki users are expected to treat each other with respect and have an attitude of cooperative kindness towards the goal of improving the wiki. It is not appropriate to make threats, hold grudges, create conflict or drama, or personally attack, harass, insult, or attempt to instill fear or hatred in others here. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated and a user may be blocked or banned as a result of engaging in these type of activities.

Try to treat others the same way you would like to be treated. If conflict does occur, stay calm and use intelligent and polite discussion to resolve the matter. If another user does not follow these guidelines, that does not give you rationalization to retaliate.

Creating or modifying articles here with the intention of making a point or in response to a conflict or disagreement with someone (or something) here is not acceptable. Do not engage in edit wars.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dating website ===
This is not the appropriate place to discuss or pursue your personal relationship or sexual desires, sexual preferences, or try to make advances towards other members. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated. There are many other places, online and offline, that would be better suited for these purposes.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy. Nor is it a political or social experiment. The primary means of determining consensus is through editing and discussing articles, not voting. While editors may occasionally use straw polls or surveys to check for consensus, this is generally discouraged and may actually impede the process of improving the article.

While the members here play a very large role in determining what should be included in the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and what should or should not happen on this website, it is owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., which reserves the right at their sole discretion, to be the final arbiter about any aspect of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not an anarchy ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is relatively free and open for the purposes of building a dynamic website with information for CPAP users and those afflicted with Obstructive Sleep Apnea, it restricts both freedom and openness where it may interfere with that purpose. Even though the wiki is self-governing to a large degree, the idea here is '''not''' to push the limits of, or experiment with, anarchy, but to focus on the task of improving the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a viral marketing site ===
This is not the place to attempt to market anything, for any reason, in any way shape or form, viral or otherwise. Simply, do not try it. There are many other places on the internet to attempt marketing campaigns of all kinds, free, or for a fee. Please go there instead.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest. Simply put, this wiki is not here to see who has the most edits, or knowledge, or intelligence, or who can win and get their way, or make the fastest improvements, or become Sysop, or any other type of competitive self-aggrandizing game or contest.

Whether a member simply reads articles, or makes minor edits once in awhile, or is a master writer and editor, or an expert on a topic, or is a Sysop, or contributes in other ways to the wiki, does not really matter and does not make one member better than another. The fact is that people contribute in their own way, at their own pace, and in their own time. Not everyone wants to get involved and there are many users who mainly read articles for informational purposes. Members should not criticize each other for not contributing to the wiki and should try to keep a healthy attitude and perspective towards individual contributions, large and small, including their own contributions.

If you start feeling like working on the wiki is a competition, contest, or something you are becoming obsessed with to your own detriment, or the detriment of others, or if you may be using this site to escape from real life, then please consider taking a break from the wiki.

== See also ==
* [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer|General Disclaimers]]
* [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]]
* [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]]
* [[Help:Contents|Help Contents]]
* [[CpapWiki:About|About the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki]]
* [[CpapWiki:Administrators|CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki Administrators]]

CpapWiki:What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not

2008-10-25T01:47:30Z

Sleeppunk: /* The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a viral marketing site */

{{guideline}}
[[Image:Moon_2.png|right|thumb|100px|Yes, sometimes even guideline pages need a nice image.]]
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is an online knowledge-base of information and articles pertaining to CPAP use and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. As a means to that end, it is also an online community. Therefore, there are some things that the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki '''is not'''. Above all, use common sense.
== Content ==
=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not made of paper ===
This may seem obvious. The main point is that this wiki is potentially limitless, and includes formatting and links typically not found in paper publications, and is dynamically created by many people. However, there is a big difference between what can be done and what should reasonably be carried out.

Keep in mind the primary scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is on articles pertaining to CPAP usage, and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. This is not the place for articles about unrelated topics. Refer to the [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]] and [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]], as needed.

* It should be made clear, that because this is not a paper publication, but is instead a wiki, any of user submissions to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki may (or may not) be edited mercilessly, temporarily removed, permanently deleted, moved, disputed, changed, modified, discussed, critiqued, rearranged, reformatted, linked to, lost, placed in a historical archive, replaced, referred to, used as an example, featured on the wiki, viewed by many, viewed by few or none, translated, reworded, and may or may not be replicated, copied or transcluded or used in other ways defined within in the CPAPtalk.com User Agreement.
* It should be made clear that most user submissions to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki are publicly viewable by anyone with access to the internet. Please use discretion when posting publicly viewable information on the internet, and respect the privacy of others.

If anything above is unacceptable to you, do not make any user contributions or submit anything to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Instead, use this website as a read-only informational tool.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, podium, or pulpit ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, pulpit, podium, or an outlet for advertising, self-promotion, promotion of your personal biased opinions or passionate beliefs, recruitment of any kind (commercial, political, religious, or other), rumors, or editorial opinion pieces.

* '''Advertising''' (of any kind;commercial or non-commercial) is not acceptable on this wiki. Inserting links to external websites just to promote your business or product(s) is not the intended use of this site and will not be tolerated. Writing or editing articles to promote your business, organization, events, product(s), self, or other things you may be involved in personally or directly, is not recommended. External links to major commercial organizations are acceptable if they identify major organizations related to that article. Articles about notable companies should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view guidelines]].

* '''Recruiting''' people for your business, project, organization, religion, political party, other website, event, or for any other reason, is not the intended use of this wiki. Please do not engage in this kind of behavior.

* '''Editorial opinion pieces''' are not the intended use of this wiki. Articles should be unbiased and strive for a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV]]. If you want to share your biased opinions or personal pet views, consider going to the [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum], or another website on the internet.

* '''Self-promotion''' is not the reason this wiki is here. While it is tempting to write about a company you work for, or about yourself, or things you are involved in, it is difficult to remain objective. Therefore, it is recommended that you do not write about these type of things that you are directly involved in so that a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view]] might be accomplished.

* '''Rumors''' are not acceptable here and this is not the place to write about or speculate over future events or products. It is also not the place to write rumors about people, companies, or organizations that may constitute libel, or slander.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, or image and media storage site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, image hosting site, or storage site for other files, or media.

* This wiki is not the place to make long lists of links to external websites, or upload images that will not be used in an article.
* It is not a place to replicate another website (or portion thereof) as a mirror site.
* It should not be used as personal web storage space for files, lists, images, and the like.
* This is also not the place to dump or copy large portions of information from public domain sources.

There are many other websites on the internet that can be used for these kinds of activities.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a webspace provider or social networking site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a social networking site like [http://www.myspace.com MySpace] or [http://www.facebook.com Facebook]. While there are certainly social aspects to a collaborative project, the pages here, including user pages, are intended to help the community collaborate on building and improving the wiki for the benefit of CPAP users, and others who visit the wiki. You may not host your own website here or build your own wiki here. There are many other websites on the internet that provide webhosting, social networking, and wiki spaces, either for free, or for a fee. Again, this is not a file hosting website. Uploaded images should be used in relevant articles on the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not censored ===
Articles and pages on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki can be edited or created by just about anyone, and the changes show up instantaneously, once submitted. For this reason, some readers may see content that they consider offensive or objectionable. So, the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki cannot guarantee that content here will always be acceptable to everyone, or adhere to your social (or religious) norms and standards, ideas, personal viewpoints, or beliefs.

Inappropriate content (links to porn sites, profanity, hate words, etc.) is typically the work of vandalism and is often removed quickly by members or Sysops of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Content that is judged to be in violation of the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], and the general policies and guidelines of CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, will be removed.

There could be content here that may be offensive to some users (information, ideas, concepts, text, images, links, language, people), but relevant to an article within the scope of the wiki. Discussions about controversial content should focus not so much on the possible offensiveness of the content, but whether or not it is appropriate and important to the article.

You must be 18 years of age, or older as mentioned in the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], to use this website.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not medical advice ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a doctor or medical practitioner. This site is largely created and edited by its members who are mostly not in the medical profession. Even if the information is accurate, or is written in part or completely by a medical professional (doctor, nurse, pharmacist, etc.), or someone claiming to be a medical professional, it may not apply to your particular situation.

For more information see [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer#Use_This_Site_At_Your_Own_Risk|this disclaimer]].

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information. Instead, it is an organized collection of articles relevant to the scope of this wiki and of interest to the CPAPtalk.com community. There are also guidelines to be aware of when writing articles here. Therefore, articles should typically not just be:

* '''Lists''' of statistics, websites, phone numbers, addresses, genealogical entries, directories, etc. are not the intended use of this wiki. While there are lists that may be incorporated into an article because the information is relevant to the topic, articles which are simply long lists should be avoided. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the yellow pages and it is not an internet guide or listing service.
* '''Scientific papers''' are not appropriate here on the wiki, because articles need to be written with a wider audience in mind, and scientific papers are often difficult for the lay audience to understand. However, research papers and scientific journals may be used as a reference, or citation, or there may be cases where an external link to such material might be appropriate.
* '''Sales information''' is not the intended use of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Nor is it intended to be a place used for conducting business. Articles about products should not list pricing information unless there is some kind of historical or notable significance to mentioning pricing. Articles should not be a list of products you or your organization sells, and should also not contain sales pitches or be slanted with bias towards trying to promote the product. Articles should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV guidelines]].
* '''FAQ formats''' should usually not be used here on the wiki. Articles should be presented in a more formal manner. Exceptions are the [[CPAP_FAQs|CPAP FAQs]] page, and the [[Help:FAQs|Help FAQs]] page, as well as pages designed to help members utilize and improve the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a news service ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the place to write articles covering current events or news. This is also not the place to self-promote, or write about an event you are personally involved in. There may be news or events, on occasion, that are noteworthy and relevant to an article in which case it should be mentioned or referred to in the appropriate article, and cited as a reference.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dictionary ===
The CPAPtalk.com is not a dictionary. Therefore, articles here should start by defining the topic with a quality description of the subject matter, and then expand on other aspects of the topic with relevant information. If an article is simply a definition and nothing more, then it should be expanded upon if at all possible. Avoid making lists of words, or glossaries.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not Wikipedia ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki has some elements that are similar to [http://wikipedia.org/ Wikipedia], the two websites are different in scope, policies, and style. Wikipedia is universal in scope and is constructed in an encyclopedic nature. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is limited in scope and does not exactly fall under the definition of ''encylopedia''. Wikipedia also has different rules, policies and guidelines, and in particular, they have different rules about user submissions and usage of content, as well as many other variations from the policies and guidelines set forth here on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

* A lot may be learned from Wikipedia, but articles should not be copied or imported here from any of the Wikipedia family of websites (or any other source). Nor should articles here be copied to Wikipedia, or any other place.

* See the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]] for more information about ''User Submissions and Content License'' and ''Usage of Content'' from this website.

* There may be times when linking to information on Wikipedia may be appropriate in an article here. For example, if the article topic is not within the scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and therefore should not be created here, but the information about said topic would be useful in relation to another article that is appropriate here, then placing an external link to the Wikipedia article might be appropriate.

== Community ==

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum or message board. While there are places here to discuss and collaborate for the purpose of writing and improving articles, and for the construction and general maintenance of the wiki, this is not a forum open for discussions about anything and everything.

* Avoid taking discussions into the articles themselves.
* Use the user talk pages, and appropriate article talk pages to resolve issues involved in writing or improving articles on the wiki.
* Talk pages exist for the purpose of improving articles and are not general discussion pages about the topic.
* Talk pages are also not a technical help desk for support or instructional assistance about the subject.

The [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum] is a discussion forum, or message board, for CPAP users, where you can ask questions, get help, meet other CPAP users, speak more freely, help others, and be less concerned with spelling, formatting, and [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV]] issues.

There are also many other places on the web that may be used as discussion forums about all kinds of topics.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a battlefield ===
All CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki users are expected to treat each other with respect and have an attitude of cooperative kindness towards the goal of improving the wiki. It is not appropriate to make threats, hold grudges, create conflict or drama, or personally attack, harass, insult, or attempt to instill fear or hatred in others here. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated and a user may be blocked or banned as a result of engaging in these type of activities.

Try to treat others the same way you would like to be treated. If conflict does occur, stay calm and use intelligent and polite discussion to resolve the matter. If another user does not follow these guidelines, that does not give you rationalization to retaliate.

Creating or modifying articles here with the intention of making a point or in response to a conflict or disagreement with someone (or something) here is not acceptable. Do not engage in edit wars.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dating website ===
This is not the appropriate place to discuss or pursue your personal relationship or sexual desires, sexual preferences, or try to make advances towards other members. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated. There are many other places, online and offline, that would be better suited for these purposes.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy. Nor is it a political or social experiment. The primary means of determining consensus is through editing and discussing articles, not voting. While editors may occasionally use straw polls or surveys to check for consensus, this is generally discouraged and may actually impede the process of improving the article.

While the members here play a very large role in determining what should be included in the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and what should or should not happen on this website, it is owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., which reserves the right at their sole discretion, to be the final arbiter about any aspect of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not an anarchy ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is relatively free and open for the purposes of building a dynamic website with information for CPAP users and those afflicted with Obstructive Sleep Apnea, it restricts both freedom and openness where it may interfere with that purpose. Even though the wiki is self-governing to a large degree, the idea here is '''not''' to push the limits of, or experiment with, anarchy, but to focus on the task of improving the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a viral marketing site ===
This is not the place to attempt to market anything, for any reason, in any way shape or form, viral or otherwise. Simply, do not try it. There are many other places on the internet to attempt marketing campaigns of all kinds, free, or for a fee. Please go there instead.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest. Simply put, this wiki is not here to see who has the most edits, or knowledge, or intelligence, or who can win and get their way, or make the fastest improvements, or become Sysop, or any other type of competitive self-aggrandizing game or contest.

Whether a member simply reads articles, or makes minor edits once in awhile, or is a master writer and editor, or an expert on a topic, or is a Sysop, or contributes in other ways to the wiki, does not really matter and does not make one member better than another. The fact is that people contribute in their own way, at their own pace, and in their own time. Not everyone wants to get involved and there are many users who mainly read articles for informational purposes. Members should not criticize each other for not contributing to the wiki and should try to keep a healthy attitude and perspective towards individual contributions, large and small, including their own contributions.

If you start feeling like working on the wiki is a competition, contest, or something you are becoming obsessed with to your own detriment, or that you may be using to escape from real life, then consider taking a break from the wiki.

== See also ==
* [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer|General Disclaimers]]
* [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]]
* [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]]
* [[Help:Contents|Help Contents]]
* [[CpapWiki:About|About the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki]]
* [[CpapWiki:Administrators|CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki Administrators]]

CpapWiki:What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not

2008-10-25T01:45:08Z

Sleeppunk: /* The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not an anarchy */

{{guideline}}
[[Image:Moon_2.png|right|thumb|100px|Yes, sometimes even guideline pages need a nice image.]]
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is an online knowledge-base of information and articles pertaining to CPAP use and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. As a means to that end, it is also an online community. Therefore, there are some things that the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki '''is not'''. Above all, use common sense.
== Content ==
=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not made of paper ===
This may seem obvious. The main point is that this wiki is potentially limitless, and includes formatting and links typically not found in paper publications, and is dynamically created by many people. However, there is a big difference between what can be done and what should reasonably be carried out.

Keep in mind the primary scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is on articles pertaining to CPAP usage, and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. This is not the place for articles about unrelated topics. Refer to the [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]] and [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]], as needed.

* It should be made clear, that because this is not a paper publication, but is instead a wiki, any of user submissions to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki may (or may not) be edited mercilessly, temporarily removed, permanently deleted, moved, disputed, changed, modified, discussed, critiqued, rearranged, reformatted, linked to, lost, placed in a historical archive, replaced, referred to, used as an example, featured on the wiki, viewed by many, viewed by few or none, translated, reworded, and may or may not be replicated, copied or transcluded or used in other ways defined within in the CPAPtalk.com User Agreement.
* It should be made clear that most user submissions to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki are publicly viewable by anyone with access to the internet. Please use discretion when posting publicly viewable information on the internet, and respect the privacy of others.

If anything above is unacceptable to you, do not make any user contributions or submit anything to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Instead, use this website as a read-only informational tool.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, podium, or pulpit ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, pulpit, podium, or an outlet for advertising, self-promotion, promotion of your personal biased opinions or passionate beliefs, recruitment of any kind (commercial, political, religious, or other), rumors, or editorial opinion pieces.

* '''Advertising''' (of any kind;commercial or non-commercial) is not acceptable on this wiki. Inserting links to external websites just to promote your business or product(s) is not the intended use of this site and will not be tolerated. Writing or editing articles to promote your business, organization, events, product(s), self, or other things you may be involved in personally or directly, is not recommended. External links to major commercial organizations are acceptable if they identify major organizations related to that article. Articles about notable companies should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view guidelines]].

* '''Recruiting''' people for your business, project, organization, religion, political party, other website, event, or for any other reason, is not the intended use of this wiki. Please do not engage in this kind of behavior.

* '''Editorial opinion pieces''' are not the intended use of this wiki. Articles should be unbiased and strive for a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV]]. If you want to share your biased opinions or personal pet views, consider going to the [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum], or another website on the internet.

* '''Self-promotion''' is not the reason this wiki is here. While it is tempting to write about a company you work for, or about yourself, or things you are involved in, it is difficult to remain objective. Therefore, it is recommended that you do not write about these type of things that you are directly involved in so that a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view]] might be accomplished.

* '''Rumors''' are not acceptable here and this is not the place to write about or speculate over future events or products. It is also not the place to write rumors about people, companies, or organizations that may constitute libel, or slander.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, or image and media storage site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, image hosting site, or storage site for other files, or media.

* This wiki is not the place to make long lists of links to external websites, or upload images that will not be used in an article.
* It is not a place to replicate another website (or portion thereof) as a mirror site.
* It should not be used as personal web storage space for files, lists, images, and the like.
* This is also not the place to dump or copy large portions of information from public domain sources.

There are many other websites on the internet that can be used for these kinds of activities.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a webspace provider or social networking site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a social networking site like [http://www.myspace.com MySpace] or [http://www.facebook.com Facebook]. While there are certainly social aspects to a collaborative project, the pages here, including user pages, are intended to help the community collaborate on building and improving the wiki for the benefit of CPAP users, and others who visit the wiki. You may not host your own website here or build your own wiki here. There are many other websites on the internet that provide webhosting, social networking, and wiki spaces, either for free, or for a fee. Again, this is not a file hosting website. Uploaded images should be used in relevant articles on the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not censored ===
Articles and pages on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki can be edited or created by just about anyone, and the changes show up instantaneously, once submitted. For this reason, some readers may see content that they consider offensive or objectionable. So, the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki cannot guarantee that content here will always be acceptable to everyone, or adhere to your social (or religious) norms and standards, ideas, personal viewpoints, or beliefs.

Inappropriate content (links to porn sites, profanity, hate words, etc.) is typically the work of vandalism and is often removed quickly by members or Sysops of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Content that is judged to be in violation of the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], and the general policies and guidelines of CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, will be removed.

There could be content here that may be offensive to some users (information, ideas, concepts, text, images, links, language, people), but relevant to an article within the scope of the wiki. Discussions about controversial content should focus not so much on the possible offensiveness of the content, but whether or not it is appropriate and important to the article.

You must be 18 years of age, or older as mentioned in the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], to use this website.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not medical advice ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a doctor or medical practitioner. This site is largely created and edited by its members who are mostly not in the medical profession. Even if the information is accurate, or is written in part or completely by a medical professional (doctor, nurse, pharmacist, etc.), or someone claiming to be a medical professional, it may not apply to your particular situation.

For more information see [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer#Use_This_Site_At_Your_Own_Risk|this disclaimer]].

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information. Instead, it is an organized collection of articles relevant to the scope of this wiki and of interest to the CPAPtalk.com community. There are also guidelines to be aware of when writing articles here. Therefore, articles should typically not just be:

* '''Lists''' of statistics, websites, phone numbers, addresses, genealogical entries, directories, etc. are not the intended use of this wiki. While there are lists that may be incorporated into an article because the information is relevant to the topic, articles which are simply long lists should be avoided. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the yellow pages and it is not an internet guide or listing service.
* '''Scientific papers''' are not appropriate here on the wiki, because articles need to be written with a wider audience in mind, and scientific papers are often difficult for the lay audience to understand. However, research papers and scientific journals may be used as a reference, or citation, or there may be cases where an external link to such material might be appropriate.
* '''Sales information''' is not the intended use of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Nor is it intended to be a place used for conducting business. Articles about products should not list pricing information unless there is some kind of historical or notable significance to mentioning pricing. Articles should not be a list of products you or your organization sells, and should also not contain sales pitches or be slanted with bias towards trying to promote the product. Articles should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV guidelines]].
* '''FAQ formats''' should usually not be used here on the wiki. Articles should be presented in a more formal manner. Exceptions are the [[CPAP_FAQs|CPAP FAQs]] page, and the [[Help:FAQs|Help FAQs]] page, as well as pages designed to help members utilize and improve the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a news service ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the place to write articles covering current events or news. This is also not the place to self-promote, or write about an event you are personally involved in. There may be news or events, on occasion, that are noteworthy and relevant to an article in which case it should be mentioned or referred to in the appropriate article, and cited as a reference.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dictionary ===
The CPAPtalk.com is not a dictionary. Therefore, articles here should start by defining the topic with a quality description of the subject matter, and then expand on other aspects of the topic with relevant information. If an article is simply a definition and nothing more, then it should be expanded upon if at all possible. Avoid making lists of words, or glossaries.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not Wikipedia ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki has some elements that are similar to [http://wikipedia.org/ Wikipedia], the two websites are different in scope, policies, and style. Wikipedia is universal in scope and is constructed in an encyclopedic nature. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is limited in scope and does not exactly fall under the definition of ''encylopedia''. Wikipedia also has different rules, policies and guidelines, and in particular, they have different rules about user submissions and usage of content, as well as many other variations from the policies and guidelines set forth here on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

* A lot may be learned from Wikipedia, but articles should not be copied or imported here from any of the Wikipedia family of websites (or any other source). Nor should articles here be copied to Wikipedia, or any other place.

* See the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]] for more information about ''User Submissions and Content License'' and ''Usage of Content'' from this website.

* There may be times when linking to information on Wikipedia may be appropriate in an article here. For example, if the article topic is not within the scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and therefore should not be created here, but the information about said topic would be useful in relation to another article that is appropriate here, then placing an external link to the Wikipedia article might be appropriate.

== Community ==

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum or message board. While there are places here to discuss and collaborate for the purpose of writing and improving articles, and for the construction and general maintenance of the wiki, this is not a forum open for discussions about anything and everything.

* Avoid taking discussions into the articles themselves.
* Use the user talk pages, and appropriate article talk pages to resolve issues involved in writing or improving articles on the wiki.
* Talk pages exist for the purpose of improving articles and are not general discussion pages about the topic.
* Talk pages are also not a technical help desk for support or instructional assistance about the subject.

The [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum] is a discussion forum, or message board, for CPAP users, where you can ask questions, get help, meet other CPAP users, speak more freely, help others, and be less concerned with spelling, formatting, and [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV]] issues.

There are also many other places on the web that may be used as discussion forums about all kinds of topics.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a battlefield ===
All CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki users are expected to treat each other with respect and have an attitude of cooperative kindness towards the goal of improving the wiki. It is not appropriate to make threats, hold grudges, create conflict or drama, or personally attack, harass, insult, or attempt to instill fear or hatred in others here. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated and a user may be blocked or banned as a result of engaging in these type of activities.

Try to treat others the same way you would like to be treated. If conflict does occur, stay calm and use intelligent and polite discussion to resolve the matter. If another user does not follow these guidelines, that does not give you rationalization to retaliate.

Creating or modifying articles here with the intention of making a point or in response to a conflict or disagreement with someone (or something) here is not acceptable. Do not engage in edit wars.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dating website ===
This is not the appropriate place to discuss or pursue your personal relationship or sexual desires, sexual preferences, or try to make advances towards other members. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated. There are many other places, online and offline, that would be better suited for these purposes.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy. Nor is it a political or social experiment. The primary means of determining consensus is through editing and discussing articles, not voting. While editors may occasionally use straw polls or surveys to check for consensus, this is generally discouraged and may actually impede the process of improving the article.

While the members here play a very large role in determining what should be included in the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and what should or should not happen on this website, it is owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., which reserves the right at their sole discretion, to be the final arbiter about any aspect of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not an anarchy ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is relatively free and open for the purposes of building a dynamic website with information for CPAP users and those afflicted with Obstructive Sleep Apnea, it restricts both freedom and openness where it may interfere with that purpose. Even though the wiki is self-governing to a large degree, the idea here is '''not''' to push the limits of, or experiment with, anarchy, but to focus on the task of improving the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a viral marketing site ===
This is not the place to attempt to market anything, for any reason, in any way shape or form, viral or otherwise.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest. Simply put, this wiki is not here to see who has the most edits, or knowledge, or intelligence, or who can win and get their way, or make the fastest improvements, or become Sysop, or any other type of competitive self-aggrandizing game or contest.

Whether a member simply reads articles, or makes minor edits once in awhile, or is a master writer and editor, or an expert on a topic, or is a Sysop, or contributes in other ways to the wiki, does not really matter and does not make one member better than another. The fact is that people contribute in their own way, at their own pace, and in their own time. Not everyone wants to get involved and there are many users who mainly read articles for informational purposes. Members should not criticize each other for not contributing to the wiki and should try to keep a healthy attitude and perspective towards individual contributions, large and small, including their own contributions.

If you start feeling like working on the wiki is a competition, contest, or something you are becoming obsessed with to your own detriment, or that you may be using to escape from real life, then consider taking a break from the wiki.

== See also ==
* [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer|General Disclaimers]]
* [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]]
* [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]]
* [[Help:Contents|Help Contents]]
* [[CpapWiki:About|About the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki]]
* [[CpapWiki:Administrators|CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki Administrators]]

CpapWiki:What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not

2008-10-25T01:43:14Z

Sleeppunk: /* The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a battlefield */

{{guideline}}
[[Image:Moon_2.png|right|thumb|100px|Yes, sometimes even guideline pages need a nice image.]]
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is an online knowledge-base of information and articles pertaining to CPAP use and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. As a means to that end, it is also an online community. Therefore, there are some things that the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki '''is not'''. Above all, use common sense.
== Content ==
=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not made of paper ===
This may seem obvious. The main point is that this wiki is potentially limitless, and includes formatting and links typically not found in paper publications, and is dynamically created by many people. However, there is a big difference between what can be done and what should reasonably be carried out.

Keep in mind the primary scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is on articles pertaining to CPAP usage, and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. This is not the place for articles about unrelated topics. Refer to the [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]] and [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]], as needed.

* It should be made clear, that because this is not a paper publication, but is instead a wiki, any of user submissions to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki may (or may not) be edited mercilessly, temporarily removed, permanently deleted, moved, disputed, changed, modified, discussed, critiqued, rearranged, reformatted, linked to, lost, placed in a historical archive, replaced, referred to, used as an example, featured on the wiki, viewed by many, viewed by few or none, translated, reworded, and may or may not be replicated, copied or transcluded or used in other ways defined within in the CPAPtalk.com User Agreement.
* It should be made clear that most user submissions to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki are publicly viewable by anyone with access to the internet. Please use discretion when posting publicly viewable information on the internet, and respect the privacy of others.

If anything above is unacceptable to you, do not make any user contributions or submit anything to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Instead, use this website as a read-only informational tool.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, podium, or pulpit ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, pulpit, podium, or an outlet for advertising, self-promotion, promotion of your personal biased opinions or passionate beliefs, recruitment of any kind (commercial, political, religious, or other), rumors, or editorial opinion pieces.

* '''Advertising''' (of any kind;commercial or non-commercial) is not acceptable on this wiki. Inserting links to external websites just to promote your business or product(s) is not the intended use of this site and will not be tolerated. Writing or editing articles to promote your business, organization, events, product(s), self, or other things you may be involved in personally or directly, is not recommended. External links to major commercial organizations are acceptable if they identify major organizations related to that article. Articles about notable companies should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view guidelines]].

* '''Recruiting''' people for your business, project, organization, religion, political party, other website, event, or for any other reason, is not the intended use of this wiki. Please do not engage in this kind of behavior.

* '''Editorial opinion pieces''' are not the intended use of this wiki. Articles should be unbiased and strive for a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV]]. If you want to share your biased opinions or personal pet views, consider going to the [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum], or another website on the internet.

* '''Self-promotion''' is not the reason this wiki is here. While it is tempting to write about a company you work for, or about yourself, or things you are involved in, it is difficult to remain objective. Therefore, it is recommended that you do not write about these type of things that you are directly involved in so that a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view]] might be accomplished.

* '''Rumors''' are not acceptable here and this is not the place to write about or speculate over future events or products. It is also not the place to write rumors about people, companies, or organizations that may constitute libel, or slander.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, or image and media storage site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, image hosting site, or storage site for other files, or media.

* This wiki is not the place to make long lists of links to external websites, or upload images that will not be used in an article.
* It is not a place to replicate another website (or portion thereof) as a mirror site.
* It should not be used as personal web storage space for files, lists, images, and the like.
* This is also not the place to dump or copy large portions of information from public domain sources.

There are many other websites on the internet that can be used for these kinds of activities.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a webspace provider or social networking site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a social networking site like [http://www.myspace.com MySpace] or [http://www.facebook.com Facebook]. While there are certainly social aspects to a collaborative project, the pages here, including user pages, are intended to help the community collaborate on building and improving the wiki for the benefit of CPAP users, and others who visit the wiki. You may not host your own website here or build your own wiki here. There are many other websites on the internet that provide webhosting, social networking, and wiki spaces, either for free, or for a fee. Again, this is not a file hosting website. Uploaded images should be used in relevant articles on the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not censored ===
Articles and pages on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki can be edited or created by just about anyone, and the changes show up instantaneously, once submitted. For this reason, some readers may see content that they consider offensive or objectionable. So, the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki cannot guarantee that content here will always be acceptable to everyone, or adhere to your social (or religious) norms and standards, ideas, personal viewpoints, or beliefs.

Inappropriate content (links to porn sites, profanity, hate words, etc.) is typically the work of vandalism and is often removed quickly by members or Sysops of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Content that is judged to be in violation of the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], and the general policies and guidelines of CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, will be removed.

There could be content here that may be offensive to some users (information, ideas, concepts, text, images, links, language, people), but relevant to an article within the scope of the wiki. Discussions about controversial content should focus not so much on the possible offensiveness of the content, but whether or not it is appropriate and important to the article.

You must be 18 years of age, or older as mentioned in the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], to use this website.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not medical advice ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a doctor or medical practitioner. This site is largely created and edited by its members who are mostly not in the medical profession. Even if the information is accurate, or is written in part or completely by a medical professional (doctor, nurse, pharmacist, etc.), or someone claiming to be a medical professional, it may not apply to your particular situation.

For more information see [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer#Use_This_Site_At_Your_Own_Risk|this disclaimer]].

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information. Instead, it is an organized collection of articles relevant to the scope of this wiki and of interest to the CPAPtalk.com community. There are also guidelines to be aware of when writing articles here. Therefore, articles should typically not just be:

* '''Lists''' of statistics, websites, phone numbers, addresses, genealogical entries, directories, etc. are not the intended use of this wiki. While there are lists that may be incorporated into an article because the information is relevant to the topic, articles which are simply long lists should be avoided. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the yellow pages and it is not an internet guide or listing service.
* '''Scientific papers''' are not appropriate here on the wiki, because articles need to be written with a wider audience in mind, and scientific papers are often difficult for the lay audience to understand. However, research papers and scientific journals may be used as a reference, or citation, or there may be cases where an external link to such material might be appropriate.
* '''Sales information''' is not the intended use of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Nor is it intended to be a place used for conducting business. Articles about products should not list pricing information unless there is some kind of historical or notable significance to mentioning pricing. Articles should not be a list of products you or your organization sells, and should also not contain sales pitches or be slanted with bias towards trying to promote the product. Articles should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV guidelines]].
* '''FAQ formats''' should usually not be used here on the wiki. Articles should be presented in a more formal manner. Exceptions are the [[CPAP_FAQs|CPAP FAQs]] page, and the [[Help:FAQs|Help FAQs]] page, as well as pages designed to help members utilize and improve the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a news service ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the place to write articles covering current events or news. This is also not the place to self-promote, or write about an event you are personally involved in. There may be news or events, on occasion, that are noteworthy and relevant to an article in which case it should be mentioned or referred to in the appropriate article, and cited as a reference.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dictionary ===
The CPAPtalk.com is not a dictionary. Therefore, articles here should start by defining the topic with a quality description of the subject matter, and then expand on other aspects of the topic with relevant information. If an article is simply a definition and nothing more, then it should be expanded upon if at all possible. Avoid making lists of words, or glossaries.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not Wikipedia ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki has some elements that are similar to [http://wikipedia.org/ Wikipedia], the two websites are different in scope, policies, and style. Wikipedia is universal in scope and is constructed in an encyclopedic nature. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is limited in scope and does not exactly fall under the definition of ''encylopedia''. Wikipedia also has different rules, policies and guidelines, and in particular, they have different rules about user submissions and usage of content, as well as many other variations from the policies and guidelines set forth here on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

* A lot may be learned from Wikipedia, but articles should not be copied or imported here from any of the Wikipedia family of websites (or any other source). Nor should articles here be copied to Wikipedia, or any other place.

* See the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]] for more information about ''User Submissions and Content License'' and ''Usage of Content'' from this website.

* There may be times when linking to information on Wikipedia may be appropriate in an article here. For example, if the article topic is not within the scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and therefore should not be created here, but the information about said topic would be useful in relation to another article that is appropriate here, then placing an external link to the Wikipedia article might be appropriate.

== Community ==

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum or message board. While there are places here to discuss and collaborate for the purpose of writing and improving articles, and for the construction and general maintenance of the wiki, this is not a forum open for discussions about anything and everything.

* Avoid taking discussions into the articles themselves.
* Use the user talk pages, and appropriate article talk pages to resolve issues involved in writing or improving articles on the wiki.
* Talk pages exist for the purpose of improving articles and are not general discussion pages about the topic.
* Talk pages are also not a technical help desk for support or instructional assistance about the subject.

The [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum] is a discussion forum, or message board, for CPAP users, where you can ask questions, get help, meet other CPAP users, speak more freely, help others, and be less concerned with spelling, formatting, and [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV]] issues.

There are also many other places on the web that may be used as discussion forums about all kinds of topics.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a battlefield ===
All CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki users are expected to treat each other with respect and have an attitude of cooperative kindness towards the goal of improving the wiki. It is not appropriate to make threats, hold grudges, create conflict or drama, or personally attack, harass, insult, or attempt to instill fear or hatred in others here. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated and a user may be blocked or banned as a result of engaging in these type of activities.

Try to treat others the same way you would like to be treated. If conflict does occur, stay calm and use intelligent and polite discussion to resolve the matter. If another user does not follow these guidelines, that does not give you rationalization to retaliate.

Creating or modifying articles here with the intention of making a point or in response to a conflict or disagreement with someone (or something) here is not acceptable. Do not engage in edit wars.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dating website ===
This is not the appropriate place to discuss or pursue your personal relationship or sexual desires, sexual preferences, or try to make advances towards other members. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated. There are many other places, online and offline, that would be better suited for these purposes.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy. Nor is it a political or social experiment. The primary means of determining consensus is through editing and discussing articles, not voting. While editors may occasionally use straw polls or surveys to check for consensus, this is generally discouraged and may actually impede the process of improving the article.

While the members here play a very large role in determining what should be included in the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and what should or should not happen on this website, it is owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., which reserves the right at their sole discretion, to be the final arbiter about any aspect of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not an anarchy ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is relatively free and open for the purposes of building a dynamic website with information for CPAP users and those afflicted with Obstructive Sleep Apnea, it restricts both freedom and openness where it may interfere with that purpose. Even though the wiki is self-governing to a large degree, the idea here is not to push the limits of or experiment with anarchy, but to focus on the task of improving the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a viral marketing site ===
This is not the place to attempt to market anything, for any reason, in any way shape or form, viral or otherwise.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest. Simply put, this wiki is not here to see who has the most edits, or knowledge, or intelligence, or who can win and get their way, or make the fastest improvements, or become Sysop, or any other type of competitive self-aggrandizing game or contest.

Whether a member simply reads articles, or makes minor edits once in awhile, or is a master writer and editor, or an expert on a topic, or is a Sysop, or contributes in other ways to the wiki, does not really matter and does not make one member better than another. The fact is that people contribute in their own way, at their own pace, and in their own time. Not everyone wants to get involved and there are many users who mainly read articles for informational purposes. Members should not criticize each other for not contributing to the wiki and should try to keep a healthy attitude and perspective towards individual contributions, large and small, including their own contributions.

If you start feeling like working on the wiki is a competition, contest, or something you are becoming obsessed with to your own detriment, or that you may be using to escape from real life, then consider taking a break from the wiki.

== See also ==
* [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer|General Disclaimers]]
* [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]]
* [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]]
* [[Help:Contents|Help Contents]]
* [[CpapWiki:About|About the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki]]
* [[CpapWiki:Administrators|CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki Administrators]]

CpapWiki:What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not

2008-10-25T01:42:05Z

Sleeppunk: /* The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum */

{{guideline}}
[[Image:Moon_2.png|right|thumb|100px|Yes, sometimes even guideline pages need a nice image.]]
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is an online knowledge-base of information and articles pertaining to CPAP use and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. As a means to that end, it is also an online community. Therefore, there are some things that the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki '''is not'''. Above all, use common sense.
== Content ==
=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not made of paper ===
This may seem obvious. The main point is that this wiki is potentially limitless, and includes formatting and links typically not found in paper publications, and is dynamically created by many people. However, there is a big difference between what can be done and what should reasonably be carried out.

Keep in mind the primary scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is on articles pertaining to CPAP usage, and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. This is not the place for articles about unrelated topics. Refer to the [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]] and [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]], as needed.

* It should be made clear, that because this is not a paper publication, but is instead a wiki, any of user submissions to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki may (or may not) be edited mercilessly, temporarily removed, permanently deleted, moved, disputed, changed, modified, discussed, critiqued, rearranged, reformatted, linked to, lost, placed in a historical archive, replaced, referred to, used as an example, featured on the wiki, viewed by many, viewed by few or none, translated, reworded, and may or may not be replicated, copied or transcluded or used in other ways defined within in the CPAPtalk.com User Agreement.
* It should be made clear that most user submissions to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki are publicly viewable by anyone with access to the internet. Please use discretion when posting publicly viewable information on the internet, and respect the privacy of others.

If anything above is unacceptable to you, do not make any user contributions or submit anything to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Instead, use this website as a read-only informational tool.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, podium, or pulpit ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, pulpit, podium, or an outlet for advertising, self-promotion, promotion of your personal biased opinions or passionate beliefs, recruitment of any kind (commercial, political, religious, or other), rumors, or editorial opinion pieces.

* '''Advertising''' (of any kind;commercial or non-commercial) is not acceptable on this wiki. Inserting links to external websites just to promote your business or product(s) is not the intended use of this site and will not be tolerated. Writing or editing articles to promote your business, organization, events, product(s), self, or other things you may be involved in personally or directly, is not recommended. External links to major commercial organizations are acceptable if they identify major organizations related to that article. Articles about notable companies should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view guidelines]].

* '''Recruiting''' people for your business, project, organization, religion, political party, other website, event, or for any other reason, is not the intended use of this wiki. Please do not engage in this kind of behavior.

* '''Editorial opinion pieces''' are not the intended use of this wiki. Articles should be unbiased and strive for a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV]]. If you want to share your biased opinions or personal pet views, consider going to the [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum], or another website on the internet.

* '''Self-promotion''' is not the reason this wiki is here. While it is tempting to write about a company you work for, or about yourself, or things you are involved in, it is difficult to remain objective. Therefore, it is recommended that you do not write about these type of things that you are directly involved in so that a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view]] might be accomplished.

* '''Rumors''' are not acceptable here and this is not the place to write about or speculate over future events or products. It is also not the place to write rumors about people, companies, or organizations that may constitute libel, or slander.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, or image and media storage site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, image hosting site, or storage site for other files, or media.

* This wiki is not the place to make long lists of links to external websites, or upload images that will not be used in an article.
* It is not a place to replicate another website (or portion thereof) as a mirror site.
* It should not be used as personal web storage space for files, lists, images, and the like.
* This is also not the place to dump or copy large portions of information from public domain sources.

There are many other websites on the internet that can be used for these kinds of activities.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a webspace provider or social networking site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a social networking site like [http://www.myspace.com MySpace] or [http://www.facebook.com Facebook]. While there are certainly social aspects to a collaborative project, the pages here, including user pages, are intended to help the community collaborate on building and improving the wiki for the benefit of CPAP users, and others who visit the wiki. You may not host your own website here or build your own wiki here. There are many other websites on the internet that provide webhosting, social networking, and wiki spaces, either for free, or for a fee. Again, this is not a file hosting website. Uploaded images should be used in relevant articles on the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not censored ===
Articles and pages on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki can be edited or created by just about anyone, and the changes show up instantaneously, once submitted. For this reason, some readers may see content that they consider offensive or objectionable. So, the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki cannot guarantee that content here will always be acceptable to everyone, or adhere to your social (or religious) norms and standards, ideas, personal viewpoints, or beliefs.

Inappropriate content (links to porn sites, profanity, hate words, etc.) is typically the work of vandalism and is often removed quickly by members or Sysops of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Content that is judged to be in violation of the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], and the general policies and guidelines of CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, will be removed.

There could be content here that may be offensive to some users (information, ideas, concepts, text, images, links, language, people), but relevant to an article within the scope of the wiki. Discussions about controversial content should focus not so much on the possible offensiveness of the content, but whether or not it is appropriate and important to the article.

You must be 18 years of age, or older as mentioned in the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], to use this website.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not medical advice ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a doctor or medical practitioner. This site is largely created and edited by its members who are mostly not in the medical profession. Even if the information is accurate, or is written in part or completely by a medical professional (doctor, nurse, pharmacist, etc.), or someone claiming to be a medical professional, it may not apply to your particular situation.

For more information see [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer#Use_This_Site_At_Your_Own_Risk|this disclaimer]].

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information. Instead, it is an organized collection of articles relevant to the scope of this wiki and of interest to the CPAPtalk.com community. There are also guidelines to be aware of when writing articles here. Therefore, articles should typically not just be:

* '''Lists''' of statistics, websites, phone numbers, addresses, genealogical entries, directories, etc. are not the intended use of this wiki. While there are lists that may be incorporated into an article because the information is relevant to the topic, articles which are simply long lists should be avoided. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the yellow pages and it is not an internet guide or listing service.
* '''Scientific papers''' are not appropriate here on the wiki, because articles need to be written with a wider audience in mind, and scientific papers are often difficult for the lay audience to understand. However, research papers and scientific journals may be used as a reference, or citation, or there may be cases where an external link to such material might be appropriate.
* '''Sales information''' is not the intended use of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Nor is it intended to be a place used for conducting business. Articles about products should not list pricing information unless there is some kind of historical or notable significance to mentioning pricing. Articles should not be a list of products you or your organization sells, and should also not contain sales pitches or be slanted with bias towards trying to promote the product. Articles should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV guidelines]].
* '''FAQ formats''' should usually not be used here on the wiki. Articles should be presented in a more formal manner. Exceptions are the [[CPAP_FAQs|CPAP FAQs]] page, and the [[Help:FAQs|Help FAQs]] page, as well as pages designed to help members utilize and improve the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a news service ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the place to write articles covering current events or news. This is also not the place to self-promote, or write about an event you are personally involved in. There may be news or events, on occasion, that are noteworthy and relevant to an article in which case it should be mentioned or referred to in the appropriate article, and cited as a reference.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dictionary ===
The CPAPtalk.com is not a dictionary. Therefore, articles here should start by defining the topic with a quality description of the subject matter, and then expand on other aspects of the topic with relevant information. If an article is simply a definition and nothing more, then it should be expanded upon if at all possible. Avoid making lists of words, or glossaries.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not Wikipedia ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki has some elements that are similar to [http://wikipedia.org/ Wikipedia], the two websites are different in scope, policies, and style. Wikipedia is universal in scope and is constructed in an encyclopedic nature. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is limited in scope and does not exactly fall under the definition of ''encylopedia''. Wikipedia also has different rules, policies and guidelines, and in particular, they have different rules about user submissions and usage of content, as well as many other variations from the policies and guidelines set forth here on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

* A lot may be learned from Wikipedia, but articles should not be copied or imported here from any of the Wikipedia family of websites (or any other source). Nor should articles here be copied to Wikipedia, or any other place.

* See the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]] for more information about ''User Submissions and Content License'' and ''Usage of Content'' from this website.

* There may be times when linking to information on Wikipedia may be appropriate in an article here. For example, if the article topic is not within the scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and therefore should not be created here, but the information about said topic would be useful in relation to another article that is appropriate here, then placing an external link to the Wikipedia article might be appropriate.

== Community ==

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum or message board. While there are places here to discuss and collaborate for the purpose of writing and improving articles, and for the construction and general maintenance of the wiki, this is not a forum open for discussions about anything and everything.

* Avoid taking discussions into the articles themselves.
* Use the user talk pages, and appropriate article talk pages to resolve issues involved in writing or improving articles on the wiki.
* Talk pages exist for the purpose of improving articles and are not general discussion pages about the topic.
* Talk pages are also not a technical help desk for support or instructional assistance about the subject.

The [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum] is a discussion forum, or message board, for CPAP users, where you can ask questions, get help, meet other CPAP users, speak more freely, help others, and be less concerned with spelling, formatting, and [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV]] issues.

There are also many other places on the web that may be used as discussion forums about all kinds of topics.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a battlefield ===
All CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki users are expected to treat each other with respect and have an attitude of cooperative kindness towards the goal of improving the wiki. It is not appropriate to make threats, hold grudges, create conflict or drama, or personally attack, harass, insult, or attempt to instill fear or hatred in others here. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated and a user may be blocked or banned as a result of engaging in these type of activities.

Try to treat others the same way you would like to be treated. If conflict does occur, stay calm and use intelligent and polite discussion to resolve the matter. If another user does not follow these guidelines, that does not give you rationalization to retaliate.

Creating or modifying articles here with the intention of making or point or in response to a conflict or disagreement with someone (or something) here is not acceptable. Do not engage in edit wars.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dating website ===
This is not the appropriate place to discuss or pursue your personal relationship or sexual desires, sexual preferences, or try to make advances towards other members. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated. There are many other places, online and offline, that would be better suited for these purposes.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy. Nor is it a political or social experiment. The primary means of determining consensus is through editing and discussing articles, not voting. While editors may occasionally use straw polls or surveys to check for consensus, this is generally discouraged and may actually impede the process of improving the article.

While the members here play a very large role in determining what should be included in the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and what should or should not happen on this website, it is owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., which reserves the right at their sole discretion, to be the final arbiter about any aspect of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not an anarchy ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is relatively free and open for the purposes of building a dynamic website with information for CPAP users and those afflicted with Obstructive Sleep Apnea, it restricts both freedom and openness where it may interfere with that purpose. Even though the wiki is self-governing to a large degree, the idea here is not to push the limits of or experiment with anarchy, but to focus on the task of improving the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a viral marketing site ===
This is not the place to attempt to market anything, for any reason, in any way shape or form, viral or otherwise.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest. Simply put, this wiki is not here to see who has the most edits, or knowledge, or intelligence, or who can win and get their way, or make the fastest improvements, or become Sysop, or any other type of competitive self-aggrandizing game or contest.

Whether a member simply reads articles, or makes minor edits once in awhile, or is a master writer and editor, or an expert on a topic, or is a Sysop, or contributes in other ways to the wiki, does not really matter and does not make one member better than another. The fact is that people contribute in their own way, at their own pace, and in their own time. Not everyone wants to get involved and there are many users who mainly read articles for informational purposes. Members should not criticize each other for not contributing to the wiki and should try to keep a healthy attitude and perspective towards individual contributions, large and small, including their own contributions.

If you start feeling like working on the wiki is a competition, contest, or something you are becoming obsessed with to your own detriment, or that you may be using to escape from real life, then consider taking a break from the wiki.

== See also ==
* [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer|General Disclaimers]]
* [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]]
* [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]]
* [[Help:Contents|Help Contents]]
* [[CpapWiki:About|About the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki]]
* [[CpapWiki:Administrators|CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki Administrators]]

CpapWiki:What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not

2008-10-25T01:41:31Z

Sleeppunk: /* The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum */

{{guideline}}
[[Image:Moon_2.png|right|thumb|100px|Yes, sometimes even guideline pages need a nice image.]]
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is an online knowledge-base of information and articles pertaining to CPAP use and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. As a means to that end, it is also an online community. Therefore, there are some things that the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki '''is not'''. Above all, use common sense.
== Content ==
=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not made of paper ===
This may seem obvious. The main point is that this wiki is potentially limitless, and includes formatting and links typically not found in paper publications, and is dynamically created by many people. However, there is a big difference between what can be done and what should reasonably be carried out.

Keep in mind the primary scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is on articles pertaining to CPAP usage, and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. This is not the place for articles about unrelated topics. Refer to the [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]] and [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]], as needed.

* It should be made clear, that because this is not a paper publication, but is instead a wiki, any of user submissions to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki may (or may not) be edited mercilessly, temporarily removed, permanently deleted, moved, disputed, changed, modified, discussed, critiqued, rearranged, reformatted, linked to, lost, placed in a historical archive, replaced, referred to, used as an example, featured on the wiki, viewed by many, viewed by few or none, translated, reworded, and may or may not be replicated, copied or transcluded or used in other ways defined within in the CPAPtalk.com User Agreement.
* It should be made clear that most user submissions to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki are publicly viewable by anyone with access to the internet. Please use discretion when posting publicly viewable information on the internet, and respect the privacy of others.

If anything above is unacceptable to you, do not make any user contributions or submit anything to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Instead, use this website as a read-only informational tool.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, podium, or pulpit ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, pulpit, podium, or an outlet for advertising, self-promotion, promotion of your personal biased opinions or passionate beliefs, recruitment of any kind (commercial, political, religious, or other), rumors, or editorial opinion pieces.

* '''Advertising''' (of any kind;commercial or non-commercial) is not acceptable on this wiki. Inserting links to external websites just to promote your business or product(s) is not the intended use of this site and will not be tolerated. Writing or editing articles to promote your business, organization, events, product(s), self, or other things you may be involved in personally or directly, is not recommended. External links to major commercial organizations are acceptable if they identify major organizations related to that article. Articles about notable companies should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view guidelines]].

* '''Recruiting''' people for your business, project, organization, religion, political party, other website, event, or for any other reason, is not the intended use of this wiki. Please do not engage in this kind of behavior.

* '''Editorial opinion pieces''' are not the intended use of this wiki. Articles should be unbiased and strive for a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV]]. If you want to share your biased opinions or personal pet views, consider going to the [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum], or another website on the internet.

* '''Self-promotion''' is not the reason this wiki is here. While it is tempting to write about a company you work for, or about yourself, or things you are involved in, it is difficult to remain objective. Therefore, it is recommended that you do not write about these type of things that you are directly involved in so that a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view]] might be accomplished.

* '''Rumors''' are not acceptable here and this is not the place to write about or speculate over future events or products. It is also not the place to write rumors about people, companies, or organizations that may constitute libel, or slander.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, or image and media storage site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, image hosting site, or storage site for other files, or media.

* This wiki is not the place to make long lists of links to external websites, or upload images that will not be used in an article.
* It is not a place to replicate another website (or portion thereof) as a mirror site.
* It should not be used as personal web storage space for files, lists, images, and the like.
* This is also not the place to dump or copy large portions of information from public domain sources.

There are many other websites on the internet that can be used for these kinds of activities.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a webspace provider or social networking site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a social networking site like [http://www.myspace.com MySpace] or [http://www.facebook.com Facebook]. While there are certainly social aspects to a collaborative project, the pages here, including user pages, are intended to help the community collaborate on building and improving the wiki for the benefit of CPAP users, and others who visit the wiki. You may not host your own website here or build your own wiki here. There are many other websites on the internet that provide webhosting, social networking, and wiki spaces, either for free, or for a fee. Again, this is not a file hosting website. Uploaded images should be used in relevant articles on the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not censored ===
Articles and pages on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki can be edited or created by just about anyone, and the changes show up instantaneously, once submitted. For this reason, some readers may see content that they consider offensive or objectionable. So, the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki cannot guarantee that content here will always be acceptable to everyone, or adhere to your social (or religious) norms and standards, ideas, personal viewpoints, or beliefs.

Inappropriate content (links to porn sites, profanity, hate words, etc.) is typically the work of vandalism and is often removed quickly by members or Sysops of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Content that is judged to be in violation of the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], and the general policies and guidelines of CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, will be removed.

There could be content here that may be offensive to some users (information, ideas, concepts, text, images, links, language, people), but relevant to an article within the scope of the wiki. Discussions about controversial content should focus not so much on the possible offensiveness of the content, but whether or not it is appropriate and important to the article.

You must be 18 years of age, or older as mentioned in the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], to use this website.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not medical advice ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a doctor or medical practitioner. This site is largely created and edited by its members who are mostly not in the medical profession. Even if the information is accurate, or is written in part or completely by a medical professional (doctor, nurse, pharmacist, etc.), or someone claiming to be a medical professional, it may not apply to your particular situation.

For more information see [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer#Use_This_Site_At_Your_Own_Risk|this disclaimer]].

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information. Instead, it is an organized collection of articles relevant to the scope of this wiki and of interest to the CPAPtalk.com community. There are also guidelines to be aware of when writing articles here. Therefore, articles should typically not just be:

* '''Lists''' of statistics, websites, phone numbers, addresses, genealogical entries, directories, etc. are not the intended use of this wiki. While there are lists that may be incorporated into an article because the information is relevant to the topic, articles which are simply long lists should be avoided. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the yellow pages and it is not an internet guide or listing service.
* '''Scientific papers''' are not appropriate here on the wiki, because articles need to be written with a wider audience in mind, and scientific papers are often difficult for the lay audience to understand. However, research papers and scientific journals may be used as a reference, or citation, or there may be cases where an external link to such material might be appropriate.
* '''Sales information''' is not the intended use of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Nor is it intended to be a place used for conducting business. Articles about products should not list pricing information unless there is some kind of historical or notable significance to mentioning pricing. Articles should not be a list of products you or your organization sells, and should also not contain sales pitches or be slanted with bias towards trying to promote the product. Articles should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV guidelines]].
* '''FAQ formats''' should usually not be used here on the wiki. Articles should be presented in a more formal manner. Exceptions are the [[CPAP_FAQs|CPAP FAQs]] page, and the [[Help:FAQs|Help FAQs]] page, as well as pages designed to help members utilize and improve the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a news service ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the place to write articles covering current events or news. This is also not the place to self-promote, or write about an event you are personally involved in. There may be news or events, on occasion, that are noteworthy and relevant to an article in which case it should be mentioned or referred to in the appropriate article, and cited as a reference.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dictionary ===
The CPAPtalk.com is not a dictionary. Therefore, articles here should start by defining the topic with a quality description of the subject matter, and then expand on other aspects of the topic with relevant information. If an article is simply a definition and nothing more, then it should be expanded upon if at all possible. Avoid making lists of words, or glossaries.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not Wikipedia ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki has some elements that are similar to [http://wikipedia.org/ Wikipedia], the two websites are different in scope, policies, and style. Wikipedia is universal in scope and is constructed in an encyclopedic nature. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is limited in scope and does not exactly fall under the definition of ''encylopedia''. Wikipedia also has different rules, policies and guidelines, and in particular, they have different rules about user submissions and usage of content, as well as many other variations from the policies and guidelines set forth here on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

* A lot may be learned from Wikipedia, but articles should not be copied or imported here from any of the Wikipedia family of websites (or any other source). Nor should articles here be copied to Wikipedia, or any other place.

* See the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]] for more information about ''User Submissions and Content License'' and ''Usage of Content'' from this website.

* There may be times when linking to information on Wikipedia may be appropriate in an article here. For example, if the article topic is not within the scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and therefore should not be created here, but the information about said topic would be useful in relation to another article that is appropriate here, then placing an external link to the Wikipedia article might be appropriate.

== Community ==

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum or message board. While there are places here to discuss and collaborate for the purpose of writing and improving articles, and for the construction and general maintenance of the wiki, this is not a forum open for discussions about anything and everything.

* Avoid taking discussions into the articles themselves.
* Use the user talk pages, and appropriate article talk pages to resolve issues involved in writing or improving articles on the wiki.
* Talk pages exist for the purpose of improving articles and are not general discussion pages about the topic.
* Talk pages are also not a technical help desk for support or instructional assistance about the subject.

The [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum] is a discussion forum, or message board, for CPAP users, where you can ask questions, get help, meet other CPAP users, speak more freely, and be less concerned with spelling, formatting, and [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV]] issues.

There are also many other places on the web that may be used as discussion forums about all kinds of topics.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a battlefield ===
All CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki users are expected to treat each other with respect and have an attitude of cooperative kindness towards the goal of improving the wiki. It is not appropriate to make threats, hold grudges, create conflict or drama, or personally attack, harass, insult, or attempt to instill fear or hatred in others here. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated and a user may be blocked or banned as a result of engaging in these type of activities.

Try to treat others the same way you would like to be treated. If conflict does occur, stay calm and use intelligent and polite discussion to resolve the matter. If another user does not follow these guidelines, that does not give you rationalization to retaliate.

Creating or modifying articles here with the intention of making or point or in response to a conflict or disagreement with someone (or something) here is not acceptable. Do not engage in edit wars.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dating website ===
This is not the appropriate place to discuss or pursue your personal relationship or sexual desires, sexual preferences, or try to make advances towards other members. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated. There are many other places, online and offline, that would be better suited for these purposes.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy. Nor is it a political or social experiment. The primary means of determining consensus is through editing and discussing articles, not voting. While editors may occasionally use straw polls or surveys to check for consensus, this is generally discouraged and may actually impede the process of improving the article.

While the members here play a very large role in determining what should be included in the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and what should or should not happen on this website, it is owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., which reserves the right at their sole discretion, to be the final arbiter about any aspect of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not an anarchy ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is relatively free and open for the purposes of building a dynamic website with information for CPAP users and those afflicted with Obstructive Sleep Apnea, it restricts both freedom and openness where it may interfere with that purpose. Even though the wiki is self-governing to a large degree, the idea here is not to push the limits of or experiment with anarchy, but to focus on the task of improving the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a viral marketing site ===
This is not the place to attempt to market anything, for any reason, in any way shape or form, viral or otherwise.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest. Simply put, this wiki is not here to see who has the most edits, or knowledge, or intelligence, or who can win and get their way, or make the fastest improvements, or become Sysop, or any other type of competitive self-aggrandizing game or contest.

Whether a member simply reads articles, or makes minor edits once in awhile, or is a master writer and editor, or an expert on a topic, or is a Sysop, or contributes in other ways to the wiki, does not really matter and does not make one member better than another. The fact is that people contribute in their own way, at their own pace, and in their own time. Not everyone wants to get involved and there are many users who mainly read articles for informational purposes. Members should not criticize each other for not contributing to the wiki and should try to keep a healthy attitude and perspective towards individual contributions, large and small, including their own contributions.

If you start feeling like working on the wiki is a competition, contest, or something you are becoming obsessed with to your own detriment, or that you may be using to escape from real life, then consider taking a break from the wiki.

== See also ==
* [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer|General Disclaimers]]
* [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]]
* [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]]
* [[Help:Contents|Help Contents]]
* [[CpapWiki:About|About the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki]]
* [[CpapWiki:Administrators|CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki Administrators]]

CpapWiki:What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not

2008-10-25T01:41:18Z

Sleeppunk: /* The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum */

{{guideline}}
[[Image:Moon_2.png|right|thumb|100px|Yes, sometimes even guideline pages need a nice image.]]
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is an online knowledge-base of information and articles pertaining to CPAP use and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. As a means to that end, it is also an online community. Therefore, there are some things that the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki '''is not'''. Above all, use common sense.
== Content ==
=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not made of paper ===
This may seem obvious. The main point is that this wiki is potentially limitless, and includes formatting and links typically not found in paper publications, and is dynamically created by many people. However, there is a big difference between what can be done and what should reasonably be carried out.

Keep in mind the primary scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is on articles pertaining to CPAP usage, and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. This is not the place for articles about unrelated topics. Refer to the [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]] and [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]], as needed.

* It should be made clear, that because this is not a paper publication, but is instead a wiki, any of user submissions to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki may (or may not) be edited mercilessly, temporarily removed, permanently deleted, moved, disputed, changed, modified, discussed, critiqued, rearranged, reformatted, linked to, lost, placed in a historical archive, replaced, referred to, used as an example, featured on the wiki, viewed by many, viewed by few or none, translated, reworded, and may or may not be replicated, copied or transcluded or used in other ways defined within in the CPAPtalk.com User Agreement.
* It should be made clear that most user submissions to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki are publicly viewable by anyone with access to the internet. Please use discretion when posting publicly viewable information on the internet, and respect the privacy of others.

If anything above is unacceptable to you, do not make any user contributions or submit anything to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Instead, use this website as a read-only informational tool.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, podium, or pulpit ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, pulpit, podium, or an outlet for advertising, self-promotion, promotion of your personal biased opinions or passionate beliefs, recruitment of any kind (commercial, political, religious, or other), rumors, or editorial opinion pieces.

* '''Advertising''' (of any kind;commercial or non-commercial) is not acceptable on this wiki. Inserting links to external websites just to promote your business or product(s) is not the intended use of this site and will not be tolerated. Writing or editing articles to promote your business, organization, events, product(s), self, or other things you may be involved in personally or directly, is not recommended. External links to major commercial organizations are acceptable if they identify major organizations related to that article. Articles about notable companies should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view guidelines]].

* '''Recruiting''' people for your business, project, organization, religion, political party, other website, event, or for any other reason, is not the intended use of this wiki. Please do not engage in this kind of behavior.

* '''Editorial opinion pieces''' are not the intended use of this wiki. Articles should be unbiased and strive for a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV]]. If you want to share your biased opinions or personal pet views, consider going to the [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum], or another website on the internet.

* '''Self-promotion''' is not the reason this wiki is here. While it is tempting to write about a company you work for, or about yourself, or things you are involved in, it is difficult to remain objective. Therefore, it is recommended that you do not write about these type of things that you are directly involved in so that a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view]] might be accomplished.

* '''Rumors''' are not acceptable here and this is not the place to write about or speculate over future events or products. It is also not the place to write rumors about people, companies, or organizations that may constitute libel, or slander.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, or image and media storage site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, image hosting site, or storage site for other files, or media.

* This wiki is not the place to make long lists of links to external websites, or upload images that will not be used in an article.
* It is not a place to replicate another website (or portion thereof) as a mirror site.
* It should not be used as personal web storage space for files, lists, images, and the like.
* This is also not the place to dump or copy large portions of information from public domain sources.

There are many other websites on the internet that can be used for these kinds of activities.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a webspace provider or social networking site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a social networking site like [http://www.myspace.com MySpace] or [http://www.facebook.com Facebook]. While there are certainly social aspects to a collaborative project, the pages here, including user pages, are intended to help the community collaborate on building and improving the wiki for the benefit of CPAP users, and others who visit the wiki. You may not host your own website here or build your own wiki here. There are many other websites on the internet that provide webhosting, social networking, and wiki spaces, either for free, or for a fee. Again, this is not a file hosting website. Uploaded images should be used in relevant articles on the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not censored ===
Articles and pages on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki can be edited or created by just about anyone, and the changes show up instantaneously, once submitted. For this reason, some readers may see content that they consider offensive or objectionable. So, the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki cannot guarantee that content here will always be acceptable to everyone, or adhere to your social (or religious) norms and standards, ideas, personal viewpoints, or beliefs.

Inappropriate content (links to porn sites, profanity, hate words, etc.) is typically the work of vandalism and is often removed quickly by members or Sysops of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Content that is judged to be in violation of the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], and the general policies and guidelines of CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, will be removed.

There could be content here that may be offensive to some users (information, ideas, concepts, text, images, links, language, people), but relevant to an article within the scope of the wiki. Discussions about controversial content should focus not so much on the possible offensiveness of the content, but whether or not it is appropriate and important to the article.

You must be 18 years of age, or older as mentioned in the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], to use this website.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not medical advice ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a doctor or medical practitioner. This site is largely created and edited by its members who are mostly not in the medical profession. Even if the information is accurate, or is written in part or completely by a medical professional (doctor, nurse, pharmacist, etc.), or someone claiming to be a medical professional, it may not apply to your particular situation.

For more information see [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer#Use_This_Site_At_Your_Own_Risk|this disclaimer]].

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information. Instead, it is an organized collection of articles relevant to the scope of this wiki and of interest to the CPAPtalk.com community. There are also guidelines to be aware of when writing articles here. Therefore, articles should typically not just be:

* '''Lists''' of statistics, websites, phone numbers, addresses, genealogical entries, directories, etc. are not the intended use of this wiki. While there are lists that may be incorporated into an article because the information is relevant to the topic, articles which are simply long lists should be avoided. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the yellow pages and it is not an internet guide or listing service.
* '''Scientific papers''' are not appropriate here on the wiki, because articles need to be written with a wider audience in mind, and scientific papers are often difficult for the lay audience to understand. However, research papers and scientific journals may be used as a reference, or citation, or there may be cases where an external link to such material might be appropriate.
* '''Sales information''' is not the intended use of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Nor is it intended to be a place used for conducting business. Articles about products should not list pricing information unless there is some kind of historical or notable significance to mentioning pricing. Articles should not be a list of products you or your organization sells, and should also not contain sales pitches or be slanted with bias towards trying to promote the product. Articles should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV guidelines]].
* '''FAQ formats''' should usually not be used here on the wiki. Articles should be presented in a more formal manner. Exceptions are the [[CPAP_FAQs|CPAP FAQs]] page, and the [[Help:FAQs|Help FAQs]] page, as well as pages designed to help members utilize and improve the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a news service ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the place to write articles covering current events or news. This is also not the place to self-promote, or write about an event you are personally involved in. There may be news or events, on occasion, that are noteworthy and relevant to an article in which case it should be mentioned or referred to in the appropriate article, and cited as a reference.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dictionary ===
The CPAPtalk.com is not a dictionary. Therefore, articles here should start by defining the topic with a quality description of the subject matter, and then expand on other aspects of the topic with relevant information. If an article is simply a definition and nothing more, then it should be expanded upon if at all possible. Avoid making lists of words, or glossaries.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not Wikipedia ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki has some elements that are similar to [http://wikipedia.org/ Wikipedia], the two websites are different in scope, policies, and style. Wikipedia is universal in scope and is constructed in an encyclopedic nature. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is limited in scope and does not exactly fall under the definition of ''encylopedia''. Wikipedia also has different rules, policies and guidelines, and in particular, they have different rules about user submissions and usage of content, as well as many other variations from the policies and guidelines set forth here on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

* A lot may be learned from Wikipedia, but articles should not be copied or imported here from any of the Wikipedia family of websites (or any other source). Nor should articles here be copied to Wikipedia, or any other place.

* See the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]] for more information about ''User Submissions and Content License'' and ''Usage of Content'' from this website.

* There may be times when linking to information on Wikipedia may be appropriate in an article here. For example, if the article topic is not within the scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and therefore should not be created here, but the information about said topic would be useful in relation to another article that is appropriate here, then placing an external link to the Wikipedia article might be appropriate.

== Community ==

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum or message board. While there are places here to discuss and collaborate for the purpose of writing and improving articles, and for the construction and general maintenance of the wiki, this is not a forum open for discussions about anything and everything.

* Avoid taking discussions into the articles themselves.
* Use the user talk pages, and appropriate article talk pages to resolve issues involved in writing or improving articles on the wiki.
* Talk pages exist for the purpose of improving articles and are not general discussion pages about the topic.
* Talk pages are also not a technical help desk for support or instructional assistance about the subject.

The [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum] is a discussion forum, or message board, for CPAP users, where you can ask questions, get help, meet other CPAP users, speak more freely, and be less concerned with spelling, formatting, and [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV]] isses.

There are also many other places on the web that may be used as discussion forums about all kinds of topics.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a battlefield ===
All CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki users are expected to treat each other with respect and have an attitude of cooperative kindness towards the goal of improving the wiki. It is not appropriate to make threats, hold grudges, create conflict or drama, or personally attack, harass, insult, or attempt to instill fear or hatred in others here. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated and a user may be blocked or banned as a result of engaging in these type of activities.

Try to treat others the same way you would like to be treated. If conflict does occur, stay calm and use intelligent and polite discussion to resolve the matter. If another user does not follow these guidelines, that does not give you rationalization to retaliate.

Creating or modifying articles here with the intention of making or point or in response to a conflict or disagreement with someone (or something) here is not acceptable. Do not engage in edit wars.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dating website ===
This is not the appropriate place to discuss or pursue your personal relationship or sexual desires, sexual preferences, or try to make advances towards other members. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated. There are many other places, online and offline, that would be better suited for these purposes.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy. Nor is it a political or social experiment. The primary means of determining consensus is through editing and discussing articles, not voting. While editors may occasionally use straw polls or surveys to check for consensus, this is generally discouraged and may actually impede the process of improving the article.

While the members here play a very large role in determining what should be included in the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and what should or should not happen on this website, it is owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., which reserves the right at their sole discretion, to be the final arbiter about any aspect of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not an anarchy ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is relatively free and open for the purposes of building a dynamic website with information for CPAP users and those afflicted with Obstructive Sleep Apnea, it restricts both freedom and openness where it may interfere with that purpose. Even though the wiki is self-governing to a large degree, the idea here is not to push the limits of or experiment with anarchy, but to focus on the task of improving the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a viral marketing site ===
This is not the place to attempt to market anything, for any reason, in any way shape or form, viral or otherwise.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest. Simply put, this wiki is not here to see who has the most edits, or knowledge, or intelligence, or who can win and get their way, or make the fastest improvements, or become Sysop, or any other type of competitive self-aggrandizing game or contest.

Whether a member simply reads articles, or makes minor edits once in awhile, or is a master writer and editor, or an expert on a topic, or is a Sysop, or contributes in other ways to the wiki, does not really matter and does not make one member better than another. The fact is that people contribute in their own way, at their own pace, and in their own time. Not everyone wants to get involved and there are many users who mainly read articles for informational purposes. Members should not criticize each other for not contributing to the wiki and should try to keep a healthy attitude and perspective towards individual contributions, large and small, including their own contributions.

If you start feeling like working on the wiki is a competition, contest, or something you are becoming obsessed with to your own detriment, or that you may be using to escape from real life, then consider taking a break from the wiki.

== See also ==
* [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer|General Disclaimers]]
* [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]]
* [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]]
* [[Help:Contents|Help Contents]]
* [[CpapWiki:About|About the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki]]
* [[CpapWiki:Administrators|CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki Administrators]]

CpapWiki:What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not

2008-10-25T01:27:47Z

Sleeppunk: /* The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not made of paper */

{{guideline}}
[[Image:Moon_2.png|right|thumb|100px|Yes, sometimes even guideline pages need a nice image.]]
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is an online knowledge-base of information and articles pertaining to CPAP use and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. As a means to that end, it is also an online community. Therefore, there are some things that the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki '''is not'''. Above all, use common sense.
== Content ==
=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not made of paper ===
This may seem obvious. The main point is that this wiki is potentially limitless, and includes formatting and links typically not found in paper publications, and is dynamically created by many people. However, there is a big difference between what can be done and what should reasonably be carried out.

Keep in mind the primary scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is on articles pertaining to CPAP usage, and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. This is not the place for articles about unrelated topics. Refer to the [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]] and [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]], as needed.

* It should be made clear, that because this is not a paper publication, but is instead a wiki, any of user submissions to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki may (or may not) be edited mercilessly, temporarily removed, permanently deleted, moved, disputed, changed, modified, discussed, critiqued, rearranged, reformatted, linked to, lost, placed in a historical archive, replaced, referred to, used as an example, featured on the wiki, viewed by many, viewed by few or none, translated, reworded, and may or may not be replicated, copied or transcluded or used in other ways defined within in the CPAPtalk.com User Agreement.
* It should be made clear that most user submissions to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki are publicly viewable by anyone with access to the internet. Please use discretion when posting publicly viewable information on the internet, and respect the privacy of others.

If anything above is unacceptable to you, do not make any user contributions or submit anything to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Instead, use this website as a read-only informational tool.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, podium, or pulpit ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, pulpit, podium, or an outlet for advertising, self-promotion, promotion of your personal biased opinions or passionate beliefs, recruitment of any kind (commercial, political, religious, or other), rumors, or editorial opinion pieces.

* '''Advertising''' (of any kind;commercial or non-commercial) is not acceptable on this wiki. Inserting links to external websites just to promote your business or product(s) is not the intended use of this site and will not be tolerated. Writing or editing articles to promote your business, organization, events, product(s), self, or other things you may be involved in personally or directly, is not recommended. External links to major commercial organizations are acceptable if they identify major organizations related to that article. Articles about notable companies should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view guidelines]].

* '''Recruiting''' people for your business, project, organization, religion, political party, other website, event, or for any other reason, is not the intended use of this wiki. Please do not engage in this kind of behavior.

* '''Editorial opinion pieces''' are not the intended use of this wiki. Articles should be unbiased and strive for a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV]]. If you want to share your biased opinions or personal pet views, consider going to the [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum], or another website on the internet.

* '''Self-promotion''' is not the reason this wiki is here. While it is tempting to write about a company you work for, or about yourself, or things you are involved in, it is difficult to remain objective. Therefore, it is recommended that you do not write about these type of things that you are directly involved in so that a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view]] might be accomplished.

* '''Rumors''' are not acceptable here and this is not the place to write about or speculate over future events or products. It is also not the place to write rumors about people, companies, or organizations that may constitute libel, or slander.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, or image and media storage site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, image hosting site, or storage site for other files, or media.

* This wiki is not the place to make long lists of links to external websites, or upload images that will not be used in an article.
* It is not a place to replicate another website (or portion thereof) as a mirror site.
* It should not be used as personal web storage space for files, lists, images, and the like.
* This is also not the place to dump or copy large portions of information from public domain sources.

There are many other websites on the internet that can be used for these kinds of activities.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a webspace provider or social networking site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a social networking site like [http://www.myspace.com MySpace] or [http://www.facebook.com Facebook]. While there are certainly social aspects to a collaborative project, the pages here, including user pages, are intended to help the community collaborate on building and improving the wiki for the benefit of CPAP users, and others who visit the wiki. You may not host your own website here or build your own wiki here. There are many other websites on the internet that provide webhosting, social networking, and wiki spaces, either for free, or for a fee. Again, this is not a file hosting website. Uploaded images should be used in relevant articles on the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not censored ===
Articles and pages on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki can be edited or created by just about anyone, and the changes show up instantaneously, once submitted. For this reason, some readers may see content that they consider offensive or objectionable. So, the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki cannot guarantee that content here will always be acceptable to everyone, or adhere to your social (or religious) norms and standards, ideas, personal viewpoints, or beliefs.

Inappropriate content (links to porn sites, profanity, hate words, etc.) is typically the work of vandalism and is often removed quickly by members or Sysops of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Content that is judged to be in violation of the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], and the general policies and guidelines of CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, will be removed.

There could be content here that may be offensive to some users (information, ideas, concepts, text, images, links, language, people), but relevant to an article within the scope of the wiki. Discussions about controversial content should focus not so much on the possible offensiveness of the content, but whether or not it is appropriate and important to the article.

You must be 18 years of age, or older as mentioned in the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], to use this website.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not medical advice ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a doctor or medical practitioner. This site is largely created and edited by its members who are mostly not in the medical profession. Even if the information is accurate, or is written in part or completely by a medical professional (doctor, nurse, pharmacist, etc.), or someone claiming to be a medical professional, it may not apply to your particular situation.

For more information see [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer#Use_This_Site_At_Your_Own_Risk|this disclaimer]].

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information. Instead, it is an organized collection of articles relevant to the scope of this wiki and of interest to the CPAPtalk.com community. There are also guidelines to be aware of when writing articles here. Therefore, articles should typically not just be:

* '''Lists''' of statistics, websites, phone numbers, addresses, genealogical entries, directories, etc. are not the intended use of this wiki. While there are lists that may be incorporated into an article because the information is relevant to the topic, articles which are simply long lists should be avoided. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the yellow pages and it is not an internet guide or listing service.
* '''Scientific papers''' are not appropriate here on the wiki, because articles need to be written with a wider audience in mind, and scientific papers are often difficult for the lay audience to understand. However, research papers and scientific journals may be used as a reference, or citation, or there may be cases where an external link to such material might be appropriate.
* '''Sales information''' is not the intended use of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Nor is it intended to be a place used for conducting business. Articles about products should not list pricing information unless there is some kind of historical or notable significance to mentioning pricing. Articles should not be a list of products you or your organization sells, and should also not contain sales pitches or be slanted with bias towards trying to promote the product. Articles should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV guidelines]].
* '''FAQ formats''' should usually not be used here on the wiki. Articles should be presented in a more formal manner. Exceptions are the [[CPAP_FAQs|CPAP FAQs]] page, and the [[Help:FAQs|Help FAQs]] page, as well as pages designed to help members utilize and improve the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a news service ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the place to write articles covering current events or news. This is also not the place to self-promote, or write about an event you are personally involved in. There may be news or events, on occasion, that are noteworthy and relevant to an article in which case it should be mentioned or referred to in the appropriate article, and cited as a reference.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dictionary ===
The CPAPtalk.com is not a dictionary. Therefore, articles here should start by defining the topic with a quality description of the subject matter, and then expand on other aspects of the topic with relevant information. If an article is simply a definition and nothing more, then it should be expanded upon if at all possible. Avoid making lists of words, or glossaries.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not Wikipedia ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki has some elements that are similar to [http://wikipedia.org/ Wikipedia], the two websites are different in scope, policies, and style. Wikipedia is universal in scope and is constructed in an encyclopedic nature. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is limited in scope and does not exactly fall under the definition of ''encylopedia''. Wikipedia also has different rules, policies and guidelines, and in particular, they have different rules about user submissions and usage of content, as well as many other variations from the policies and guidelines set forth here on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

* A lot may be learned from Wikipedia, but articles should not be copied or imported here from any of the Wikipedia family of websites (or any other source). Nor should articles here be copied to Wikipedia, or any other place.

* See the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]] for more information about ''User Submissions and Content License'' and ''Usage of Content'' from this website.

* There may be times when linking to information on Wikipedia may be appropriate in an article here. For example, if the article topic is not within the scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and therefore should not be created here, but the information about said topic would be useful in relation to another article that is appropriate here, then placing an external link to the Wikipedia article might be appropriate.

== Community ==

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum or message board. While there are places here to discuss and collaborate for the purpose of writing and improving articles, and for the construction and general maintenance of the wiki, this is not a forum open for discussions about anything and everything.

* Avoid taking discussions into the articles themselves.
* Use the user talk pages, and appropriate article talk pages to resolve issues involved in writing or improving articles on the wiki.
* Talk pages exist for the purpose of improving articles and are not general discussion pages about the topic.
* Talk pages are also not a technical help desk for support or instructional assistance about the subject.

The [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum] is a discussion forum for CPAP users. There are also many other places on the web that may be used as discussion forums.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a battlefield ===
All CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki users are expected to treat each other with respect and have an attitude of cooperative kindness towards the goal of improving the wiki. It is not appropriate to make threats, hold grudges, create conflict or drama, or personally attack, harass, insult, or attempt to instill fear or hatred in others here. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated and a user may be blocked or banned as a result of engaging in these type of activities.

Try to treat others the same way you would like to be treated. If conflict does occur, stay calm and use intelligent and polite discussion to resolve the matter. If another user does not follow these guidelines, that does not give you rationalization to retaliate.

Creating or modifying articles here with the intention of making or point or in response to a conflict or disagreement with someone (or something) here is not acceptable. Do not engage in edit wars.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dating website ===
This is not the appropriate place to discuss or pursue your personal relationship or sexual desires, sexual preferences, or try to make advances towards other members. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated. There are many other places, online and offline, that would be better suited for these purposes.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy. Nor is it a political or social experiment. The primary means of determining consensus is through editing and discussing articles, not voting. While editors may occasionally use straw polls or surveys to check for consensus, this is generally discouraged and may actually impede the process of improving the article.

While the members here play a very large role in determining what should be included in the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and what should or should not happen on this website, it is owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., which reserves the right at their sole discretion, to be the final arbiter about any aspect of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not an anarchy ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is relatively free and open for the purposes of building a dynamic website with information for CPAP users and those afflicted with Obstructive Sleep Apnea, it restricts both freedom and openness where it may interfere with that purpose. Even though the wiki is self-governing to a large degree, the idea here is not to push the limits of or experiment with anarchy, but to focus on the task of improving the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a viral marketing site ===
This is not the place to attempt to market anything, for any reason, in any way shape or form, viral or otherwise.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest. Simply put, this wiki is not here to see who has the most edits, or knowledge, or intelligence, or who can win and get their way, or make the fastest improvements, or become Sysop, or any other type of competitive self-aggrandizing game or contest.

Whether a member simply reads articles, or makes minor edits once in awhile, or is a master writer and editor, or an expert on a topic, or is a Sysop, or contributes in other ways to the wiki, does not really matter and does not make one member better than another. The fact is that people contribute in their own way, at their own pace, and in their own time. Not everyone wants to get involved and there are many users who mainly read articles for informational purposes. Members should not criticize each other for not contributing to the wiki and should try to keep a healthy attitude and perspective towards individual contributions, large and small, including their own contributions.

If you start feeling like working on the wiki is a competition, contest, or something you are becoming obsessed with to your own detriment, or that you may be using to escape from real life, then consider taking a break from the wiki.

== See also ==
* [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer|General Disclaimers]]
* [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]]
* [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]]
* [[Help:Contents|Help Contents]]
* [[CpapWiki:About|About the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki]]
* [[CpapWiki:Administrators|CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki Administrators]]

CpapWiki:What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not

2008-10-25T01:27:19Z

Sleeppunk: /* The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not made of paper */

{{guideline}}
[[Image:Moon_2.png|right|thumb|100px|Yes, sometimes even guideline pages need a nice image.]]
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is an online knowledge-base of information and articles pertaining to CPAP use and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. As a means to that end, it is also an online community. Therefore, there are some things that the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki '''is not'''. Above all, use common sense.
== Content ==
=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not made of paper ===
This may seem obvious. The main point is that this wiki is potentially limitless, and includes formatting and links typically not found in paper publications, and is dynamically created by many people. However, there is a big difference between what can be done and what should reasonably be carried out.

Keep in mind the primary scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is on articles pertaining to CPAP usage, and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. This is not the place for articles about unrelated topics. Refer to the [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]] and [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]], as needed.

* It should be made clear, that because this is not a paper publication, but is instead a wiki, any of user submissions to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki may (or may not) be edited mercilessly, temporarily removed, permanently deleted, moved, disputed, changed, modified, discussed, critiqued, rearranged, reformatted, linked to, lost, placed in a historical archive, replaced, referred to, used as an example, featured on the wiki, viewed by many, viewed by few or none, translated, reworded, and may or may not be replicated, copied or transcluded or used in other ways defined within in the CPAPtalk.com User Agreement.
* It should be made clear that most user submissions to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki are publicly viewable by anyone with access to the internet. Please use discretion when posting publicly viewable information on the internet.

If anything above is unacceptable to you, do not make any user contributions or submit anything to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Instead, use this website as a read-only informational tool.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, podium, or pulpit ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, pulpit, podium, or an outlet for advertising, self-promotion, promotion of your personal biased opinions or passionate beliefs, recruitment of any kind (commercial, political, religious, or other), rumors, or editorial opinion pieces.

* '''Advertising''' (of any kind;commercial or non-commercial) is not acceptable on this wiki. Inserting links to external websites just to promote your business or product(s) is not the intended use of this site and will not be tolerated. Writing or editing articles to promote your business, organization, events, product(s), self, or other things you may be involved in personally or directly, is not recommended. External links to major commercial organizations are acceptable if they identify major organizations related to that article. Articles about notable companies should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view guidelines]].

* '''Recruiting''' people for your business, project, organization, religion, political party, other website, event, or for any other reason, is not the intended use of this wiki. Please do not engage in this kind of behavior.

* '''Editorial opinion pieces''' are not the intended use of this wiki. Articles should be unbiased and strive for a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV]]. If you want to share your biased opinions or personal pet views, consider going to the [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum], or another website on the internet.

* '''Self-promotion''' is not the reason this wiki is here. While it is tempting to write about a company you work for, or about yourself, or things you are involved in, it is difficult to remain objective. Therefore, it is recommended that you do not write about these type of things that you are directly involved in so that a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view]] might be accomplished.

* '''Rumors''' are not acceptable here and this is not the place to write about or speculate over future events or products. It is also not the place to write rumors about people, companies, or organizations that may constitute libel, or slander.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, or image and media storage site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, image hosting site, or storage site for other files, or media.

* This wiki is not the place to make long lists of links to external websites, or upload images that will not be used in an article.
* It is not a place to replicate another website (or portion thereof) as a mirror site.
* It should not be used as personal web storage space for files, lists, images, and the like.
* This is also not the place to dump or copy large portions of information from public domain sources.

There are many other websites on the internet that can be used for these kinds of activities.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a webspace provider or social networking site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a social networking site like [http://www.myspace.com MySpace] or [http://www.facebook.com Facebook]. While there are certainly social aspects to a collaborative project, the pages here, including user pages, are intended to help the community collaborate on building and improving the wiki for the benefit of CPAP users, and others who visit the wiki. You may not host your own website here or build your own wiki here. There are many other websites on the internet that provide webhosting, social networking, and wiki spaces, either for free, or for a fee. Again, this is not a file hosting website. Uploaded images should be used in relevant articles on the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not censored ===
Articles and pages on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki can be edited or created by just about anyone, and the changes show up instantaneously, once submitted. For this reason, some readers may see content that they consider offensive or objectionable. So, the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki cannot guarantee that content here will always be acceptable to everyone, or adhere to your social (or religious) norms and standards, ideas, personal viewpoints, or beliefs.

Inappropriate content (links to porn sites, profanity, hate words, etc.) is typically the work of vandalism and is often removed quickly by members or Sysops of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Content that is judged to be in violation of the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], and the general policies and guidelines of CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, will be removed.

There could be content here that may be offensive to some users (information, ideas, concepts, text, images, links, language, people), but relevant to an article within the scope of the wiki. Discussions about controversial content should focus not so much on the possible offensiveness of the content, but whether or not it is appropriate and important to the article.

You must be 18 years of age, or older as mentioned in the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], to use this website.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not medical advice ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a doctor or medical practitioner. This site is largely created and edited by its members who are mostly not in the medical profession. Even if the information is accurate, or is written in part or completely by a medical professional (doctor, nurse, pharmacist, etc.), or someone claiming to be a medical professional, it may not apply to your particular situation.

For more information see [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer#Use_This_Site_At_Your_Own_Risk|this disclaimer]].

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information. Instead, it is an organized collection of articles relevant to the scope of this wiki and of interest to the CPAPtalk.com community. There are also guidelines to be aware of when writing articles here. Therefore, articles should typically not just be:

* '''Lists''' of statistics, websites, phone numbers, addresses, genealogical entries, directories, etc. are not the intended use of this wiki. While there are lists that may be incorporated into an article because the information is relevant to the topic, articles which are simply long lists should be avoided. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the yellow pages and it is not an internet guide or listing service.
* '''Scientific papers''' are not appropriate here on the wiki, because articles need to be written with a wider audience in mind, and scientific papers are often difficult for the lay audience to understand. However, research papers and scientific journals may be used as a reference, or citation, or there may be cases where an external link to such material might be appropriate.
* '''Sales information''' is not the intended use of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Nor is it intended to be a place used for conducting business. Articles about products should not list pricing information unless there is some kind of historical or notable significance to mentioning pricing. Articles should not be a list of products you or your organization sells, and should also not contain sales pitches or be slanted with bias towards trying to promote the product. Articles should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV guidelines]].
* '''FAQ formats''' should usually not be used here on the wiki. Articles should be presented in a more formal manner. Exceptions are the [[CPAP_FAQs|CPAP FAQs]] page, and the [[Help:FAQs|Help FAQs]] page, as well as pages designed to help members utilize and improve the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a news service ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the place to write articles covering current events or news. This is also not the place to self-promote, or write about an event you are personally involved in. There may be news or events, on occasion, that are noteworthy and relevant to an article in which case it should be mentioned or referred to in the appropriate article, and cited as a reference.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dictionary ===
The CPAPtalk.com is not a dictionary. Therefore, articles here should start by defining the topic with a quality description of the subject matter, and then expand on other aspects of the topic with relevant information. If an article is simply a definition and nothing more, then it should be expanded upon if at all possible. Avoid making lists of words, or glossaries.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not Wikipedia ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki has some elements that are similar to [http://wikipedia.org/ Wikipedia], the two websites are different in scope, policies, and style. Wikipedia is universal in scope and is constructed in an encyclopedic nature. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is limited in scope and does not exactly fall under the definition of ''encylopedia''. Wikipedia also has different rules, policies and guidelines, and in particular, they have different rules about user submissions and usage of content, as well as many other variations from the policies and guidelines set forth here on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

* A lot may be learned from Wikipedia, but articles should not be copied or imported here from any of the Wikipedia family of websites (or any other source). Nor should articles here be copied to Wikipedia, or any other place.

* See the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]] for more information about ''User Submissions and Content License'' and ''Usage of Content'' from this website.

* There may be times when linking to information on Wikipedia may be appropriate in an article here. For example, if the article topic is not within the scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and therefore should not be created here, but the information about said topic would be useful in relation to another article that is appropriate here, then placing an external link to the Wikipedia article might be appropriate.

== Community ==

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum or message board. While there are places here to discuss and collaborate for the purpose of writing and improving articles, and for the construction and general maintenance of the wiki, this is not a forum open for discussions about anything and everything.

* Avoid taking discussions into the articles themselves.
* Use the user talk pages, and appropriate article talk pages to resolve issues involved in writing or improving articles on the wiki.
* Talk pages exist for the purpose of improving articles and are not general discussion pages about the topic.
* Talk pages are also not a technical help desk for support or instructional assistance about the subject.

The [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum] is a discussion forum for CPAP users. There are also many other places on the web that may be used as discussion forums.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a battlefield ===
All CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki users are expected to treat each other with respect and have an attitude of cooperative kindness towards the goal of improving the wiki. It is not appropriate to make threats, hold grudges, create conflict or drama, or personally attack, harass, insult, or attempt to instill fear or hatred in others here. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated and a user may be blocked or banned as a result of engaging in these type of activities.

Try to treat others the same way you would like to be treated. If conflict does occur, stay calm and use intelligent and polite discussion to resolve the matter. If another user does not follow these guidelines, that does not give you rationalization to retaliate.

Creating or modifying articles here with the intention of making or point or in response to a conflict or disagreement with someone (or something) here is not acceptable. Do not engage in edit wars.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dating website ===
This is not the appropriate place to discuss or pursue your personal relationship or sexual desires, sexual preferences, or try to make advances towards other members. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated. There are many other places, online and offline, that would be better suited for these purposes.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy. Nor is it a political or social experiment. The primary means of determining consensus is through editing and discussing articles, not voting. While editors may occasionally use straw polls or surveys to check for consensus, this is generally discouraged and may actually impede the process of improving the article.

While the members here play a very large role in determining what should be included in the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and what should or should not happen on this website, it is owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., which reserves the right at their sole discretion, to be the final arbiter about any aspect of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not an anarchy ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is relatively free and open for the purposes of building a dynamic website with information for CPAP users and those afflicted with Obstructive Sleep Apnea, it restricts both freedom and openness where it may interfere with that purpose. Even though the wiki is self-governing to a large degree, the idea here is not to push the limits of or experiment with anarchy, but to focus on the task of improving the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a viral marketing site ===
This is not the place to attempt to market anything, for any reason, in any way shape or form, viral or otherwise.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest. Simply put, this wiki is not here to see who has the most edits, or knowledge, or intelligence, or who can win and get their way, or make the fastest improvements, or become Sysop, or any other type of competitive self-aggrandizing game or contest.

Whether a member simply reads articles, or makes minor edits once in awhile, or is a master writer and editor, or an expert on a topic, or is a Sysop, or contributes in other ways to the wiki, does not really matter and does not make one member better than another. The fact is that people contribute in their own way, at their own pace, and in their own time. Not everyone wants to get involved and there are many users who mainly read articles for informational purposes. Members should not criticize each other for not contributing to the wiki and should try to keep a healthy attitude and perspective towards individual contributions, large and small, including their own contributions.

If you start feeling like working on the wiki is a competition, contest, or something you are becoming obsessed with to your own detriment, or that you may be using to escape from real life, then consider taking a break from the wiki.

== See also ==
* [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer|General Disclaimers]]
* [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]]
* [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]]
* [[Help:Contents|Help Contents]]
* [[CpapWiki:About|About the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki]]
* [[CpapWiki:Administrators|CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki Administrators]]

CpapWiki:What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not

2008-10-25T01:24:56Z

Sleeppunk: /* The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not made of paper */

{{guideline}}
[[Image:Moon_2.png|right|thumb|100px|Yes, sometimes even guideline pages need a nice image.]]
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is an online knowledge-base of information and articles pertaining to CPAP use and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. As a means to that end, it is also an online community. Therefore, there are some things that the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki '''is not'''. Above all, use common sense.
== Content ==
=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not made of paper ===
This may seem obvious. The main point is that this wiki is potentially limitless, and includes formatting and links typically not found in paper publications, and is dynamically created by many people. However, there is a big difference between what can be done and what should reasonably be carried out.

Keep in mind the primary scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is on articles pertaining to CPAP usage, and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. This is not the place for articles about unrelated topics. Refer to the [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]] and [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]], as needed.

* It should be made clear, that because this is not a paper publication, but is instead a wiki, any of user submissions to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki may (or may not) be edited mercilessly, temporarily removed, permanently deleted, moved, disputed, changed, modified, discussed, critiqued, rearranged, reformatted, linked to, lost, placed in a historical archive, replaced, referred to, used as an example, featured on the wiki, viewed by many, viewed by few or none, translated, reworded, and may or may not be replicated, copied or transcluded or used in other ways defined within in the CPAPtalk.com User Agreement.
* It should be made clear that most user submissions to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki are publicly viewable by anyone with access to the internet.

If anything above is unacceptable to you, do not make any user contributions or submit anything to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Instead, use this website as a read-only informational tool.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, podium, or pulpit ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, pulpit, podium, or an outlet for advertising, self-promotion, promotion of your personal biased opinions or passionate beliefs, recruitment of any kind (commercial, political, religious, or other), rumors, or editorial opinion pieces.

* '''Advertising''' (of any kind;commercial or non-commercial) is not acceptable on this wiki. Inserting links to external websites just to promote your business or product(s) is not the intended use of this site and will not be tolerated. Writing or editing articles to promote your business, organization, events, product(s), self, or other things you may be involved in personally or directly, is not recommended. External links to major commercial organizations are acceptable if they identify major organizations related to that article. Articles about notable companies should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view guidelines]].

* '''Recruiting''' people for your business, project, organization, religion, political party, other website, event, or for any other reason, is not the intended use of this wiki. Please do not engage in this kind of behavior.

* '''Editorial opinion pieces''' are not the intended use of this wiki. Articles should be unbiased and strive for a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV]]. If you want to share your biased opinions or personal pet views, consider going to the [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum], or another website on the internet.

* '''Self-promotion''' is not the reason this wiki is here. While it is tempting to write about a company you work for, or about yourself, or things you are involved in, it is difficult to remain objective. Therefore, it is recommended that you do not write about these type of things that you are directly involved in so that a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view]] might be accomplished.

* '''Rumors''' are not acceptable here and this is not the place to write about or speculate over future events or products. It is also not the place to write rumors about people, companies, or organizations that may constitute libel, or slander.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, or image and media storage site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, image hosting site, or storage site for other files, or media.

* This wiki is not the place to make long lists of links to external websites, or upload images that will not be used in an article.
* It is not a place to replicate another website (or portion thereof) as a mirror site.
* It should not be used as personal web storage space for files, lists, images, and the like.
* This is also not the place to dump or copy large portions of information from public domain sources.

There are many other websites on the internet that can be used for these kinds of activities.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a webspace provider or social networking site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a social networking site like [http://www.myspace.com MySpace] or [http://www.facebook.com Facebook]. While there are certainly social aspects to a collaborative project, the pages here, including user pages, are intended to help the community collaborate on building and improving the wiki for the benefit of CPAP users, and others who visit the wiki. You may not host your own website here or build your own wiki here. There are many other websites on the internet that provide webhosting, social networking, and wiki spaces, either for free, or for a fee. Again, this is not a file hosting website. Uploaded images should be used in relevant articles on the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not censored ===
Articles and pages on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki can be edited or created by just about anyone, and the changes show up instantaneously, once submitted. For this reason, some readers may see content that they consider offensive or objectionable. So, the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki cannot guarantee that content here will always be acceptable to everyone, or adhere to your social (or religious) norms and standards, ideas, personal viewpoints, or beliefs.

Inappropriate content (links to porn sites, profanity, hate words, etc.) is typically the work of vandalism and is often removed quickly by members or Sysops of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Content that is judged to be in violation of the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], and the general policies and guidelines of CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, will be removed.

There could be content here that may be offensive to some users (information, ideas, concepts, text, images, links, language, people), but relevant to an article within the scope of the wiki. Discussions about controversial content should focus not so much on the possible offensiveness of the content, but whether or not it is appropriate and important to the article.

You must be 18 years of age, or older as mentioned in the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], to use this website.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not medical advice ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a doctor or medical practitioner. This site is largely created and edited by its members who are mostly not in the medical profession. Even if the information is accurate, or is written in part or completely by a medical professional (doctor, nurse, pharmacist, etc.), or someone claiming to be a medical professional, it may not apply to your particular situation.

For more information see [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer#Use_This_Site_At_Your_Own_Risk|this disclaimer]].

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information. Instead, it is an organized collection of articles relevant to the scope of this wiki and of interest to the CPAPtalk.com community. There are also guidelines to be aware of when writing articles here. Therefore, articles should typically not just be:

* '''Lists''' of statistics, websites, phone numbers, addresses, genealogical entries, directories, etc. are not the intended use of this wiki. While there are lists that may be incorporated into an article because the information is relevant to the topic, articles which are simply long lists should be avoided. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the yellow pages and it is not an internet guide or listing service.
* '''Scientific papers''' are not appropriate here on the wiki, because articles need to be written with a wider audience in mind, and scientific papers are often difficult for the lay audience to understand. However, research papers and scientific journals may be used as a reference, or citation, or there may be cases where an external link to such material might be appropriate.
* '''Sales information''' is not the intended use of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Nor is it intended to be a place used for conducting business. Articles about products should not list pricing information unless there is some kind of historical or notable significance to mentioning pricing. Articles should not be a list of products you or your organization sells, and should also not contain sales pitches or be slanted with bias towards trying to promote the product. Articles should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV guidelines]].
* '''FAQ formats''' should usually not be used here on the wiki. Articles should be presented in a more formal manner. Exceptions are the [[CPAP_FAQs|CPAP FAQs]] page, and the [[Help:FAQs|Help FAQs]] page, as well as pages designed to help members utilize and improve the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a news service ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the place to write articles covering current events or news. This is also not the place to self-promote, or write about an event you are personally involved in. There may be news or events, on occasion, that are noteworthy and relevant to an article in which case it should be mentioned or referred to in the appropriate article, and cited as a reference.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dictionary ===
The CPAPtalk.com is not a dictionary. Therefore, articles here should start by defining the topic with a quality description of the subject matter, and then expand on other aspects of the topic with relevant information. If an article is simply a definition and nothing more, then it should be expanded upon if at all possible. Avoid making lists of words, or glossaries.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not Wikipedia ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki has some elements that are similar to [http://wikipedia.org/ Wikipedia], the two websites are different in scope, policies, and style. Wikipedia is universal in scope and is constructed in an encyclopedic nature. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is limited in scope and does not exactly fall under the definition of ''encylopedia''. Wikipedia also has different rules, policies and guidelines, and in particular, they have different rules about user submissions and usage of content, as well as many other variations from the policies and guidelines set forth here on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

* A lot may be learned from Wikipedia, but articles should not be copied or imported here from any of the Wikipedia family of websites (or any other source). Nor should articles here be copied to Wikipedia, or any other place.

* See the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]] for more information about ''User Submissions and Content License'' and ''Usage of Content'' from this website.

* There may be times when linking to information on Wikipedia may be appropriate in an article here. For example, if the article topic is not within the scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and therefore should not be created here, but the information about said topic would be useful in relation to another article that is appropriate here, then placing an external link to the Wikipedia article might be appropriate.

== Community ==

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum or message board. While there are places here to discuss and collaborate for the purpose of writing and improving articles, and for the construction and general maintenance of the wiki, this is not a forum open for discussions about anything and everything.

* Avoid taking discussions into the articles themselves.
* Use the user talk pages, and appropriate article talk pages to resolve issues involved in writing or improving articles on the wiki.
* Talk pages exist for the purpose of improving articles and are not general discussion pages about the topic.
* Talk pages are also not a technical help desk for support or instructional assistance about the subject.

The [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum] is a discussion forum for CPAP users. There are also many other places on the web that may be used as discussion forums.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a battlefield ===
All CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki users are expected to treat each other with respect and have an attitude of cooperative kindness towards the goal of improving the wiki. It is not appropriate to make threats, hold grudges, create conflict or drama, or personally attack, harass, insult, or attempt to instill fear or hatred in others here. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated and a user may be blocked or banned as a result of engaging in these type of activities.

Try to treat others the same way you would like to be treated. If conflict does occur, stay calm and use intelligent and polite discussion to resolve the matter. If another user does not follow these guidelines, that does not give you rationalization to retaliate.

Creating or modifying articles here with the intention of making or point or in response to a conflict or disagreement with someone (or something) here is not acceptable. Do not engage in edit wars.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dating website ===
This is not the appropriate place to discuss or pursue your personal relationship or sexual desires, sexual preferences, or try to make advances towards other members. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated. There are many other places, online and offline, that would be better suited for these purposes.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy. Nor is it a political or social experiment. The primary means of determining consensus is through editing and discussing articles, not voting. While editors may occasionally use straw polls or surveys to check for consensus, this is generally discouraged and may actually impede the process of improving the article.

While the members here play a very large role in determining what should be included in the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and what should or should not happen on this website, it is owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., which reserves the right at their sole discretion, to be the final arbiter about any aspect of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not an anarchy ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is relatively free and open for the purposes of building a dynamic website with information for CPAP users and those afflicted with Obstructive Sleep Apnea, it restricts both freedom and openness where it may interfere with that purpose. Even though the wiki is self-governing to a large degree, the idea here is not to push the limits of or experiment with anarchy, but to focus on the task of improving the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a viral marketing site ===
This is not the place to attempt to market anything, for any reason, in any way shape or form, viral or otherwise.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest. Simply put, this wiki is not here to see who has the most edits, or knowledge, or intelligence, or who can win and get their way, or make the fastest improvements, or become Sysop, or any other type of competitive self-aggrandizing game or contest.

Whether a member simply reads articles, or makes minor edits once in awhile, or is a master writer and editor, or an expert on a topic, or is a Sysop, or contributes in other ways to the wiki, does not really matter and does not make one member better than another. The fact is that people contribute in their own way, at their own pace, and in their own time. Not everyone wants to get involved and there are many users who mainly read articles for informational purposes. Members should not criticize each other for not contributing to the wiki and should try to keep a healthy attitude and perspective towards individual contributions, large and small, including their own contributions.

If you start feeling like working on the wiki is a competition, contest, or something you are becoming obsessed with to your own detriment, or that you may be using to escape from real life, then consider taking a break from the wiki.

== See also ==
* [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer|General Disclaimers]]
* [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]]
* [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]]
* [[Help:Contents|Help Contents]]
* [[CpapWiki:About|About the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki]]
* [[CpapWiki:Administrators|CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki Administrators]]

CpapWiki:What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not

2008-10-25T01:24:10Z

Sleeppunk: /* The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not made of paper */

{{guideline}}
[[Image:Moon_2.png|right|thumb|100px|Yes, sometimes even guideline pages need a nice image.]]
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is an online knowledge-base of information and articles pertaining to CPAP use and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. As a means to that end, it is also an online community. Therefore, there are some things that the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki '''is not'''. Above all, use common sense.
== Content ==
=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not made of paper ===
This may seem obvious. The main point is that this wiki is potentially limitless, and includes formatting and links typically not found in paper publications, and is dynamically created by many people. However, there is a big difference between what can be done and what should reasonably be carried out.

Keep in mind the primary scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is on articles pertaining to CPAP usage, and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. This is not the place for articles about unrelated topics. Refer to the [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]] and [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]], as needed.

* It should be made clear, that because this is not a paper publication, but is instead a wiki, any of user submissions to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki may (or may not) be edited mercilessly, temporarily removed, permanently deleted, moved, disputed, changed, modified, discussed, critiqued, rearranged, reformatted, linked to, lost, placed in a historical archive, replaced, referred to, used as an example, featured on the wiki, viewed by many, viewed by few or none, translated, reworded, and may or may not be replicated, copied or transcluded or used in other ways defined within in the CPAPtalk.com User Agreement.
* It should be made clear that most user submissions to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki are publicly viewable by anyone with access to the internet.

If anything above is unacceptable to you, do not make any user contributions or submit anything to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Rather use this website as a read-only informational tool or do not use this website.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, podium, or pulpit ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, pulpit, podium, or an outlet for advertising, self-promotion, promotion of your personal biased opinions or passionate beliefs, recruitment of any kind (commercial, political, religious, or other), rumors, or editorial opinion pieces.

* '''Advertising''' (of any kind;commercial or non-commercial) is not acceptable on this wiki. Inserting links to external websites just to promote your business or product(s) is not the intended use of this site and will not be tolerated. Writing or editing articles to promote your business, organization, events, product(s), self, or other things you may be involved in personally or directly, is not recommended. External links to major commercial organizations are acceptable if they identify major organizations related to that article. Articles about notable companies should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view guidelines]].

* '''Recruiting''' people for your business, project, organization, religion, political party, other website, event, or for any other reason, is not the intended use of this wiki. Please do not engage in this kind of behavior.

* '''Editorial opinion pieces''' are not the intended use of this wiki. Articles should be unbiased and strive for a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV]]. If you want to share your biased opinions or personal pet views, consider going to the [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum], or another website on the internet.

* '''Self-promotion''' is not the reason this wiki is here. While it is tempting to write about a company you work for, or about yourself, or things you are involved in, it is difficult to remain objective. Therefore, it is recommended that you do not write about these type of things that you are directly involved in so that a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view]] might be accomplished.

* '''Rumors''' are not acceptable here and this is not the place to write about or speculate over future events or products. It is also not the place to write rumors about people, companies, or organizations that may constitute libel, or slander.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, or image and media storage site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, image hosting site, or storage site for other files, or media.

* This wiki is not the place to make long lists of links to external websites, or upload images that will not be used in an article.
* It is not a place to replicate another website (or portion thereof) as a mirror site.
* It should not be used as personal web storage space for files, lists, images, and the like.
* This is also not the place to dump or copy large portions of information from public domain sources.

There are many other websites on the internet that can be used for these kinds of activities.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a webspace provider or social networking site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a social networking site like [http://www.myspace.com MySpace] or [http://www.facebook.com Facebook]. While there are certainly social aspects to a collaborative project, the pages here, including user pages, are intended to help the community collaborate on building and improving the wiki for the benefit of CPAP users, and others who visit the wiki. You may not host your own website here or build your own wiki here. There are many other websites on the internet that provide webhosting, social networking, and wiki spaces, either for free, or for a fee. Again, this is not a file hosting website. Uploaded images should be used in relevant articles on the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not censored ===
Articles and pages on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki can be edited or created by just about anyone, and the changes show up instantaneously, once submitted. For this reason, some readers may see content that they consider offensive or objectionable. So, the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki cannot guarantee that content here will always be acceptable to everyone, or adhere to your social (or religious) norms and standards, ideas, personal viewpoints, or beliefs.

Inappropriate content (links to porn sites, profanity, hate words, etc.) is typically the work of vandalism and is often removed quickly by members or Sysops of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Content that is judged to be in violation of the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], and the general policies and guidelines of CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, will be removed.

There could be content here that may be offensive to some users (information, ideas, concepts, text, images, links, language, people), but relevant to an article within the scope of the wiki. Discussions about controversial content should focus not so much on the possible offensiveness of the content, but whether or not it is appropriate and important to the article.

You must be 18 years of age, or older as mentioned in the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], to use this website.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not medical advice ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a doctor or medical practitioner. This site is largely created and edited by its members who are mostly not in the medical profession. Even if the information is accurate, or is written in part or completely by a medical professional (doctor, nurse, pharmacist, etc.), or someone claiming to be a medical professional, it may not apply to your particular situation.

For more information see [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer#Use_This_Site_At_Your_Own_Risk|this disclaimer]].

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information. Instead, it is an organized collection of articles relevant to the scope of this wiki and of interest to the CPAPtalk.com community. There are also guidelines to be aware of when writing articles here. Therefore, articles should typically not just be:

* '''Lists''' of statistics, websites, phone numbers, addresses, genealogical entries, directories, etc. are not the intended use of this wiki. While there are lists that may be incorporated into an article because the information is relevant to the topic, articles which are simply long lists should be avoided. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the yellow pages and it is not an internet guide or listing service.
* '''Scientific papers''' are not appropriate here on the wiki, because articles need to be written with a wider audience in mind, and scientific papers are often difficult for the lay audience to understand. However, research papers and scientific journals may be used as a reference, or citation, or there may be cases where an external link to such material might be appropriate.
* '''Sales information''' is not the intended use of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Nor is it intended to be a place used for conducting business. Articles about products should not list pricing information unless there is some kind of historical or notable significance to mentioning pricing. Articles should not be a list of products you or your organization sells, and should also not contain sales pitches or be slanted with bias towards trying to promote the product. Articles should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV guidelines]].
* '''FAQ formats''' should usually not be used here on the wiki. Articles should be presented in a more formal manner. Exceptions are the [[CPAP_FAQs|CPAP FAQs]] page, and the [[Help:FAQs|Help FAQs]] page, as well as pages designed to help members utilize and improve the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a news service ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the place to write articles covering current events or news. This is also not the place to self-promote, or write about an event you are personally involved in. There may be news or events, on occasion, that are noteworthy and relevant to an article in which case it should be mentioned or referred to in the appropriate article, and cited as a reference.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dictionary ===
The CPAPtalk.com is not a dictionary. Therefore, articles here should start by defining the topic with a quality description of the subject matter, and then expand on other aspects of the topic with relevant information. If an article is simply a definition and nothing more, then it should be expanded upon if at all possible. Avoid making lists of words, or glossaries.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not Wikipedia ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki has some elements that are similar to [http://wikipedia.org/ Wikipedia], the two websites are different in scope, policies, and style. Wikipedia is universal in scope and is constructed in an encyclopedic nature. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is limited in scope and does not exactly fall under the definition of ''encylopedia''. Wikipedia also has different rules, policies and guidelines, and in particular, they have different rules about user submissions and usage of content, as well as many other variations from the policies and guidelines set forth here on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

* A lot may be learned from Wikipedia, but articles should not be copied or imported here from any of the Wikipedia family of websites (or any other source). Nor should articles here be copied to Wikipedia, or any other place.

* See the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]] for more information about ''User Submissions and Content License'' and ''Usage of Content'' from this website.

* There may be times when linking to information on Wikipedia may be appropriate in an article here. For example, if the article topic is not within the scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and therefore should not be created here, but the information about said topic would be useful in relation to another article that is appropriate here, then placing an external link to the Wikipedia article might be appropriate.

== Community ==

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum or message board. While there are places here to discuss and collaborate for the purpose of writing and improving articles, and for the construction and general maintenance of the wiki, this is not a forum open for discussions about anything and everything.

* Avoid taking discussions into the articles themselves.
* Use the user talk pages, and appropriate article talk pages to resolve issues involved in writing or improving articles on the wiki.
* Talk pages exist for the purpose of improving articles and are not general discussion pages about the topic.
* Talk pages are also not a technical help desk for support or instructional assistance about the subject.

The [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum] is a discussion forum for CPAP users. There are also many other places on the web that may be used as discussion forums.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a battlefield ===
All CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki users are expected to treat each other with respect and have an attitude of cooperative kindness towards the goal of improving the wiki. It is not appropriate to make threats, hold grudges, create conflict or drama, or personally attack, harass, insult, or attempt to instill fear or hatred in others here. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated and a user may be blocked or banned as a result of engaging in these type of activities.

Try to treat others the same way you would like to be treated. If conflict does occur, stay calm and use intelligent and polite discussion to resolve the matter. If another user does not follow these guidelines, that does not give you rationalization to retaliate.

Creating or modifying articles here with the intention of making or point or in response to a conflict or disagreement with someone (or something) here is not acceptable. Do not engage in edit wars.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dating website ===
This is not the appropriate place to discuss or pursue your personal relationship or sexual desires, sexual preferences, or try to make advances towards other members. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated. There are many other places, online and offline, that would be better suited for these purposes.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy. Nor is it a political or social experiment. The primary means of determining consensus is through editing and discussing articles, not voting. While editors may occasionally use straw polls or surveys to check for consensus, this is generally discouraged and may actually impede the process of improving the article.

While the members here play a very large role in determining what should be included in the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and what should or should not happen on this website, it is owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., which reserves the right at their sole discretion, to be the final arbiter about any aspect of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not an anarchy ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is relatively free and open for the purposes of building a dynamic website with information for CPAP users and those afflicted with Obstructive Sleep Apnea, it restricts both freedom and openness where it may interfere with that purpose. Even though the wiki is self-governing to a large degree, the idea here is not to push the limits of or experiment with anarchy, but to focus on the task of improving the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a viral marketing site ===
This is not the place to attempt to market anything, for any reason, in any way shape or form, viral or otherwise.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest. Simply put, this wiki is not here to see who has the most edits, or knowledge, or intelligence, or who can win and get their way, or make the fastest improvements, or become Sysop, or any other type of competitive self-aggrandizing game or contest.

Whether a member simply reads articles, or makes minor edits once in awhile, or is a master writer and editor, or an expert on a topic, or is a Sysop, or contributes in other ways to the wiki, does not really matter and does not make one member better than another. The fact is that people contribute in their own way, at their own pace, and in their own time. Not everyone wants to get involved and there are many users who mainly read articles for informational purposes. Members should not criticize each other for not contributing to the wiki and should try to keep a healthy attitude and perspective towards individual contributions, large and small, including their own contributions.

If you start feeling like working on the wiki is a competition, contest, or something you are becoming obsessed with to your own detriment, or that you may be using to escape from real life, then consider taking a break from the wiki.

== See also ==
* [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer|General Disclaimers]]
* [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]]
* [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]]
* [[Help:Contents|Help Contents]]
* [[CpapWiki:About|About the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki]]
* [[CpapWiki:Administrators|CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki Administrators]]

CpapWiki:What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not

2008-10-25T01:15:06Z

Sleeppunk: /* The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not made of paper */

{{guideline}}
[[Image:Moon_2.png|right|thumb|100px|Yes, sometimes even guideline pages need a nice image.]]
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is an online knowledge-base of information and articles pertaining to CPAP use and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. As a means to that end, it is also an online community. Therefore, there are some things that the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki '''is not'''. Above all, use common sense.
== Content ==
=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not made of paper ===
This may seem obvious. The main point is that this wiki is potentially limitless, and includes formatting and links typically not found in paper publications, and is dynamically created by many people. However, there is a big difference between what can be done and what should reasonably be carried out.

Keep in mind the primary scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is on articles pertaining to CPAP usage, and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. This is not the place for articles about unrelated topics. Refer to the [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]] and [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]], as needed.

* It should be made clear, that because this is not a paper publication, but is instead a wiki, any of user submissions to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki may (or may not) be edited mercilessly, temporarily removed, permanently deleted, moved, disputed, changed, modified, discussed, critiqued, rearranged, reformatted, linked to, lost, placed in a historical archive, replaced, referred to, used as an example, featured on the wiki, viewed by many, viewed by few or none, translated, reworded, and may or may not be replicated, copied or transcluded or used in other ways defined within in the CPAPtalk.com User Agreement.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, podium, or pulpit ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, pulpit, podium, or an outlet for advertising, self-promotion, promotion of your personal biased opinions or passionate beliefs, recruitment of any kind (commercial, political, religious, or other), rumors, or editorial opinion pieces.

* '''Advertising''' (of any kind;commercial or non-commercial) is not acceptable on this wiki. Inserting links to external websites just to promote your business or product(s) is not the intended use of this site and will not be tolerated. Writing or editing articles to promote your business, organization, events, product(s), self, or other things you may be involved in personally or directly, is not recommended. External links to major commercial organizations are acceptable if they identify major organizations related to that article. Articles about notable companies should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view guidelines]].

* '''Recruiting''' people for your business, project, organization, religion, political party, other website, event, or for any other reason, is not the intended use of this wiki. Please do not engage in this kind of behavior.

* '''Editorial opinion pieces''' are not the intended use of this wiki. Articles should be unbiased and strive for a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV]]. If you want to share your biased opinions or personal pet views, consider going to the [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum], or another website on the internet.

* '''Self-promotion''' is not the reason this wiki is here. While it is tempting to write about a company you work for, or about yourself, or things you are involved in, it is difficult to remain objective. Therefore, it is recommended that you do not write about these type of things that you are directly involved in so that a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view]] might be accomplished.

* '''Rumors''' are not acceptable here and this is not the place to write about or speculate over future events or products. It is also not the place to write rumors about people, companies, or organizations that may constitute libel, or slander.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, or image and media storage site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, image hosting site, or storage site for other files, or media.

* This wiki is not the place to make long lists of links to external websites, or upload images that will not be used in an article.
* It is not a place to replicate another website (or portion thereof) as a mirror site.
* It should not be used as personal web storage space for files, lists, images, and the like.
* This is also not the place to dump or copy large portions of information from public domain sources.

There are many other websites on the internet that can be used for these kinds of activities.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a webspace provider or social networking site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a social networking site like [http://www.myspace.com MySpace] or [http://www.facebook.com Facebook]. While there are certainly social aspects to a collaborative project, the pages here, including user pages, are intended to help the community collaborate on building and improving the wiki for the benefit of CPAP users, and others who visit the wiki. You may not host your own website here or build your own wiki here. There are many other websites on the internet that provide webhosting, social networking, and wiki spaces, either for free, or for a fee. Again, this is not a file hosting website. Uploaded images should be used in relevant articles on the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not censored ===
Articles and pages on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki can be edited or created by just about anyone, and the changes show up instantaneously, once submitted. For this reason, some readers may see content that they consider offensive or objectionable. So, the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki cannot guarantee that content here will always be acceptable to everyone, or adhere to your social (or religious) norms and standards, ideas, personal viewpoints, or beliefs.

Inappropriate content (links to porn sites, profanity, hate words, etc.) is typically the work of vandalism and is often removed quickly by members or Sysops of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Content that is judged to be in violation of the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], and the general policies and guidelines of CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, will be removed.

There could be content here that may be offensive to some users (information, ideas, concepts, text, images, links, language, people), but relevant to an article within the scope of the wiki. Discussions about controversial content should focus not so much on the possible offensiveness of the content, but whether or not it is appropriate and important to the article.

You must be 18 years of age, or older as mentioned in the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], to use this website.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not medical advice ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a doctor or medical practitioner. This site is largely created and edited by its members who are mostly not in the medical profession. Even if the information is accurate, or is written in part or completely by a medical professional (doctor, nurse, pharmacist, etc.), or someone claiming to be a medical professional, it may not apply to your particular situation.

For more information see [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer#Use_This_Site_At_Your_Own_Risk|this disclaimer]].

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information. Instead, it is an organized collection of articles relevant to the scope of this wiki and of interest to the CPAPtalk.com community. There are also guidelines to be aware of when writing articles here. Therefore, articles should typically not just be:

* '''Lists''' of statistics, websites, phone numbers, addresses, genealogical entries, directories, etc. are not the intended use of this wiki. While there are lists that may be incorporated into an article because the information is relevant to the topic, articles which are simply long lists should be avoided. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the yellow pages and it is not an internet guide or listing service.
* '''Scientific papers''' are not appropriate here on the wiki, because articles need to be written with a wider audience in mind, and scientific papers are often difficult for the lay audience to understand. However, research papers and scientific journals may be used as a reference, or citation, or there may be cases where an external link to such material might be appropriate.
* '''Sales information''' is not the intended use of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Nor is it intended to be a place used for conducting business. Articles about products should not list pricing information unless there is some kind of historical or notable significance to mentioning pricing. Articles should not be a list of products you or your organization sells, and should also not contain sales pitches or be slanted with bias towards trying to promote the product. Articles should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV guidelines]].
* '''FAQ formats''' should usually not be used here on the wiki. Articles should be presented in a more formal manner. Exceptions are the [[CPAP_FAQs|CPAP FAQs]] page, and the [[Help:FAQs|Help FAQs]] page, as well as pages designed to help members utilize and improve the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a news service ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the place to write articles covering current events or news. This is also not the place to self-promote, or write about an event you are personally involved in. There may be news or events, on occasion, that are noteworthy and relevant to an article in which case it should be mentioned or referred to in the appropriate article, and cited as a reference.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dictionary ===
The CPAPtalk.com is not a dictionary. Therefore, articles here should start by defining the topic with a quality description of the subject matter, and then expand on other aspects of the topic with relevant information. If an article is simply a definition and nothing more, then it should be expanded upon if at all possible. Avoid making lists of words, or glossaries.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not Wikipedia ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki has some elements that are similar to [http://wikipedia.org/ Wikipedia], the two websites are different in scope, policies, and style. Wikipedia is universal in scope and is constructed in an encyclopedic nature. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is limited in scope and does not exactly fall under the definition of ''encylopedia''. Wikipedia also has different rules, policies and guidelines, and in particular, they have different rules about user submissions and usage of content, as well as many other variations from the policies and guidelines set forth here on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

* A lot may be learned from Wikipedia, but articles should not be copied or imported here from any of the Wikipedia family of websites (or any other source). Nor should articles here be copied to Wikipedia, or any other place.

* See the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]] for more information about ''User Submissions and Content License'' and ''Usage of Content'' from this website.

* There may be times when linking to information on Wikipedia may be appropriate in an article here. For example, if the article topic is not within the scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and therefore should not be created here, but the information about said topic would be useful in relation to another article that is appropriate here, then placing an external link to the Wikipedia article might be appropriate.

== Community ==

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum or message board. While there are places here to discuss and collaborate for the purpose of writing and improving articles, and for the construction and general maintenance of the wiki, this is not a forum open for discussions about anything and everything.

* Avoid taking discussions into the articles themselves.
* Use the user talk pages, and appropriate article talk pages to resolve issues involved in writing or improving articles on the wiki.
* Talk pages exist for the purpose of improving articles and are not general discussion pages about the topic.
* Talk pages are also not a technical help desk for support or instructional assistance about the subject.

The [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum] is a discussion forum for CPAP users. There are also many other places on the web that may be used as discussion forums.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a battlefield ===
All CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki users are expected to treat each other with respect and have an attitude of cooperative kindness towards the goal of improving the wiki. It is not appropriate to make threats, hold grudges, create conflict or drama, or personally attack, harass, insult, or attempt to instill fear or hatred in others here. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated and a user may be blocked or banned as a result of engaging in these type of activities.

Try to treat others the same way you would like to be treated. If conflict does occur, stay calm and use intelligent and polite discussion to resolve the matter. If another user does not follow these guidelines, that does not give you rationalization to retaliate.

Creating or modifying articles here with the intention of making or point or in response to a conflict or disagreement with someone (or something) here is not acceptable. Do not engage in edit wars.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dating website ===
This is not the appropriate place to discuss or pursue your personal relationship or sexual desires, sexual preferences, or try to make advances towards other members. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated. There are many other places, online and offline, that would be better suited for these purposes.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy. Nor is it a political or social experiment. The primary means of determining consensus is through editing and discussing articles, not voting. While editors may occasionally use straw polls or surveys to check for consensus, this is generally discouraged and may actually impede the process of improving the article.

While the members here play a very large role in determining what should be included in the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and what should or should not happen on this website, it is owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., which reserves the right at their sole discretion, to be the final arbiter about any aspect of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not an anarchy ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is relatively free and open for the purposes of building a dynamic website with information for CPAP users and those afflicted with Obstructive Sleep Apnea, it restricts both freedom and openness where it may interfere with that purpose. Even though the wiki is self-governing to a large degree, the idea here is not to push the limits of or experiment with anarchy, but to focus on the task of improving the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a viral marketing site ===
This is not the place to attempt to market anything, for any reason, in any way shape or form, viral or otherwise.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest. Simply put, this wiki is not here to see who has the most edits, or knowledge, or intelligence, or who can win and get their way, or make the fastest improvements, or become Sysop, or any other type of competitive self-aggrandizing game or contest.

Whether a member simply reads articles, or makes minor edits once in awhile, or is a master writer and editor, or an expert on a topic, or is a Sysop, or contributes in other ways to the wiki, does not really matter and does not make one member better than another. The fact is that people contribute in their own way, at their own pace, and in their own time. Not everyone wants to get involved and there are many users who mainly read articles for informational purposes. Members should not criticize each other for not contributing to the wiki and should try to keep a healthy attitude and perspective towards individual contributions, large and small, including their own contributions.

If you start feeling like working on the wiki is a competition, contest, or something you are becoming obsessed with to your own detriment, or that you may be using to escape from real life, then consider taking a break from the wiki.

== See also ==
* [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer|General Disclaimers]]
* [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]]
* [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]]
* [[Help:Contents|Help Contents]]
* [[CpapWiki:About|About the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki]]
* [[CpapWiki:Administrators|CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki Administrators]]

CpapWiki:What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not

2008-10-25T01:11:57Z

Sleeppunk: /* The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not made of paper */

{{guideline}}
[[Image:Moon_2.png|right|thumb|100px|Yes, sometimes even guideline pages need a nice image.]]
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is an online knowledge-base of information and articles pertaining to CPAP use and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. As a means to that end, it is also an online community. Therefore, there are some things that the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki '''is not'''. Above all, use common sense.
== Content ==
=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not made of paper ===
This may seem obvious. The main point is that this wiki is potentially limitless, and includes formatting and links typically not found in paper publications, and is dynamically created by many people. However, there is a big difference between what can be done and what should reasonably be carried out.

Keep in mind the primary scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is on articles pertaining to CPAP usage, and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. This is not the place for articles about unrelated topics. Refer to the [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]] and [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]], as needed.

* It should be made clear, that because this is not a paper publication, but is instead a wiki, any of user submissions to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki may (or may not) be edited mercilessly, temporarily removed, permanently deleted, moved, disputed, changed, modified, discussed, critiqued, rearranged, reformatted, linked to, lost, placed in a historical archive, replaced, referred to, used as an example, featured on the wiki, viewed by many, viewed by few or none, translated, reworded, or used in other ways defined in the CPAPtalk.com User Agreement.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, podium, or pulpit ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, pulpit, podium, or an outlet for advertising, self-promotion, promotion of your personal biased opinions or passionate beliefs, recruitment of any kind (commercial, political, religious, or other), rumors, or editorial opinion pieces.

* '''Advertising''' (of any kind;commercial or non-commercial) is not acceptable on this wiki. Inserting links to external websites just to promote your business or product(s) is not the intended use of this site and will not be tolerated. Writing or editing articles to promote your business, organization, events, product(s), self, or other things you may be involved in personally or directly, is not recommended. External links to major commercial organizations are acceptable if they identify major organizations related to that article. Articles about notable companies should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view guidelines]].

* '''Recruiting''' people for your business, project, organization, religion, political party, other website, event, or for any other reason, is not the intended use of this wiki. Please do not engage in this kind of behavior.

* '''Editorial opinion pieces''' are not the intended use of this wiki. Articles should be unbiased and strive for a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV]]. If you want to share your biased opinions or personal pet views, consider going to the [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum], or another website on the internet.

* '''Self-promotion''' is not the reason this wiki is here. While it is tempting to write about a company you work for, or about yourself, or things you are involved in, it is difficult to remain objective. Therefore, it is recommended that you do not write about these type of things that you are directly involved in so that a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view]] might be accomplished.

* '''Rumors''' are not acceptable here and this is not the place to write about or speculate over future events or products. It is also not the place to write rumors about people, companies, or organizations that may constitute libel, or slander.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, or image and media storage site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, image hosting site, or storage site for other files, or media.

* This wiki is not the place to make long lists of links to external websites, or upload images that will not be used in an article.
* It is not a place to replicate another website (or portion thereof) as a mirror site.
* It should not be used as personal web storage space for files, lists, images, and the like.
* This is also not the place to dump or copy large portions of information from public domain sources.

There are many other websites on the internet that can be used for these kinds of activities.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a webspace provider or social networking site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a social networking site like [http://www.myspace.com MySpace] or [http://www.facebook.com Facebook]. While there are certainly social aspects to a collaborative project, the pages here, including user pages, are intended to help the community collaborate on building and improving the wiki for the benefit of CPAP users, and others who visit the wiki. You may not host your own website here or build your own wiki here. There are many other websites on the internet that provide webhosting, social networking, and wiki spaces, either for free, or for a fee. Again, this is not a file hosting website. Uploaded images should be used in relevant articles on the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not censored ===
Articles and pages on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki can be edited or created by just about anyone, and the changes show up instantaneously, once submitted. For this reason, some readers may see content that they consider offensive or objectionable. So, the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki cannot guarantee that content here will always be acceptable to everyone, or adhere to your social (or religious) norms and standards, ideas, personal viewpoints, or beliefs.

Inappropriate content (links to porn sites, profanity, hate words, etc.) is typically the work of vandalism and is often removed quickly by members or Sysops of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Content that is judged to be in violation of the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], and the general policies and guidelines of CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, will be removed.

There could be content here that may be offensive to some users (information, ideas, concepts, text, images, links, language, people), but relevant to an article within the scope of the wiki. Discussions about controversial content should focus not so much on the possible offensiveness of the content, but whether or not it is appropriate and important to the article.

You must be 18 years of age, or older as mentioned in the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], to use this website.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not medical advice ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a doctor or medical practitioner. This site is largely created and edited by its members who are mostly not in the medical profession. Even if the information is accurate, or is written in part or completely by a medical professional (doctor, nurse, pharmacist, etc.), or someone claiming to be a medical professional, it may not apply to your particular situation.

For more information see [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer#Use_This_Site_At_Your_Own_Risk|this disclaimer]].

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information. Instead, it is an organized collection of articles relevant to the scope of this wiki and of interest to the CPAPtalk.com community. There are also guidelines to be aware of when writing articles here. Therefore, articles should typically not just be:

* '''Lists''' of statistics, websites, phone numbers, addresses, genealogical entries, directories, etc. are not the intended use of this wiki. While there are lists that may be incorporated into an article because the information is relevant to the topic, articles which are simply long lists should be avoided. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the yellow pages and it is not an internet guide or listing service.
* '''Scientific papers''' are not appropriate here on the wiki, because articles need to be written with a wider audience in mind, and scientific papers are often difficult for the lay audience to understand. However, research papers and scientific journals may be used as a reference, or citation, or there may be cases where an external link to such material might be appropriate.
* '''Sales information''' is not the intended use of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Nor is it intended to be a place used for conducting business. Articles about products should not list pricing information unless there is some kind of historical or notable significance to mentioning pricing. Articles should not be a list of products you or your organization sells, and should also not contain sales pitches or be slanted with bias towards trying to promote the product. Articles should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV guidelines]].
* '''FAQ formats''' should usually not be used here on the wiki. Articles should be presented in a more formal manner. Exceptions are the [[CPAP_FAQs|CPAP FAQs]] page, and the [[Help:FAQs|Help FAQs]] page, as well as pages designed to help members utilize and improve the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a news service ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the place to write articles covering current events or news. This is also not the place to self-promote, or write about an event you are personally involved in. There may be news or events, on occasion, that are noteworthy and relevant to an article in which case it should be mentioned or referred to in the appropriate article, and cited as a reference.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dictionary ===
The CPAPtalk.com is not a dictionary. Therefore, articles here should start by defining the topic with a quality description of the subject matter, and then expand on other aspects of the topic with relevant information. If an article is simply a definition and nothing more, then it should be expanded upon if at all possible. Avoid making lists of words, or glossaries.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not Wikipedia ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki has some elements that are similar to [http://wikipedia.org/ Wikipedia], the two websites are different in scope, policies, and style. Wikipedia is universal in scope and is constructed in an encyclopedic nature. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is limited in scope and does not exactly fall under the definition of ''encylopedia''. Wikipedia also has different rules, policies and guidelines, and in particular, they have different rules about user submissions and usage of content, as well as many other variations from the policies and guidelines set forth here on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

* A lot may be learned from Wikipedia, but articles should not be copied or imported here from any of the Wikipedia family of websites (or any other source). Nor should articles here be copied to Wikipedia, or any other place.

* See the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]] for more information about ''User Submissions and Content License'' and ''Usage of Content'' from this website.

* There may be times when linking to information on Wikipedia may be appropriate in an article here. For example, if the article topic is not within the scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and therefore should not be created here, but the information about said topic would be useful in relation to another article that is appropriate here, then placing an external link to the Wikipedia article might be appropriate.

== Community ==

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum or message board. While there are places here to discuss and collaborate for the purpose of writing and improving articles, and for the construction and general maintenance of the wiki, this is not a forum open for discussions about anything and everything.

* Avoid taking discussions into the articles themselves.
* Use the user talk pages, and appropriate article talk pages to resolve issues involved in writing or improving articles on the wiki.
* Talk pages exist for the purpose of improving articles and are not general discussion pages about the topic.
* Talk pages are also not a technical help desk for support or instructional assistance about the subject.

The [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum] is a discussion forum for CPAP users. There are also many other places on the web that may be used as discussion forums.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a battlefield ===
All CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki users are expected to treat each other with respect and have an attitude of cooperative kindness towards the goal of improving the wiki. It is not appropriate to make threats, hold grudges, create conflict or drama, or personally attack, harass, insult, or attempt to instill fear or hatred in others here. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated and a user may be blocked or banned as a result of engaging in these type of activities.

Try to treat others the same way you would like to be treated. If conflict does occur, stay calm and use intelligent and polite discussion to resolve the matter. If another user does not follow these guidelines, that does not give you rationalization to retaliate.

Creating or modifying articles here with the intention of making or point or in response to a conflict or disagreement with someone (or something) here is not acceptable. Do not engage in edit wars.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dating website ===
This is not the appropriate place to discuss or pursue your personal relationship or sexual desires, sexual preferences, or try to make advances towards other members. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated. There are many other places, online and offline, that would be better suited for these purposes.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy. Nor is it a political or social experiment. The primary means of determining consensus is through editing and discussing articles, not voting. While editors may occasionally use straw polls or surveys to check for consensus, this is generally discouraged and may actually impede the process of improving the article.

While the members here play a very large role in determining what should be included in the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and what should or should not happen on this website, it is owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., which reserves the right at their sole discretion, to be the final arbiter about any aspect of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not an anarchy ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is relatively free and open for the purposes of building a dynamic website with information for CPAP users and those afflicted with Obstructive Sleep Apnea, it restricts both freedom and openness where it may interfere with that purpose. Even though the wiki is self-governing to a large degree, the idea here is not to push the limits of or experiment with anarchy, but to focus on the task of improving the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a viral marketing site ===
This is not the place to attempt to market anything, for any reason, in any way shape or form, viral or otherwise.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest. Simply put, this wiki is not here to see who has the most edits, or knowledge, or intelligence, or who can win and get their way, or make the fastest improvements, or become Sysop, or any other type of competitive self-aggrandizing game or contest.

Whether a member simply reads articles, or makes minor edits once in awhile, or is a master writer and editor, or an expert on a topic, or is a Sysop, or contributes in other ways to the wiki, does not really matter and does not make one member better than another. The fact is that people contribute in their own way, at their own pace, and in their own time. Not everyone wants to get involved and there are many users who mainly read articles for informational purposes. Members should not criticize each other for not contributing to the wiki and should try to keep a healthy attitude and perspective towards individual contributions, large and small, including their own contributions.

If you start feeling like working on the wiki is a competition, contest, or something you are becoming obsessed with to your own detriment, or that you may be using to escape from real life, then consider taking a break from the wiki.

== See also ==
* [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer|General Disclaimers]]
* [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]]
* [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]]
* [[Help:Contents|Help Contents]]
* [[CpapWiki:About|About the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki]]
* [[CpapWiki:Administrators|CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki Administrators]]

CpapWiki:What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not

2008-10-25T01:11:14Z

Sleeppunk: /* The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not made of paper */

{{guideline}}
[[Image:Moon_2.png|right|thumb|100px|Yes, sometimes even guideline pages need a nice image.]]
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is an online knowledge-base of information and articles pertaining to CPAP use and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. As a means to that end, it is also an online community. Therefore, there are some things that the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki '''is not'''. Above all, use common sense.
== Content ==
=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not made of paper ===
This may seem obvious. The main point is that this wiki is potentially limitless, and includes formatting and links typically not found in paper publications, and is dynamically created by many people. However, there is a big difference between what can be done and what should reasonably be carried out.

Keep in mind the primary scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is on articles pertaining to CPAP usage, and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. This is not the place for articles about unrelated topics. Refer to the [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]] and [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]], as needed.

* It should be made clear, that because this is not a paper publication, but is instead a wiki, any of user submissions to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki may (or may not) be edited mercilessly, temporarily removed, permanently deleted, moved, disputed, changed, modified, discussed, critiqued, rearranged, reformatted, linked to, lost, placed in a historical archive, referred to, used as an example, featured on the wiki, viewed by many, viewed by few or none, translated, reworded, or used in other ways defined in the CPAPtalk.com User Agreement.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, podium, or pulpit ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, pulpit, podium, or an outlet for advertising, self-promotion, promotion of your personal biased opinions or passionate beliefs, recruitment of any kind (commercial, political, religious, or other), rumors, or editorial opinion pieces.

* '''Advertising''' (of any kind;commercial or non-commercial) is not acceptable on this wiki. Inserting links to external websites just to promote your business or product(s) is not the intended use of this site and will not be tolerated. Writing or editing articles to promote your business, organization, events, product(s), self, or other things you may be involved in personally or directly, is not recommended. External links to major commercial organizations are acceptable if they identify major organizations related to that article. Articles about notable companies should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view guidelines]].

* '''Recruiting''' people for your business, project, organization, religion, political party, other website, event, or for any other reason, is not the intended use of this wiki. Please do not engage in this kind of behavior.

* '''Editorial opinion pieces''' are not the intended use of this wiki. Articles should be unbiased and strive for a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV]]. If you want to share your biased opinions or personal pet views, consider going to the [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum], or another website on the internet.

* '''Self-promotion''' is not the reason this wiki is here. While it is tempting to write about a company you work for, or about yourself, or things you are involved in, it is difficult to remain objective. Therefore, it is recommended that you do not write about these type of things that you are directly involved in so that a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view]] might be accomplished.

* '''Rumors''' are not acceptable here and this is not the place to write about or speculate over future events or products. It is also not the place to write rumors about people, companies, or organizations that may constitute libel, or slander.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, or image and media storage site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, image hosting site, or storage site for other files, or media.

* This wiki is not the place to make long lists of links to external websites, or upload images that will not be used in an article.
* It is not a place to replicate another website (or portion thereof) as a mirror site.
* It should not be used as personal web storage space for files, lists, images, and the like.
* This is also not the place to dump or copy large portions of information from public domain sources.

There are many other websites on the internet that can be used for these kinds of activities.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a webspace provider or social networking site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a social networking site like [http://www.myspace.com MySpace] or [http://www.facebook.com Facebook]. While there are certainly social aspects to a collaborative project, the pages here, including user pages, are intended to help the community collaborate on building and improving the wiki for the benefit of CPAP users, and others who visit the wiki. You may not host your own website here or build your own wiki here. There are many other websites on the internet that provide webhosting, social networking, and wiki spaces, either for free, or for a fee. Again, this is not a file hosting website. Uploaded images should be used in relevant articles on the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not censored ===
Articles and pages on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki can be edited or created by just about anyone, and the changes show up instantaneously, once submitted. For this reason, some readers may see content that they consider offensive or objectionable. So, the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki cannot guarantee that content here will always be acceptable to everyone, or adhere to your social (or religious) norms and standards, ideas, personal viewpoints, or beliefs.

Inappropriate content (links to porn sites, profanity, hate words, etc.) is typically the work of vandalism and is often removed quickly by members or Sysops of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Content that is judged to be in violation of the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], and the general policies and guidelines of CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, will be removed.

There could be content here that may be offensive to some users (information, ideas, concepts, text, images, links, language, people), but relevant to an article within the scope of the wiki. Discussions about controversial content should focus not so much on the possible offensiveness of the content, but whether or not it is appropriate and important to the article.

You must be 18 years of age, or older as mentioned in the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], to use this website.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not medical advice ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a doctor or medical practitioner. This site is largely created and edited by its members who are mostly not in the medical profession. Even if the information is accurate, or is written in part or completely by a medical professional (doctor, nurse, pharmacist, etc.), or someone claiming to be a medical professional, it may not apply to your particular situation.

For more information see [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer#Use_This_Site_At_Your_Own_Risk|this disclaimer]].

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information. Instead, it is an organized collection of articles relevant to the scope of this wiki and of interest to the CPAPtalk.com community. There are also guidelines to be aware of when writing articles here. Therefore, articles should typically not just be:

* '''Lists''' of statistics, websites, phone numbers, addresses, genealogical entries, directories, etc. are not the intended use of this wiki. While there are lists that may be incorporated into an article because the information is relevant to the topic, articles which are simply long lists should be avoided. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the yellow pages and it is not an internet guide or listing service.
* '''Scientific papers''' are not appropriate here on the wiki, because articles need to be written with a wider audience in mind, and scientific papers are often difficult for the lay audience to understand. However, research papers and scientific journals may be used as a reference, or citation, or there may be cases where an external link to such material might be appropriate.
* '''Sales information''' is not the intended use of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Nor is it intended to be a place used for conducting business. Articles about products should not list pricing information unless there is some kind of historical or notable significance to mentioning pricing. Articles should not be a list of products you or your organization sells, and should also not contain sales pitches or be slanted with bias towards trying to promote the product. Articles should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV guidelines]].
* '''FAQ formats''' should usually not be used here on the wiki. Articles should be presented in a more formal manner. Exceptions are the [[CPAP_FAQs|CPAP FAQs]] page, and the [[Help:FAQs|Help FAQs]] page, as well as pages designed to help members utilize and improve the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a news service ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the place to write articles covering current events or news. This is also not the place to self-promote, or write about an event you are personally involved in. There may be news or events, on occasion, that are noteworthy and relevant to an article in which case it should be mentioned or referred to in the appropriate article, and cited as a reference.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dictionary ===
The CPAPtalk.com is not a dictionary. Therefore, articles here should start by defining the topic with a quality description of the subject matter, and then expand on other aspects of the topic with relevant information. If an article is simply a definition and nothing more, then it should be expanded upon if at all possible. Avoid making lists of words, or glossaries.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not Wikipedia ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki has some elements that are similar to [http://wikipedia.org/ Wikipedia], the two websites are different in scope, policies, and style. Wikipedia is universal in scope and is constructed in an encyclopedic nature. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is limited in scope and does not exactly fall under the definition of ''encylopedia''. Wikipedia also has different rules, policies and guidelines, and in particular, they have different rules about user submissions and usage of content, as well as many other variations from the policies and guidelines set forth here on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

* A lot may be learned from Wikipedia, but articles should not be copied or imported here from any of the Wikipedia family of websites (or any other source). Nor should articles here be copied to Wikipedia, or any other place.

* See the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]] for more information about ''User Submissions and Content License'' and ''Usage of Content'' from this website.

* There may be times when linking to information on Wikipedia may be appropriate in an article here. For example, if the article topic is not within the scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and therefore should not be created here, but the information about said topic would be useful in relation to another article that is appropriate here, then placing an external link to the Wikipedia article might be appropriate.

== Community ==

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum or message board. While there are places here to discuss and collaborate for the purpose of writing and improving articles, and for the construction and general maintenance of the wiki, this is not a forum open for discussions about anything and everything.

* Avoid taking discussions into the articles themselves.
* Use the user talk pages, and appropriate article talk pages to resolve issues involved in writing or improving articles on the wiki.
* Talk pages exist for the purpose of improving articles and are not general discussion pages about the topic.
* Talk pages are also not a technical help desk for support or instructional assistance about the subject.

The [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum] is a discussion forum for CPAP users. There are also many other places on the web that may be used as discussion forums.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a battlefield ===
All CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki users are expected to treat each other with respect and have an attitude of cooperative kindness towards the goal of improving the wiki. It is not appropriate to make threats, hold grudges, create conflict or drama, or personally attack, harass, insult, or attempt to instill fear or hatred in others here. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated and a user may be blocked or banned as a result of engaging in these type of activities.

Try to treat others the same way you would like to be treated. If conflict does occur, stay calm and use intelligent and polite discussion to resolve the matter. If another user does not follow these guidelines, that does not give you rationalization to retaliate.

Creating or modifying articles here with the intention of making or point or in response to a conflict or disagreement with someone (or something) here is not acceptable. Do not engage in edit wars.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dating website ===
This is not the appropriate place to discuss or pursue your personal relationship or sexual desires, sexual preferences, or try to make advances towards other members. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated. There are many other places, online and offline, that would be better suited for these purposes.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy. Nor is it a political or social experiment. The primary means of determining consensus is through editing and discussing articles, not voting. While editors may occasionally use straw polls or surveys to check for consensus, this is generally discouraged and may actually impede the process of improving the article.

While the members here play a very large role in determining what should be included in the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and what should or should not happen on this website, it is owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., which reserves the right at their sole discretion, to be the final arbiter about any aspect of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not an anarchy ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is relatively free and open for the purposes of building a dynamic website with information for CPAP users and those afflicted with Obstructive Sleep Apnea, it restricts both freedom and openness where it may interfere with that purpose. Even though the wiki is self-governing to a large degree, the idea here is not to push the limits of or experiment with anarchy, but to focus on the task of improving the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a viral marketing site ===
This is not the place to attempt to market anything, for any reason, in any way shape or form, viral or otherwise.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest. Simply put, this wiki is not here to see who has the most edits, or knowledge, or intelligence, or who can win and get their way, or make the fastest improvements, or become Sysop, or any other type of competitive self-aggrandizing game or contest.

Whether a member simply reads articles, or makes minor edits once in awhile, or is a master writer and editor, or an expert on a topic, or is a Sysop, or contributes in other ways to the wiki, does not really matter and does not make one member better than another. The fact is that people contribute in their own way, at their own pace, and in their own time. Not everyone wants to get involved and there are many users who mainly read articles for informational purposes. Members should not criticize each other for not contributing to the wiki and should try to keep a healthy attitude and perspective towards individual contributions, large and small, including their own contributions.

If you start feeling like working on the wiki is a competition, contest, or something you are becoming obsessed with to your own detriment, or that you may be using to escape from real life, then consider taking a break from the wiki.

== See also ==
* [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer|General Disclaimers]]
* [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]]
* [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]]
* [[Help:Contents|Help Contents]]
* [[CpapWiki:About|About the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki]]
* [[CpapWiki:Administrators|CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki Administrators]]

CpapWiki:What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not

2008-10-25T01:09:55Z

Sleeppunk:

{{guideline}}
[[Image:Moon_2.png|right|thumb|100px|Yes, sometimes even guideline pages need a nice image.]]
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is an online knowledge-base of information and articles pertaining to CPAP use and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. As a means to that end, it is also an online community. Therefore, there are some things that the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki '''is not'''. Above all, use common sense.
== Content ==
=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not made of paper ===
This may seem obvious. The main point is that this wiki is potentially limitless, and includes formatting and links typically not found in paper publications, and is dynamically created by many people. However, there is a big difference between what can be done and what should reasonably be carried out.

Keep in mind the primary scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is on articles pertaining to CPAP usage, and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. This is not the place for articles about unrelated topics. Refer to the [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]] and [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]], as needed.

* It should be made clear, that because this is not a paper publication, but is instead a wiki, any of your submissions to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki may (or may not) be edited mercilessly, temporarily removed, permanently deleted, moved, disputed, changed, modified, discussed, critiqued, rearranged, reformatted, linked to, lost, placed in a historical archive, referred to, used as an example, featured on the wiki, viewed by many, viewed by few or none, translated, reworded, or used in other ways defined in the CPAPtalk.com User Agreement.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, podium, or pulpit ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, pulpit, podium, or an outlet for advertising, self-promotion, promotion of your personal biased opinions or passionate beliefs, recruitment of any kind (commercial, political, religious, or other), rumors, or editorial opinion pieces.

* '''Advertising''' (of any kind;commercial or non-commercial) is not acceptable on this wiki. Inserting links to external websites just to promote your business or product(s) is not the intended use of this site and will not be tolerated. Writing or editing articles to promote your business, organization, events, product(s), self, or other things you may be involved in personally or directly, is not recommended. External links to major commercial organizations are acceptable if they identify major organizations related to that article. Articles about notable companies should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view guidelines]].

* '''Recruiting''' people for your business, project, organization, religion, political party, other website, event, or for any other reason, is not the intended use of this wiki. Please do not engage in this kind of behavior.

* '''Editorial opinion pieces''' are not the intended use of this wiki. Articles should be unbiased and strive for a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV]]. If you want to share your biased opinions or personal pet views, consider going to the [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum], or another website on the internet.

* '''Self-promotion''' is not the reason this wiki is here. While it is tempting to write about a company you work for, or about yourself, or things you are involved in, it is difficult to remain objective. Therefore, it is recommended that you do not write about these type of things that you are directly involved in so that a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view]] might be accomplished.

* '''Rumors''' are not acceptable here and this is not the place to write about or speculate over future events or products. It is also not the place to write rumors about people, companies, or organizations that may constitute libel, or slander.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, or image and media storage site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, image hosting site, or storage site for other files, or media.

* This wiki is not the place to make long lists of links to external websites, or upload images that will not be used in an article.
* It is not a place to replicate another website (or portion thereof) as a mirror site.
* It should not be used as personal web storage space for files, lists, images, and the like.
* This is also not the place to dump or copy large portions of information from public domain sources.

There are many other websites on the internet that can be used for these kinds of activities.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a webspace provider or social networking site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a social networking site like [http://www.myspace.com MySpace] or [http://www.facebook.com Facebook]. While there are certainly social aspects to a collaborative project, the pages here, including user pages, are intended to help the community collaborate on building and improving the wiki for the benefit of CPAP users, and others who visit the wiki. You may not host your own website here or build your own wiki here. There are many other websites on the internet that provide webhosting, social networking, and wiki spaces, either for free, or for a fee. Again, this is not a file hosting website. Uploaded images should be used in relevant articles on the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not censored ===
Articles and pages on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki can be edited or created by just about anyone, and the changes show up instantaneously, once submitted. For this reason, some readers may see content that they consider offensive or objectionable. So, the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki cannot guarantee that content here will always be acceptable to everyone, or adhere to your social (or religious) norms and standards, ideas, personal viewpoints, or beliefs.

Inappropriate content (links to porn sites, profanity, hate words, etc.) is typically the work of vandalism and is often removed quickly by members or Sysops of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Content that is judged to be in violation of the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], and the general policies and guidelines of CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, will be removed.

There could be content here that may be offensive to some users (information, ideas, concepts, text, images, links, language, people), but relevant to an article within the scope of the wiki. Discussions about controversial content should focus not so much on the possible offensiveness of the content, but whether or not it is appropriate and important to the article.

You must be 18 years of age, or older as mentioned in the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], to use this website.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not medical advice ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a doctor or medical practitioner. This site is largely created and edited by its members who are mostly not in the medical profession. Even if the information is accurate, or is written in part or completely by a medical professional (doctor, nurse, pharmacist, etc.), or someone claiming to be a medical professional, it may not apply to your particular situation.

For more information see [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer#Use_This_Site_At_Your_Own_Risk|this disclaimer]].

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information. Instead, it is an organized collection of articles relevant to the scope of this wiki and of interest to the CPAPtalk.com community. There are also guidelines to be aware of when writing articles here. Therefore, articles should typically not just be:

* '''Lists''' of statistics, websites, phone numbers, addresses, genealogical entries, directories, etc. are not the intended use of this wiki. While there are lists that may be incorporated into an article because the information is relevant to the topic, articles which are simply long lists should be avoided. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the yellow pages and it is not an internet guide or listing service.
* '''Scientific papers''' are not appropriate here on the wiki, because articles need to be written with a wider audience in mind, and scientific papers are often difficult for the lay audience to understand. However, research papers and scientific journals may be used as a reference, or citation, or there may be cases where an external link to such material might be appropriate.
* '''Sales information''' is not the intended use of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Nor is it intended to be a place used for conducting business. Articles about products should not list pricing information unless there is some kind of historical or notable significance to mentioning pricing. Articles should not be a list of products you or your organization sells, and should also not contain sales pitches or be slanted with bias towards trying to promote the product. Articles should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV guidelines]].
* '''FAQ formats''' should usually not be used here on the wiki. Articles should be presented in a more formal manner. Exceptions are the [[CPAP_FAQs|CPAP FAQs]] page, and the [[Help:FAQs|Help FAQs]] page, as well as pages designed to help members utilize and improve the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a news service ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the place to write articles covering current events or news. This is also not the place to self-promote, or write about an event you are personally involved in. There may be news or events, on occasion, that are noteworthy and relevant to an article in which case it should be mentioned or referred to in the appropriate article, and cited as a reference.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dictionary ===
The CPAPtalk.com is not a dictionary. Therefore, articles here should start by defining the topic with a quality description of the subject matter, and then expand on other aspects of the topic with relevant information. If an article is simply a definition and nothing more, then it should be expanded upon if at all possible. Avoid making lists of words, or glossaries.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not Wikipedia ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki has some elements that are similar to [http://wikipedia.org/ Wikipedia], the two websites are different in scope, policies, and style. Wikipedia is universal in scope and is constructed in an encyclopedic nature. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is limited in scope and does not exactly fall under the definition of ''encylopedia''. Wikipedia also has different rules, policies and guidelines, and in particular, they have different rules about user submissions and usage of content, as well as many other variations from the policies and guidelines set forth here on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

* A lot may be learned from Wikipedia, but articles should not be copied or imported here from any of the Wikipedia family of websites (or any other source). Nor should articles here be copied to Wikipedia, or any other place.

* See the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]] for more information about ''User Submissions and Content License'' and ''Usage of Content'' from this website.

* There may be times when linking to information on Wikipedia may be appropriate in an article here. For example, if the article topic is not within the scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and therefore should not be created here, but the information about said topic would be useful in relation to another article that is appropriate here, then placing an external link to the Wikipedia article might be appropriate.

== Community ==

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum or message board. While there are places here to discuss and collaborate for the purpose of writing and improving articles, and for the construction and general maintenance of the wiki, this is not a forum open for discussions about anything and everything.

* Avoid taking discussions into the articles themselves.
* Use the user talk pages, and appropriate article talk pages to resolve issues involved in writing or improving articles on the wiki.
* Talk pages exist for the purpose of improving articles and are not general discussion pages about the topic.
* Talk pages are also not a technical help desk for support or instructional assistance about the subject.

The [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum] is a discussion forum for CPAP users. There are also many other places on the web that may be used as discussion forums.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a battlefield ===
All CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki users are expected to treat each other with respect and have an attitude of cooperative kindness towards the goal of improving the wiki. It is not appropriate to make threats, hold grudges, create conflict or drama, or personally attack, harass, insult, or attempt to instill fear or hatred in others here. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated and a user may be blocked or banned as a result of engaging in these type of activities.

Try to treat others the same way you would like to be treated. If conflict does occur, stay calm and use intelligent and polite discussion to resolve the matter. If another user does not follow these guidelines, that does not give you rationalization to retaliate.

Creating or modifying articles here with the intention of making or point or in response to a conflict or disagreement with someone (or something) here is not acceptable. Do not engage in edit wars.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dating website ===
This is not the appropriate place to discuss or pursue your personal relationship or sexual desires, sexual preferences, or try to make advances towards other members. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated. There are many other places, online and offline, that would be better suited for these purposes.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy. Nor is it a political or social experiment. The primary means of determining consensus is through editing and discussing articles, not voting. While editors may occasionally use straw polls or surveys to check for consensus, this is generally discouraged and may actually impede the process of improving the article.

While the members here play a very large role in determining what should be included in the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and what should or should not happen on this website, it is owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., which reserves the right at their sole discretion, to be the final arbiter about any aspect of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not an anarchy ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is relatively free and open for the purposes of building a dynamic website with information for CPAP users and those afflicted with Obstructive Sleep Apnea, it restricts both freedom and openness where it may interfere with that purpose. Even though the wiki is self-governing to a large degree, the idea here is not to push the limits of or experiment with anarchy, but to focus on the task of improving the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a viral marketing site ===
This is not the place to attempt to market anything, for any reason, in any way shape or form, viral or otherwise.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest. Simply put, this wiki is not here to see who has the most edits, or knowledge, or intelligence, or who can win and get their way, or make the fastest improvements, or become Sysop, or any other type of competitive self-aggrandizing game or contest.

Whether a member simply reads articles, or makes minor edits once in awhile, or is a master writer and editor, or an expert on a topic, or is a Sysop, or contributes in other ways to the wiki, does not really matter and does not make one member better than another. The fact is that people contribute in their own way, at their own pace, and in their own time. Not everyone wants to get involved and there are many users who mainly read articles for informational purposes. Members should not criticize each other for not contributing to the wiki and should try to keep a healthy attitude and perspective towards individual contributions, large and small, including their own contributions.

If you start feeling like working on the wiki is a competition, contest, or something you are becoming obsessed with to your own detriment, or that you may be using to escape from real life, then consider taking a break from the wiki.

== See also ==
* [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer|General Disclaimers]]
* [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]]
* [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]]
* [[Help:Contents|Help Contents]]
* [[CpapWiki:About|About the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki]]
* [[CpapWiki:Administrators|CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki Administrators]]

CpapWiki:General disclaimer

2008-10-25T00:58:41Z

Sleeppunk: /* Copyright Information */

== Disclaimers ==
Here are some general disclaimers regarding the [[CpapWiki:About|'''CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki''']].

== Indentification ==
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki may be identified by any webpage that begins with http://www.cpaptalk.com/wiki/ in the URL.

== User Agreement ==
These disclaimers are in addition to and incorporated into the entire [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]].

== Use This Site At Your Own Risk ==
You are using this website at your own risk. U.S. Expediters, Inc. is not responsible for any content on this website and does not endorse it. Individual employees of U.S. Expediters, Inc. and unaffiliated users of this website contribute and edit content that they think is of interest to the community. Because the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki may be edited at any time by just about anyone, there is no warranty of any kind that the information contained on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is accurate or valid. The authors may not be qualified to provide you with complete information or to inform you about adequate safety precautions and other measures to prevent injury, or other damage to your person, property or reputation. If you need specific advice such as medical, legal, financial, marital or risk management, or other advice, please seek out the services of a professional who is licensed or knowledgeable in your area of need.

None of the individual contributors, system operators, developers, nor anyone else connected to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, can take any responsibility for the results or consequences of any attempt to use or adopt any of the information presented on this web site. None of the contributors, sponsors, administrators, or anyone else connected with the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki in any way whatsoever can be responsible for the appearance of any inaccurate or libelous information or for your use of the information contained in or linked from the web pages within the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== Not Peer Reviewed ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not uniformly peer reviewed; while readers may correct errors or remove erroneous suggestions, they have no legal duty to do so. All information found on the site is without any implied warranty of fitness for any purpose or use whatsoever.

=== No Medical Advice; No Guarantees ===
You recognize and agree that the content made available through CPAPtalk.com is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be taken, and should not in any way be construed as; medical advice, or counseling, or as the practice of medicine, or as the creation of a physician-patient relationship with CPAPtalk.com. Users should never use any CPAPtalk.com resources in place of seeking professional advice from a licensed medical practitioner. We make no guarantees, promises, or predictions of success regarding any of the services or resources offered through CPAPtalk.com.

== Final Arbiter ==
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki users play a role in determining what should be included in the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and what should or should not happen on this website, it is owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., which reserves the right at their sole discretion, to be the final arbiter about any aspect of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

== Copyright Information ==
Do not submit copyrighted material without permission. When adding information to articles, make sure it is written in your own words. Remember that all information found on the Internet is copyrighted unless the website specifically states otherwise. More information about ''User Submissions and Content License'' and ''Usage of Content'', may be found in the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]].

* Please note that the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki does not use the GNU Free Documentation License, or Creative Commons License, or any other type of copyleft or other free licensing agreements.
*It is not permitted to submit anything here that is under the GNU Free Documentation License, or Creative Commons License, or any other type of copyleft or other free licensing agreements.

=== Images ===
==== CPAP.com Images ====
U.S. Expediters, Inc., owners of [https://www.cpap.com CPAP.com], [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com], and [http://www.cpapauction.com CPAPAuction.com], agrees to allow members of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki to upload images here from CPAP.com that have the CPAP.com watermark embedded on them, which indicates the copyright is held by U.S. Expediters, Inc. These images may be used in articles on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. They should not be used outside of CPAPtalk.com, CPAP.com, CPAPAuction.com, or other Sites owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., unless written permission is requested and granted.

==== Other Images ====
Other images from CPAP.com that do not have the CPAP.com watermark are usually 3rd party images, typically provided by the manufacturer for marketing purposes and will not be allowed here on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

Images that you do not own the copyright to, or that are not in the public domain, are not allowed to be uploaded here.

You may submit your own images if you own the copyright to those images.

=== Copyright Violations ===
If you believe that any content on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki website infringes your rights, you can send a written complaint to CPAPtalk.com at 9100 Southwest Freeway, Suite 135, Houston, Texas 77074, which '''MUST''' contain the following information in order to be processed by us:

* Your Name
* Your Mailing Address
* Your Email Address
* Your Phone Number (day)
* Your Phone Number (evening) or Cell Phone Number
* Exact URL of objectionable content
* Detailed explanation regarding the nature of Your complaint
* Does the content infringe your copyrights or other rights? If so, explain which rights and how they are infringed
* Does the content contain libel or slander? If so, explain

Upon receipt of a complaint with this information we may, at our sole discretion, take down the objectionable content. If we do not react to your complaint, please feel free to follow-up with us, but please note that such inaction on our side does not constitute taking a position either way. This website is provided free of charge and we will try to do our best within our capacity and resources to address any concerns users and third parties may have.

== See also ==
*[[CpapWiki:What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not|What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not]]
*[[CpapWiki:Privacy_policy|CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki Privacy Policy]]
*[[CpapWiki:About|About the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki]]

CpapWiki:General disclaimer

2008-10-25T00:58:18Z

Sleeppunk: /* Copyright Information */

== Disclaimers ==
Here are some general disclaimers regarding the [[CpapWiki:About|'''CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki''']].

== Indentification ==
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki may be identified by any webpage that begins with http://www.cpaptalk.com/wiki/ in the URL.

== User Agreement ==
These disclaimers are in addition to and incorporated into the entire [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]].

== Use This Site At Your Own Risk ==
You are using this website at your own risk. U.S. Expediters, Inc. is not responsible for any content on this website and does not endorse it. Individual employees of U.S. Expediters, Inc. and unaffiliated users of this website contribute and edit content that they think is of interest to the community. Because the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki may be edited at any time by just about anyone, there is no warranty of any kind that the information contained on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is accurate or valid. The authors may not be qualified to provide you with complete information or to inform you about adequate safety precautions and other measures to prevent injury, or other damage to your person, property or reputation. If you need specific advice such as medical, legal, financial, marital or risk management, or other advice, please seek out the services of a professional who is licensed or knowledgeable in your area of need.

None of the individual contributors, system operators, developers, nor anyone else connected to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, can take any responsibility for the results or consequences of any attempt to use or adopt any of the information presented on this web site. None of the contributors, sponsors, administrators, or anyone else connected with the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki in any way whatsoever can be responsible for the appearance of any inaccurate or libelous information or for your use of the information contained in or linked from the web pages within the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== Not Peer Reviewed ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not uniformly peer reviewed; while readers may correct errors or remove erroneous suggestions, they have no legal duty to do so. All information found on the site is without any implied warranty of fitness for any purpose or use whatsoever.

=== No Medical Advice; No Guarantees ===
You recognize and agree that the content made available through CPAPtalk.com is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be taken, and should not in any way be construed as; medical advice, or counseling, or as the practice of medicine, or as the creation of a physician-patient relationship with CPAPtalk.com. Users should never use any CPAPtalk.com resources in place of seeking professional advice from a licensed medical practitioner. We make no guarantees, promises, or predictions of success regarding any of the services or resources offered through CPAPtalk.com.

== Final Arbiter ==
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki users play a role in determining what should be included in the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and what should or should not happen on this website, it is owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., which reserves the right at their sole discretion, to be the final arbiter about any aspect of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

== Copyright Information ==
Do not submit copyrighted material without permission. When adding information to articles, make sure it is written in your own words. Remember that all information found on the Internet is copyrighted unless the website specifically states otherwise. More information about ''User Submissions and Content License'' and ''Usage of Content'', may be found in the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]]. Please note that the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki does not use the GNU Free Documentation License, or Creative Commons License, or any other type of copyleft or other free licensing agreements. It is not permitted to submit anything here that is under the GNU Free Documentation License, or Creative Commons License, or any other type of copyleft or other free licensing agreements.

=== Images ===
==== CPAP.com Images ====
U.S. Expediters, Inc., owners of [https://www.cpap.com CPAP.com], [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com], and [http://www.cpapauction.com CPAPAuction.com], agrees to allow members of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki to upload images here from CPAP.com that have the CPAP.com watermark embedded on them, which indicates the copyright is held by U.S. Expediters, Inc. These images may be used in articles on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. They should not be used outside of CPAPtalk.com, CPAP.com, CPAPAuction.com, or other Sites owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., unless written permission is requested and granted.

==== Other Images ====
Other images from CPAP.com that do not have the CPAP.com watermark are usually 3rd party images, typically provided by the manufacturer for marketing purposes and will not be allowed here on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

Images that you do not own the copyright to, or that are not in the public domain, are not allowed to be uploaded here.

You may submit your own images if you own the copyright to those images.

=== Copyright Violations ===
If you believe that any content on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki website infringes your rights, you can send a written complaint to CPAPtalk.com at 9100 Southwest Freeway, Suite 135, Houston, Texas 77074, which '''MUST''' contain the following information in order to be processed by us:

* Your Name
* Your Mailing Address
* Your Email Address
* Your Phone Number (day)
* Your Phone Number (evening) or Cell Phone Number
* Exact URL of objectionable content
* Detailed explanation regarding the nature of Your complaint
* Does the content infringe your copyrights or other rights? If so, explain which rights and how they are infringed
* Does the content contain libel or slander? If so, explain

Upon receipt of a complaint with this information we may, at our sole discretion, take down the objectionable content. If we do not react to your complaint, please feel free to follow-up with us, but please note that such inaction on our side does not constitute taking a position either way. This website is provided free of charge and we will try to do our best within our capacity and resources to address any concerns users and third parties may have.

== See also ==
*[[CpapWiki:What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not|What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not]]
*[[CpapWiki:Privacy_policy|CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki Privacy Policy]]
*[[CpapWiki:About|About the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki]]

CpapWiki:General disclaimer

2008-10-25T00:58:07Z

Sleeppunk: /* Copyright Information */

== Disclaimers ==
Here are some general disclaimers regarding the [[CpapWiki:About|'''CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki''']].

== Indentification ==
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki may be identified by any webpage that begins with http://www.cpaptalk.com/wiki/ in the URL.

== User Agreement ==
These disclaimers are in addition to and incorporated into the entire [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]].

== Use This Site At Your Own Risk ==
You are using this website at your own risk. U.S. Expediters, Inc. is not responsible for any content on this website and does not endorse it. Individual employees of U.S. Expediters, Inc. and unaffiliated users of this website contribute and edit content that they think is of interest to the community. Because the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki may be edited at any time by just about anyone, there is no warranty of any kind that the information contained on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is accurate or valid. The authors may not be qualified to provide you with complete information or to inform you about adequate safety precautions and other measures to prevent injury, or other damage to your person, property or reputation. If you need specific advice such as medical, legal, financial, marital or risk management, or other advice, please seek out the services of a professional who is licensed or knowledgeable in your area of need.

None of the individual contributors, system operators, developers, nor anyone else connected to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, can take any responsibility for the results or consequences of any attempt to use or adopt any of the information presented on this web site. None of the contributors, sponsors, administrators, or anyone else connected with the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki in any way whatsoever can be responsible for the appearance of any inaccurate or libelous information or for your use of the information contained in or linked from the web pages within the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== Not Peer Reviewed ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not uniformly peer reviewed; while readers may correct errors or remove erroneous suggestions, they have no legal duty to do so. All information found on the site is without any implied warranty of fitness for any purpose or use whatsoever.

=== No Medical Advice; No Guarantees ===
You recognize and agree that the content made available through CPAPtalk.com is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be taken, and should not in any way be construed as; medical advice, or counseling, or as the practice of medicine, or as the creation of a physician-patient relationship with CPAPtalk.com. Users should never use any CPAPtalk.com resources in place of seeking professional advice from a licensed medical practitioner. We make no guarantees, promises, or predictions of success regarding any of the services or resources offered through CPAPtalk.com.

== Final Arbiter ==
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki users play a role in determining what should be included in the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and what should or should not happen on this website, it is owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., which reserves the right at their sole discretion, to be the final arbiter about any aspect of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

== Copyright Information ==
Do not submit copyrighted material without permission. When adding information to articles, make sure it is written in your own words. Remember that all information found on the Internet is copyrighted unless the website specifically states otherwise. More information about ''User Submissions and Content License'' and ''Usage of Content'', may be found in the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]]. Please note that the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki does not use the GNU Free Documentation Licence, or Creative Commons License, or any other type of copyleft or other free licensing agreements. It is not permitted to submit anything here that is under the GNU Free Documentation Licence, or Creative Commons License, or any other type of copyleft or other free licensing agreements.

=== Images ===
==== CPAP.com Images ====
U.S. Expediters, Inc., owners of [https://www.cpap.com CPAP.com], [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com], and [http://www.cpapauction.com CPAPAuction.com], agrees to allow members of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki to upload images here from CPAP.com that have the CPAP.com watermark embedded on them, which indicates the copyright is held by U.S. Expediters, Inc. These images may be used in articles on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. They should not be used outside of CPAPtalk.com, CPAP.com, CPAPAuction.com, or other Sites owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., unless written permission is requested and granted.

==== Other Images ====
Other images from CPAP.com that do not have the CPAP.com watermark are usually 3rd party images, typically provided by the manufacturer for marketing purposes and will not be allowed here on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

Images that you do not own the copyright to, or that are not in the public domain, are not allowed to be uploaded here.

You may submit your own images if you own the copyright to those images.

=== Copyright Violations ===
If you believe that any content on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki website infringes your rights, you can send a written complaint to CPAPtalk.com at 9100 Southwest Freeway, Suite 135, Houston, Texas 77074, which '''MUST''' contain the following information in order to be processed by us:

* Your Name
* Your Mailing Address
* Your Email Address
* Your Phone Number (day)
* Your Phone Number (evening) or Cell Phone Number
* Exact URL of objectionable content
* Detailed explanation regarding the nature of Your complaint
* Does the content infringe your copyrights or other rights? If so, explain which rights and how they are infringed
* Does the content contain libel or slander? If so, explain

Upon receipt of a complaint with this information we may, at our sole discretion, take down the objectionable content. If we do not react to your complaint, please feel free to follow-up with us, but please note that such inaction on our side does not constitute taking a position either way. This website is provided free of charge and we will try to do our best within our capacity and resources to address any concerns users and third parties may have.

== See also ==
*[[CpapWiki:What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not|What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not]]
*[[CpapWiki:Privacy_policy|CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki Privacy Policy]]
*[[CpapWiki:About|About the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki]]

CpapWiki:What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not

2008-10-25T00:53:53Z

Sleeppunk: /* The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, podium, or pulpit */

{{guideline}}
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is an online knowledge-base of information and articles pertaining to CPAP use and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. As a means to that end, it is also an online community. Therefore, there are some things that the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki '''is not'''. Above all, use common sense.
== Content ==

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not made of paper ===
This may seem obvious. The main point is that this wiki is potentially limitless, and includes formatting and links typically not found in paper publications, and is dynamically created by many people. However, there is a big difference between what can be done and what should reasonably be carried out.

Keep in mind the primary scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is on articles pertaining to CPAP usage, and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. This is not the place for articles about unrelated topics. Refer to the [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]] and [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]], as needed.

* It should be made clear, that because this is not a paper publication, but is instead a wiki, any of your submissions to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki may (or may not) be edited mercilessly, temporarily removed, permanently deleted, moved, disputed, changed, modified, discussed, critiqued, rearranged, reformatted, linked to, lost, placed in a historical archive, referred to, used as an example, featured on the wiki, viewed by many, viewed by few or none, translated, reworded, or used in other ways defined in the CPAPtalk.com User Agreement.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, podium, or pulpit ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, pulpit, podium, or an outlet for advertising, self-promotion, promotion of your personal biased opinions or passionate beliefs, recruitment of any kind (commercial, political, religious, or other), rumors, or editorial opinion pieces.

* '''Advertising''' (of any kind;commercial or non-commercial) is not acceptable on this wiki. Inserting links to external websites just to promote your business or product(s) is not the intended use of this site and will not be tolerated. Writing or editing articles to promote your business, organization, events, product(s), self, or other things you may be involved in personally or directly, is not recommended. External links to major commercial organizations are acceptable if they identify major organizations related to that article. Articles about notable companies should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view guidelines]].

* '''Recruiting''' people for your business, project, organization, religion, political party, other website, event, or for any other reason, is not the intended use of this wiki. Please do not engage in this kind of behavior.

* '''Editorial opinion pieces''' are not the intended use of this wiki. Articles should be unbiased and strive for a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV]]. If you want to share your biased opinions or personal pet views, consider going to the [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum], or another website on the internet.

* '''Self-promotion''' is not the reason this wiki is here. While it is tempting to write about a company you work for, or about yourself, or things you are involved in, it is difficult to remain objective. Therefore, it is recommended that you do not write about these type of things that you are directly involved in so that a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view]] might be accomplished.

* '''Rumors''' are not acceptable here and this is not the place to write about or speculate over future events or products. It is also not the place to write rumors about people, companies, or organizations that may constitute libel, or slander.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, or image and media storage site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, image hosting site, or storage site for other files, or media.

* This wiki is not the place to make long lists of links to external websites, or upload images that will not be used in an article.
* It is not a place to replicate another website (or portion thereof) as a mirror site.
* It should not be used as personal web storage space for files, lists, images, and the like.
* This is also not the place to dump or copy large portions of information from public domain sources.

There are many other websites on the internet that can be used for these kinds of activities.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a webspace provider or social networking site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a social networking site like [http://www.myspace.com MySpace] or [http://www.facebook.com Facebook]. While there are certainly social aspects to a collaborative project, the pages here, including user pages, are intended to help the community collaborate on building and improving the wiki for the benefit of CPAP users, and others who visit the wiki. You may not host your own website here or build your own wiki here. There are many other websites on the internet that provide webhosting, social networking, and wiki spaces, either for free, or for a fee. Again, this is not a file hosting website. Uploaded images should be used in relevant articles on the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not censored ===
Articles and pages on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki can be edited or created by just about anyone, and the changes show up instantaneously, once submitted. For this reason, some readers may see content that they consider offensive or objectionable. So, the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki cannot guarantee that content here will always be acceptable to everyone, or adhere to your social (or religious) norms and standards, ideas, personal viewpoints, or beliefs.

Inappropriate content (links to porn sites, profanity, hate words, etc.) is typically the work of vandalism and is often removed quickly by members or Sysops of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Content that is judged to be in violation of the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], and the general policies and guidelines of CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, will be removed.

There could be content here that may be offensive to some users (information, ideas, concepts, text, images, links, language, people), but relevant to an article within the scope of the wiki. Discussions about controversial content should focus not so much on the possible offensiveness of the content, but whether or not it is appropriate and important to the article.

You must be 18 years of age, or older as mentioned in the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], to use this website.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not medical advice ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a doctor or medical practitioner. This site is largely created and edited by its members who are mostly not in the medical profession. Even if the information is accurate, or is written in part or completely by a medical professional (doctor, nurse, pharmacist, etc.), or someone claiming to be a medical professional, it may not apply to your particular situation.

For more information see [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer#Use_This_Site_At_Your_Own_Risk|this disclaimer]].

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information. Instead, it is an organized collection of articles relevant to the scope of this wiki and of interest to the CPAPtalk.com community. There are also guidelines to be aware of when writing articles here. Therefore, articles should typically not just be:

* '''Lists''' of statistics, websites, phone numbers, addresses, genealogical entries, directories, etc. are not the intended use of this wiki. While there are lists that may be incorporated into an article because the information is relevant to the topic, articles which are simply long lists should be avoided. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the yellow pages and it is not an internet guide or listing service.
* '''Scientific papers''' are not appropriate here on the wiki, because articles need to be written with a wider audience in mind, and scientific papers are often difficult for the lay audience to understand. However, research papers and scientific journals may be used as a reference, or citation, or there may be cases where an external link to such material might be appropriate.
* '''Sales information''' is not the intended use of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Nor is it intended to be a place used for conducting business. Articles about products should not list pricing information unless there is some kind of historical or notable significance to mentioning pricing. Articles should not be a list of products you or your organization sells, and should also not contain sales pitches or be slanted with bias towards trying to promote the product. Articles should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV guidelines]].
* '''FAQ formats''' should usually not be used here on the wiki. Articles should be presented in a more formal manner. Exceptions are the [[CPAP_FAQs|CPAP FAQs]] page, and the [[Help:FAQs|Help FAQs]] page, as well as pages designed to help members utilize and improve the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a news service ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the place to write articles covering current events or news. This is also not the place to self-promote, or write about an event you are personally involved in. There may be news or events, on occasion, that are noteworthy and relevant to an article in which case it should be mentioned or referred to in the appropriate article, and cited as a reference.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dictionary ===
The CPAPtalk.com is not a dictionary. Therefore, articles here should start by defining the topic with a quality description of the subject matter, and then expand on other aspects of the topic with relevant information. If an article is simply a definition and nothing more, then it should be expanded upon if at all possible. Avoid making lists of words, or glossaries.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not Wikipedia ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki has some elements that are similar to [http://wikipedia.org/ Wikipedia], the two websites are different in scope, policies, and style. Wikipedia is universal in scope and is constructed in an encyclopedic nature. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is limited in scope and does not exactly fall under the definition of ''encylopedia''. Wikipedia also has different rules, policies and guidelines, and in particular, they have different rules about user submissions and usage of content, as well as many other variations from the policies and guidelines set forth here on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

* A lot may be learned from Wikipedia, but articles should not be copied or imported here from any of the Wikipedia family of websites (or any other source). Nor should articles here be copied to Wikipedia, or any other place.

* See the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]] for more information about ''User Submissions and Content License'' and ''Usage of Content'' from this website.

* There may be times when linking to information on Wikipedia may be appropriate in an article here. For example, if the article topic is not within the scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and therefore should not be created here, but the information about said topic would be useful in relation to another article that is appropriate here, then placing an external link to the Wikipedia article might be appropriate.

== Community ==

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum or message board. While there are places here to discuss and collaborate for the purpose of writing and improving articles, and for the construction and general maintenance of the wiki, this is not a forum open for discussions about anything and everything.

* Avoid taking discussions into the articles themselves.
* Use the user talk pages, and appropriate article talk pages to resolve issues involved in writing or improving articles on the wiki.
* Talk pages exist for the purpose of improving articles and are not general discussion pages about the topic.
* Talk pages are also not a technical help desk for support or instructional assistance about the subject.

The [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum] is a discussion forum for CPAP users. There are also many other places on the web that may be used as discussion forums.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a battlefield ===
All CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki users are expected to treat each other with respect and have an attitude of cooperative kindness towards the goal of improving the wiki. It is not appropriate to make threats, hold grudges, create conflict or drama, or personally attack, harass, insult, or attempt to instill fear or hatred in others here. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated and a user may be blocked or banned as a result of engaging in these type of activities.

Try to treat others the same way you would like to be treated. If conflict does occur, stay calm and use intelligent and polite discussion to resolve the matter. If another user does not follow these guidelines, that does not give you rationalization to retaliate.

Creating or modifying articles here with the intention of making or point or in response to a conflict or disagreement with someone (or something) here is not acceptable. Do not engage in edit wars.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dating website ===
This is not the appropriate place to discuss or pursue your personal relationship or sexual desires, sexual preferences, or try to make advances towards other members. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated. There are many other places, online and offline, that would be better suited for these purposes.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy. Nor is it a political or social experiment. The primary means of determining consensus is through editing and discussing articles, not voting. While editors may occasionally use straw polls or surveys to check for consensus, this is generally discouraged and may actually impede the process of improving the article.

While the members here play a very large role in determining what should be included in the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and what should or should not happen on this website, it is owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., which reserves the right at their sole discretion, to be the final arbiter about any aspect of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not an anarchy ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is relatively free and open for the purposes of building a dynamic website with information for CPAP users and those afflicted with Obstructive Sleep Apnea, it restricts both freedom and openness where it may interfere with that purpose. Even though the wiki is self-governing to a large degree, the idea here is not to push the limits of or experiment with anarchy, but to focus on the task of improving the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a viral marketing site ===
This is not the place to attempt to market anything, for any reason, in any way shape or form, viral or otherwise.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest. Simply put, this wiki is not here to see who has the most edits, or knowledge, or intelligence, or who can win and get their way, or make the fastest improvements, or become Sysop, or any other type of competitive self-aggrandizing game or contest.

Whether a member simply reads articles, or makes minor edits once in awhile, or is a master writer and editor, or an expert on a topic, or is a Sysop, or contributes in other ways to the wiki, does not really matter and does not make one member better than another. The fact is that people contribute in their own way, at their own pace, and in their own time. Not everyone wants to get involved and there are many users who mainly read articles for informational purposes. Members should not criticize each other for not contributing to the wiki and should try to keep a healthy attitude and perspective towards individual contributions, large and small, including their own contributions.

If you start feeling like working on the wiki is a competition, contest, or something you are becoming obsessed with to your own detriment, or that you may be using to escape from real life, then consider taking a break from the wiki.

== See also ==
* [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer|General Disclaimers]]
* [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]]
* [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]]
* [[Help:Contents|Help Contents]]
* [[CpapWiki:About|About the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki]]
* [[CpapWiki:Administrators|CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki Administrators]]

CpapWiki:What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not

2008-10-25T00:52:09Z

Sleeppunk: /* The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not made of paper */

{{guideline}}
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is an online knowledge-base of information and articles pertaining to CPAP use and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. As a means to that end, it is also an online community. Therefore, there are some things that the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki '''is not'''. Above all, use common sense.
== Content ==

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not made of paper ===
This may seem obvious. The main point is that this wiki is potentially limitless, and includes formatting and links typically not found in paper publications, and is dynamically created by many people. However, there is a big difference between what can be done and what should reasonably be carried out.

Keep in mind the primary scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is on articles pertaining to CPAP usage, and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. This is not the place for articles about unrelated topics. Refer to the [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]] and [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]], as needed.

* It should be made clear, that because this is not a paper publication, but is instead a wiki, any of your submissions to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki may (or may not) be edited mercilessly, temporarily removed, permanently deleted, moved, disputed, changed, modified, discussed, critiqued, rearranged, reformatted, linked to, lost, placed in a historical archive, referred to, used as an example, featured on the wiki, viewed by many, viewed by few or none, translated, reworded, or used in other ways defined in the CPAPtalk.com User Agreement.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, podium, or pulpit ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, pulpit, podium, or an outlet for advertising, self-promotion, promotion of your personal biased opinions or passionate beliefs, recruitment of any kind (commercial, political, religious, or other), rumors, or editorial opinion pieces.

* '''Advertising''' (of any kind;commercial or non-commercial) is not acceptable on this wiki. Inserting links to external websites just to promote your business or product(s) is not the intended use of this site and will not be tolerated. Writing or editing articles to promote your business, organization, events, product(s), self, or other things you may be involved in personally or directly, is not recommended. External links to major commercial organizations are acceptable if they identify major organizations related to that article. Articles about notable companies should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view guidelines]].

* '''Recruiting''' people for your business, project, organization, religion, political party, other website, or for any other reason, is not the intended use of this wiki. Please do not engage in this kind of behavior.

* '''Editorial opinion pieces''' are not the intended use of this wiki. Articles should be unbiased and strive for a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV]]. If you want to share your biased opinions or personal pet views, consider going to the [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum], or another website on the internet.

* '''Self-promotion''' is not the reason this wiki is here. While it is tempting to write about a company you work for, or about yourself, or things you are involved in, it is difficult to remain objective. Therefore, it is recommended that you do not write about these type of things that you are directly involved in so that a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view]] might be accomplished.

* '''Rumors''' are not acceptable here and this is not the place to write about or speculate over future events or products. It is also not the place to write rumors about people, companies, or organizations that may constitute libel, or slander.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, or image and media storage site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, image hosting site, or storage site for other files, or media.

* This wiki is not the place to make long lists of links to external websites, or upload images that will not be used in an article.
* It is not a place to replicate another website (or portion thereof) as a mirror site.
* It should not be used as personal web storage space for files, lists, images, and the like.
* This is also not the place to dump or copy large portions of information from public domain sources.

There are many other websites on the internet that can be used for these kinds of activities.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a webspace provider or social networking site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a social networking site like [http://www.myspace.com MySpace] or [http://www.facebook.com Facebook]. While there are certainly social aspects to a collaborative project, the pages here, including user pages, are intended to help the community collaborate on building and improving the wiki for the benefit of CPAP users, and others who visit the wiki. You may not host your own website here or build your own wiki here. There are many other websites on the internet that provide webhosting, social networking, and wiki spaces, either for free, or for a fee. Again, this is not a file hosting website. Uploaded images should be used in relevant articles on the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not censored ===
Articles and pages on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki can be edited or created by just about anyone, and the changes show up instantaneously, once submitted. For this reason, some readers may see content that they consider offensive or objectionable. So, the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki cannot guarantee that content here will always be acceptable to everyone, or adhere to your social (or religious) norms and standards, ideas, personal viewpoints, or beliefs.

Inappropriate content (links to porn sites, profanity, hate words, etc.) is typically the work of vandalism and is often removed quickly by members or Sysops of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Content that is judged to be in violation of the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], and the general policies and guidelines of CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, will be removed.

There could be content here that may be offensive to some users (information, ideas, concepts, text, images, links, language, people), but relevant to an article within the scope of the wiki. Discussions about controversial content should focus not so much on the possible offensiveness of the content, but whether or not it is appropriate and important to the article.

You must be 18 years of age, or older as mentioned in the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], to use this website.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not medical advice ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a doctor or medical practitioner. This site is largely created and edited by its members who are mostly not in the medical profession. Even if the information is accurate, or is written in part or completely by a medical professional (doctor, nurse, pharmacist, etc.), or someone claiming to be a medical professional, it may not apply to your particular situation.

For more information see [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer#Use_This_Site_At_Your_Own_Risk|this disclaimer]].

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information. Instead, it is an organized collection of articles relevant to the scope of this wiki and of interest to the CPAPtalk.com community. There are also guidelines to be aware of when writing articles here. Therefore, articles should typically not just be:

* '''Lists''' of statistics, websites, phone numbers, addresses, genealogical entries, directories, etc. are not the intended use of this wiki. While there are lists that may be incorporated into an article because the information is relevant to the topic, articles which are simply long lists should be avoided. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the yellow pages and it is not an internet guide or listing service.
* '''Scientific papers''' are not appropriate here on the wiki, because articles need to be written with a wider audience in mind, and scientific papers are often difficult for the lay audience to understand. However, research papers and scientific journals may be used as a reference, or citation, or there may be cases where an external link to such material might be appropriate.
* '''Sales information''' is not the intended use of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Nor is it intended to be a place used for conducting business. Articles about products should not list pricing information unless there is some kind of historical or notable significance to mentioning pricing. Articles should not be a list of products you or your organization sells, and should also not contain sales pitches or be slanted with bias towards trying to promote the product. Articles should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV guidelines]].
* '''FAQ formats''' should usually not be used here on the wiki. Articles should be presented in a more formal manner. Exceptions are the [[CPAP_FAQs|CPAP FAQs]] page, and the [[Help:FAQs|Help FAQs]] page, as well as pages designed to help members utilize and improve the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a news service ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the place to write articles covering current events or news. This is also not the place to self-promote, or write about an event you are personally involved in. There may be news or events, on occasion, that are noteworthy and relevant to an article in which case it should be mentioned or referred to in the appropriate article, and cited as a reference.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dictionary ===
The CPAPtalk.com is not a dictionary. Therefore, articles here should start by defining the topic with a quality description of the subject matter, and then expand on other aspects of the topic with relevant information. If an article is simply a definition and nothing more, then it should be expanded upon if at all possible. Avoid making lists of words, or glossaries.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not Wikipedia ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki has some elements that are similar to [http://wikipedia.org/ Wikipedia], the two websites are different in scope, policies, and style. Wikipedia is universal in scope and is constructed in an encyclopedic nature. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is limited in scope and does not exactly fall under the definition of ''encylopedia''. Wikipedia also has different rules, policies and guidelines, and in particular, they have different rules about user submissions and usage of content, as well as many other variations from the policies and guidelines set forth here on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

* A lot may be learned from Wikipedia, but articles should not be copied or imported here from any of the Wikipedia family of websites (or any other source). Nor should articles here be copied to Wikipedia, or any other place.

* See the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]] for more information about ''User Submissions and Content License'' and ''Usage of Content'' from this website.

* There may be times when linking to information on Wikipedia may be appropriate in an article here. For example, if the article topic is not within the scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and therefore should not be created here, but the information about said topic would be useful in relation to another article that is appropriate here, then placing an external link to the Wikipedia article might be appropriate.

== Community ==

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum or message board. While there are places here to discuss and collaborate for the purpose of writing and improving articles, and for the construction and general maintenance of the wiki, this is not a forum open for discussions about anything and everything.

* Avoid taking discussions into the articles themselves.
* Use the user talk pages, and appropriate article talk pages to resolve issues involved in writing or improving articles on the wiki.
* Talk pages exist for the purpose of improving articles and are not general discussion pages about the topic.
* Talk pages are also not a technical help desk for support or instructional assistance about the subject.

The [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum] is a discussion forum for CPAP users. There are also many other places on the web that may be used as discussion forums.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a battlefield ===
All CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki users are expected to treat each other with respect and have an attitude of cooperative kindness towards the goal of improving the wiki. It is not appropriate to make threats, hold grudges, create conflict or drama, or personally attack, harass, insult, or attempt to instill fear or hatred in others here. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated and a user may be blocked or banned as a result of engaging in these type of activities.

Try to treat others the same way you would like to be treated. If conflict does occur, stay calm and use intelligent and polite discussion to resolve the matter. If another user does not follow these guidelines, that does not give you rationalization to retaliate.

Creating or modifying articles here with the intention of making or point or in response to a conflict or disagreement with someone (or something) here is not acceptable. Do not engage in edit wars.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dating website ===
This is not the appropriate place to discuss or pursue your personal relationship or sexual desires, sexual preferences, or try to make advances towards other members. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated. There are many other places, online and offline, that would be better suited for these purposes.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy. Nor is it a political or social experiment. The primary means of determining consensus is through editing and discussing articles, not voting. While editors may occasionally use straw polls or surveys to check for consensus, this is generally discouraged and may actually impede the process of improving the article.

While the members here play a very large role in determining what should be included in the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and what should or should not happen on this website, it is owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., which reserves the right at their sole discretion, to be the final arbiter about any aspect of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not an anarchy ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is relatively free and open for the purposes of building a dynamic website with information for CPAP users and those afflicted with Obstructive Sleep Apnea, it restricts both freedom and openness where it may interfere with that purpose. Even though the wiki is self-governing to a large degree, the idea here is not to push the limits of or experiment with anarchy, but to focus on the task of improving the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a viral marketing site ===
This is not the place to attempt to market anything, for any reason, in any way shape or form, viral or otherwise.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest. Simply put, this wiki is not here to see who has the most edits, or knowledge, or intelligence, or who can win and get their way, or make the fastest improvements, or become Sysop, or any other type of competitive self-aggrandizing game or contest.

Whether a member simply reads articles, or makes minor edits once in awhile, or is a master writer and editor, or an expert on a topic, or is a Sysop, or contributes in other ways to the wiki, does not really matter and does not make one member better than another. The fact is that people contribute in their own way, at their own pace, and in their own time. Not everyone wants to get involved and there are many users who mainly read articles for informational purposes. Members should not criticize each other for not contributing to the wiki and should try to keep a healthy attitude and perspective towards individual contributions, large and small, including their own contributions.

If you start feeling like working on the wiki is a competition, contest, or something you are becoming obsessed with to your own detriment, or that you may be using to escape from real life, then consider taking a break from the wiki.

== See also ==
* [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer|General Disclaimers]]
* [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]]
* [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]]
* [[Help:Contents|Help Contents]]
* [[CpapWiki:About|About the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki]]
* [[CpapWiki:Administrators|CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki Administrators]]

CpapWiki:What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not

2008-10-25T00:51:38Z

Sleeppunk: /* The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information */

{{guideline}}
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is an online knowledge-base of information and articles pertaining to CPAP use and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. As a means to that end, it is also an online community. Therefore, there are some things that the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki '''is not'''. Above all, use common sense.
== Content ==

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not made of paper ===
This may seem obvious. The main point is that this wiki is potentially limitless, and includes formatting and links typically not found in paper publications, and is dynamically created by many people. However, there is a big difference between what can be done and what should reasonably be carried out.

Keep in mind the primary scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is on articles pertaining to CPAP usage, and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. This is not the place for articles about unrelated topics. Refer to the [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]] and [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]], as needed.

* It should be made clear, that because this is not a paper publication, but is instead a wiki, any of your submissions to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki may (or may not) be edited mercilessly, temporarily removed, permanently deleted, moved, disputed, changed, modified, discussed, critiqued, rearranged, reformatted, linked to, lost, placed in a historical archive, referred to, used as an example, featured on the wiki, viewed by many, viewed by few or none, reworded, or used in other ways defined in the CPAPtalk.com User Agreement.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, podium, or pulpit ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, pulpit, podium, or an outlet for advertising, self-promotion, promotion of your personal biased opinions or passionate beliefs, recruitment of any kind (commercial, political, religious, or other), rumors, or editorial opinion pieces.

* '''Advertising''' (of any kind;commercial or non-commercial) is not acceptable on this wiki. Inserting links to external websites just to promote your business or product(s) is not the intended use of this site and will not be tolerated. Writing or editing articles to promote your business, organization, events, product(s), self, or other things you may be involved in personally or directly, is not recommended. External links to major commercial organizations are acceptable if they identify major organizations related to that article. Articles about notable companies should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view guidelines]].

* '''Recruiting''' people for your business, project, organization, religion, political party, other website, or for any other reason, is not the intended use of this wiki. Please do not engage in this kind of behavior.

* '''Editorial opinion pieces''' are not the intended use of this wiki. Articles should be unbiased and strive for a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV]]. If you want to share your biased opinions or personal pet views, consider going to the [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum], or another website on the internet.

* '''Self-promotion''' is not the reason this wiki is here. While it is tempting to write about a company you work for, or about yourself, or things you are involved in, it is difficult to remain objective. Therefore, it is recommended that you do not write about these type of things that you are directly involved in so that a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view]] might be accomplished.

* '''Rumors''' are not acceptable here and this is not the place to write about or speculate over future events or products. It is also not the place to write rumors about people, companies, or organizations that may constitute libel, or slander.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, or image and media storage site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, image hosting site, or storage site for other files, or media.

* This wiki is not the place to make long lists of links to external websites, or upload images that will not be used in an article.
* It is not a place to replicate another website (or portion thereof) as a mirror site.
* It should not be used as personal web storage space for files, lists, images, and the like.
* This is also not the place to dump or copy large portions of information from public domain sources.

There are many other websites on the internet that can be used for these kinds of activities.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a webspace provider or social networking site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a social networking site like [http://www.myspace.com MySpace] or [http://www.facebook.com Facebook]. While there are certainly social aspects to a collaborative project, the pages here, including user pages, are intended to help the community collaborate on building and improving the wiki for the benefit of CPAP users, and others who visit the wiki. You may not host your own website here or build your own wiki here. There are many other websites on the internet that provide webhosting, social networking, and wiki spaces, either for free, or for a fee. Again, this is not a file hosting website. Uploaded images should be used in relevant articles on the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not censored ===
Articles and pages on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki can be edited or created by just about anyone, and the changes show up instantaneously, once submitted. For this reason, some readers may see content that they consider offensive or objectionable. So, the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki cannot guarantee that content here will always be acceptable to everyone, or adhere to your social (or religious) norms and standards, ideas, personal viewpoints, or beliefs.

Inappropriate content (links to porn sites, profanity, hate words, etc.) is typically the work of vandalism and is often removed quickly by members or Sysops of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Content that is judged to be in violation of the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], and the general policies and guidelines of CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, will be removed.

There could be content here that may be offensive to some users (information, ideas, concepts, text, images, links, language, people), but relevant to an article within the scope of the wiki. Discussions about controversial content should focus not so much on the possible offensiveness of the content, but whether or not it is appropriate and important to the article.

You must be 18 years of age, or older as mentioned in the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], to use this website.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not medical advice ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a doctor or medical practitioner. This site is largely created and edited by its members who are mostly not in the medical profession. Even if the information is accurate, or is written in part or completely by a medical professional (doctor, nurse, pharmacist, etc.), or someone claiming to be a medical professional, it may not apply to your particular situation.

For more information see [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer#Use_This_Site_At_Your_Own_Risk|this disclaimer]].

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information. Instead, it is an organized collection of articles relevant to the scope of this wiki and of interest to the CPAPtalk.com community. There are also guidelines to be aware of when writing articles here. Therefore, articles should typically not just be:

* '''Lists''' of statistics, websites, phone numbers, addresses, genealogical entries, directories, etc. are not the intended use of this wiki. While there are lists that may be incorporated into an article because the information is relevant to the topic, articles which are simply long lists should be avoided. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the yellow pages and it is not an internet guide or listing service.
* '''Scientific papers''' are not appropriate here on the wiki, because articles need to be written with a wider audience in mind, and scientific papers are often difficult for the lay audience to understand. However, research papers and scientific journals may be used as a reference, or citation, or there may be cases where an external link to such material might be appropriate.
* '''Sales information''' is not the intended use of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Nor is it intended to be a place used for conducting business. Articles about products should not list pricing information unless there is some kind of historical or notable significance to mentioning pricing. Articles should not be a list of products you or your organization sells, and should also not contain sales pitches or be slanted with bias towards trying to promote the product. Articles should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV guidelines]].
* '''FAQ formats''' should usually not be used here on the wiki. Articles should be presented in a more formal manner. Exceptions are the [[CPAP_FAQs|CPAP FAQs]] page, and the [[Help:FAQs|Help FAQs]] page, as well as pages designed to help members utilize and improve the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a news service ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the place to write articles covering current events or news. This is also not the place to self-promote, or write about an event you are personally involved in. There may be news or events, on occasion, that are noteworthy and relevant to an article in which case it should be mentioned or referred to in the appropriate article, and cited as a reference.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dictionary ===
The CPAPtalk.com is not a dictionary. Therefore, articles here should start by defining the topic with a quality description of the subject matter, and then expand on other aspects of the topic with relevant information. If an article is simply a definition and nothing more, then it should be expanded upon if at all possible. Avoid making lists of words, or glossaries.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not Wikipedia ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki has some elements that are similar to [http://wikipedia.org/ Wikipedia], the two websites are different in scope, policies, and style. Wikipedia is universal in scope and is constructed in an encyclopedic nature. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is limited in scope and does not exactly fall under the definition of ''encylopedia''. Wikipedia also has different rules, policies and guidelines, and in particular, they have different rules about user submissions and usage of content, as well as many other variations from the policies and guidelines set forth here on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

* A lot may be learned from Wikipedia, but articles should not be copied or imported here from any of the Wikipedia family of websites (or any other source). Nor should articles here be copied to Wikipedia, or any other place.

* See the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]] for more information about ''User Submissions and Content License'' and ''Usage of Content'' from this website.

* There may be times when linking to information on Wikipedia may be appropriate in an article here. For example, if the article topic is not within the scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and therefore should not be created here, but the information about said topic would be useful in relation to another article that is appropriate here, then placing an external link to the Wikipedia article might be appropriate.

== Community ==

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum or message board. While there are places here to discuss and collaborate for the purpose of writing and improving articles, and for the construction and general maintenance of the wiki, this is not a forum open for discussions about anything and everything.

* Avoid taking discussions into the articles themselves.
* Use the user talk pages, and appropriate article talk pages to resolve issues involved in writing or improving articles on the wiki.
* Talk pages exist for the purpose of improving articles and are not general discussion pages about the topic.
* Talk pages are also not a technical help desk for support or instructional assistance about the subject.

The [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum] is a discussion forum for CPAP users. There are also many other places on the web that may be used as discussion forums.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a battlefield ===
All CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki users are expected to treat each other with respect and have an attitude of cooperative kindness towards the goal of improving the wiki. It is not appropriate to make threats, hold grudges, create conflict or drama, or personally attack, harass, insult, or attempt to instill fear or hatred in others here. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated and a user may be blocked or banned as a result of engaging in these type of activities.

Try to treat others the same way you would like to be treated. If conflict does occur, stay calm and use intelligent and polite discussion to resolve the matter. If another user does not follow these guidelines, that does not give you rationalization to retaliate.

Creating or modifying articles here with the intention of making or point or in response to a conflict or disagreement with someone (or something) here is not acceptable. Do not engage in edit wars.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dating website ===
This is not the appropriate place to discuss or pursue your personal relationship or sexual desires, sexual preferences, or try to make advances towards other members. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated. There are many other places, online and offline, that would be better suited for these purposes.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy. Nor is it a political or social experiment. The primary means of determining consensus is through editing and discussing articles, not voting. While editors may occasionally use straw polls or surveys to check for consensus, this is generally discouraged and may actually impede the process of improving the article.

While the members here play a very large role in determining what should be included in the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and what should or should not happen on this website, it is owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., which reserves the right at their sole discretion, to be the final arbiter about any aspect of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not an anarchy ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is relatively free and open for the purposes of building a dynamic website with information for CPAP users and those afflicted with Obstructive Sleep Apnea, it restricts both freedom and openness where it may interfere with that purpose. Even though the wiki is self-governing to a large degree, the idea here is not to push the limits of or experiment with anarchy, but to focus on the task of improving the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a viral marketing site ===
This is not the place to attempt to market anything, for any reason, in any way shape or form, viral or otherwise.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest. Simply put, this wiki is not here to see who has the most edits, or knowledge, or intelligence, or who can win and get their way, or make the fastest improvements, or become Sysop, or any other type of competitive self-aggrandizing game or contest.

Whether a member simply reads articles, or makes minor edits once in awhile, or is a master writer and editor, or an expert on a topic, or is a Sysop, or contributes in other ways to the wiki, does not really matter and does not make one member better than another. The fact is that people contribute in their own way, at their own pace, and in their own time. Not everyone wants to get involved and there are many users who mainly read articles for informational purposes. Members should not criticize each other for not contributing to the wiki and should try to keep a healthy attitude and perspective towards individual contributions, large and small, including their own contributions.

If you start feeling like working on the wiki is a competition, contest, or something you are becoming obsessed with to your own detriment, or that you may be using to escape from real life, then consider taking a break from the wiki.

== See also ==
* [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer|General Disclaimers]]
* [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]]
* [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]]
* [[Help:Contents|Help Contents]]
* [[CpapWiki:About|About the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki]]
* [[CpapWiki:Administrators|CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki Administrators]]

CpapWiki:What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not

2008-10-25T00:50:42Z

Sleeppunk: /* The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information */

{{guideline}}
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is an online knowledge-base of information and articles pertaining to CPAP use and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. As a means to that end, it is also an online community. Therefore, there are some things that the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki '''is not'''. Above all, use common sense.
== Content ==

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not made of paper ===
This may seem obvious. The main point is that this wiki is potentially limitless, and includes formatting and links typically not found in paper publications, and is dynamically created by many people. However, there is a big difference between what can be done and what should reasonably be carried out.

Keep in mind the primary scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is on articles pertaining to CPAP usage, and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. This is not the place for articles about unrelated topics. Refer to the [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]] and [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]], as needed.

* It should be made clear, that because this is not a paper publication, but is instead a wiki, any of your submissions to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki may (or may not) be edited mercilessly, temporarily removed, permanently deleted, moved, disputed, changed, modified, discussed, critiqued, rearranged, reformatted, linked to, lost, placed in a historical archive, referred to, used as an example, featured on the wiki, viewed by many, viewed by few or none, reworded, or used in other ways defined in the CPAPtalk.com User Agreement.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, podium, or pulpit ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, pulpit, podium, or an outlet for advertising, self-promotion, promotion of your personal biased opinions or passionate beliefs, recruitment of any kind (commercial, political, religious, or other), rumors, or editorial opinion pieces.

* '''Advertising''' (of any kind;commercial or non-commercial) is not acceptable on this wiki. Inserting links to external websites just to promote your business or product(s) is not the intended use of this site and will not be tolerated. Writing or editing articles to promote your business, organization, events, product(s), self, or other things you may be involved in personally or directly, is not recommended. External links to major commercial organizations are acceptable if they identify major organizations related to that article. Articles about notable companies should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view guidelines]].

* '''Recruiting''' people for your business, project, organization, religion, political party, other website, or for any other reason, is not the intended use of this wiki. Please do not engage in this kind of behavior.

* '''Editorial opinion pieces''' are not the intended use of this wiki. Articles should be unbiased and strive for a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV]]. If you want to share your biased opinions or personal pet views, consider going to the [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum], or another website on the internet.

* '''Self-promotion''' is not the reason this wiki is here. While it is tempting to write about a company you work for, or about yourself, or things you are involved in, it is difficult to remain objective. Therefore, it is recommended that you do not write about these type of things that you are directly involved in so that a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view]] might be accomplished.

* '''Rumors''' are not acceptable here and this is not the place to write about or speculate over future events or products. It is also not the place to write rumors about people, companies, or organizations that may constitute libel, or slander.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, or image and media storage site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, image hosting site, or storage site for other files, or media.

* This wiki is not the place to make long lists of links to external websites, or upload images that will not be used in an article.
* It is not a place to replicate another website (or portion thereof) as a mirror site.
* It should not be used as personal web storage space for files, lists, images, and the like.
* This is also not the place to dump or copy large portions of information from public domain sources.

There are many other websites on the internet that can be used for these kinds of activities.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a webspace provider or social networking site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a social networking site like [http://www.myspace.com MySpace] or [http://www.facebook.com Facebook]. While there are certainly social aspects to a collaborative project, the pages here, including user pages, are intended to help the community collaborate on building and improving the wiki for the benefit of CPAP users, and others who visit the wiki. You may not host your own website here or build your own wiki here. There are many other websites on the internet that provide webhosting, social networking, and wiki spaces, either for free, or for a fee. Again, this is not a file hosting website. Uploaded images should be used in relevant articles on the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not censored ===
Articles and pages on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki can be edited or created by just about anyone, and the changes show up instantaneously, once submitted. For this reason, some readers may see content that they consider offensive or objectionable. So, the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki cannot guarantee that content here will always be acceptable to everyone, or adhere to your social (or religious) norms and standards, ideas, personal viewpoints, or beliefs.

Inappropriate content (links to porn sites, profanity, hate words, etc.) is typically the work of vandalism and is often removed quickly by members or Sysops of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Content that is judged to be in violation of the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], and the general policies and guidelines of CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, will be removed.

There could be content here that may be offensive to some users (information, ideas, concepts, text, images, links, language, people), but relevant to an article within the scope of the wiki. Discussions about controversial content should focus not so much on the possible offensiveness of the content, but whether or not it is appropriate and important to the article.

You must be 18 years of age, or older as mentioned in the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], to use this website.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not medical advice ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a doctor or medical practitioner. This site is largely created and edited by its members who are mostly not in the medical profession. Even if the information is accurate, or is written in part or completely by a medical professional (doctor, nurse, pharmacist, etc.), or someone claiming to be a medical professional, it may not apply to your particular situation.

For more information see [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer#Use_This_Site_At_Your_Own_Risk|this disclaimer]].

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information. Instead, it is an organized collection of articles relevant to the scope of this wiki and of interest to the CPAPtalk.com community. There are also guidelines to be aware of when writing articles here. Therefore, articles should typically not just be:

* '''Lists''' of statistics, websites, phone numbers, addresses, genealogical entries, directories, etc. are not the intended use of this wiki. While there are lists that may be incorporated into an article because the information is relevant to the topic, articles which are simply long lists should be avoided. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the yellow pages and it is not an internet guide or listing service.
* '''Scientific papers''' are not appropriate here on the wiki, because articles need to be written with a wider audience in mind, and scientific papers are often difficult for the lay audience. However, research papers and scientific journals may be used as a reference, or citation, or there may be cases where an external link to such material might be appropriate.
* '''Sales information''' is not the intended use of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Nor is it intended to be a place used for conducting business. Articles about products should not list pricing information unless there is some kind of historical or notable significance to mentioning pricing. Articles should not be a list of products you or your organization sells, and should also not contain sales pitches or be slanted with bias towards trying to promote the product. Articles should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV guidelines]].
* '''FAQ formats''' should usually not be used here on the wiki. Articles should be presented in a more formal manner. Exceptions are the [[CPAP_FAQs|CPAP FAQs]] page, and the [[Help:FAQs|Help FAQs]] page, as well as pages designed to help members utilize and improve the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a news service ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the place to write articles covering current events or news. This is also not the place to self-promote, or write about an event you are personally involved in. There may be news or events, on occasion, that are noteworthy and relevant to an article in which case it should be mentioned or referred to in the appropriate article, and cited as a reference.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dictionary ===
The CPAPtalk.com is not a dictionary. Therefore, articles here should start by defining the topic with a quality description of the subject matter, and then expand on other aspects of the topic with relevant information. If an article is simply a definition and nothing more, then it should be expanded upon if at all possible. Avoid making lists of words, or glossaries.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not Wikipedia ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki has some elements that are similar to [http://wikipedia.org/ Wikipedia], the two websites are different in scope, policies, and style. Wikipedia is universal in scope and is constructed in an encyclopedic nature. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is limited in scope and does not exactly fall under the definition of ''encylopedia''. Wikipedia also has different rules, policies and guidelines, and in particular, they have different rules about user submissions and usage of content, as well as many other variations from the policies and guidelines set forth here on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

* A lot may be learned from Wikipedia, but articles should not be copied or imported here from any of the Wikipedia family of websites (or any other source). Nor should articles here be copied to Wikipedia, or any other place.

* See the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]] for more information about ''User Submissions and Content License'' and ''Usage of Content'' from this website.

* There may be times when linking to information on Wikipedia may be appropriate in an article here. For example, if the article topic is not within the scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and therefore should not be created here, but the information about said topic would be useful in relation to another article that is appropriate here, then placing an external link to the Wikipedia article might be appropriate.

== Community ==

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum or message board. While there are places here to discuss and collaborate for the purpose of writing and improving articles, and for the construction and general maintenance of the wiki, this is not a forum open for discussions about anything and everything.

* Avoid taking discussions into the articles themselves.
* Use the user talk pages, and appropriate article talk pages to resolve issues involved in writing or improving articles on the wiki.
* Talk pages exist for the purpose of improving articles and are not general discussion pages about the topic.
* Talk pages are also not a technical help desk for support or instructional assistance about the subject.

The [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum] is a discussion forum for CPAP users. There are also many other places on the web that may be used as discussion forums.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a battlefield ===
All CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki users are expected to treat each other with respect and have an attitude of cooperative kindness towards the goal of improving the wiki. It is not appropriate to make threats, hold grudges, create conflict or drama, or personally attack, harass, insult, or attempt to instill fear or hatred in others here. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated and a user may be blocked or banned as a result of engaging in these type of activities.

Try to treat others the same way you would like to be treated. If conflict does occur, stay calm and use intelligent and polite discussion to resolve the matter. If another user does not follow these guidelines, that does not give you rationalization to retaliate.

Creating or modifying articles here with the intention of making or point or in response to a conflict or disagreement with someone (or something) here is not acceptable. Do not engage in edit wars.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dating website ===
This is not the appropriate place to discuss or pursue your personal relationship or sexual desires, sexual preferences, or try to make advances towards other members. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated. There are many other places, online and offline, that would be better suited for these purposes.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy. Nor is it a political or social experiment. The primary means of determining consensus is through editing and discussing articles, not voting. While editors may occasionally use straw polls or surveys to check for consensus, this is generally discouraged and may actually impede the process of improving the article.

While the members here play a very large role in determining what should be included in the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and what should or should not happen on this website, it is owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., which reserves the right at their sole discretion, to be the final arbiter about any aspect of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not an anarchy ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is relatively free and open for the purposes of building a dynamic website with information for CPAP users and those afflicted with Obstructive Sleep Apnea, it restricts both freedom and openness where it may interfere with that purpose. Even though the wiki is self-governing to a large degree, the idea here is not to push the limits of or experiment with anarchy, but to focus on the task of improving the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a viral marketing site ===
This is not the place to attempt to market anything, for any reason, in any way shape or form, viral or otherwise.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest. Simply put, this wiki is not here to see who has the most edits, or knowledge, or intelligence, or who can win and get their way, or make the fastest improvements, or become Sysop, or any other type of competitive self-aggrandizing game or contest.

Whether a member simply reads articles, or makes minor edits once in awhile, or is a master writer and editor, or an expert on a topic, or is a Sysop, or contributes in other ways to the wiki, does not really matter and does not make one member better than another. The fact is that people contribute in their own way, at their own pace, and in their own time. Not everyone wants to get involved and there are many users who mainly read articles for informational purposes. Members should not criticize each other for not contributing to the wiki and should try to keep a healthy attitude and perspective towards individual contributions, large and small, including their own contributions.

If you start feeling like working on the wiki is a competition, contest, or something you are becoming obsessed with to your own detriment, or that you may be using to escape from real life, then consider taking a break from the wiki.

== See also ==
* [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer|General Disclaimers]]
* [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]]
* [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]]
* [[Help:Contents|Help Contents]]
* [[CpapWiki:About|About the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki]]
* [[CpapWiki:Administrators|CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki Administrators]]

CpapWiki:What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not

2008-10-25T00:11:09Z

Sleeppunk: /* The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not made of paper */

{{guideline}}
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is an online knowledge-base of information and articles pertaining to CPAP use and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. As a means to that end, it is also an online community. Therefore, there are some things that the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki '''is not'''. Above all, use common sense.
== Content ==

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not made of paper ===
This may seem obvious. The main point is that this wiki is potentially limitless, and includes formatting and links typically not found in paper publications, and is dynamically created by many people. However, there is a big difference between what can be done and what should reasonably be carried out.

Keep in mind the primary scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is on articles pertaining to CPAP usage, and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. This is not the place for articles about unrelated topics. Refer to the [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]] and [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]], as needed.

* It should be made clear, that because this is not a paper publication, but is instead a wiki, any of your submissions to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki may (or may not) be edited mercilessly, temporarily removed, permanently deleted, moved, disputed, changed, modified, discussed, critiqued, rearranged, reformatted, linked to, lost, placed in a historical archive, referred to, used as an example, featured on the wiki, viewed by many, viewed by few or none, reworded, or used in other ways defined in the CPAPtalk.com User Agreement.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, podium, or pulpit ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, pulpit, podium, or an outlet for advertising, self-promotion, promotion of your personal biased opinions or passionate beliefs, recruitment of any kind (commercial, political, religious, or other), rumors, or editorial opinion pieces.

* '''Advertising''' (of any kind;commercial or non-commercial) is not acceptable on this wiki. Inserting links to external websites just to promote your business or product(s) is not the intended use of this site and will not be tolerated. Writing or editing articles to promote your business, organization, events, product(s), self, or other things you may be involved in personally or directly, is not recommended. External links to major commercial organizations are acceptable if they identify major organizations related to that article. Articles about notable companies should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view guidelines]].

* '''Recruiting''' people for your business, project, organization, religion, political party, other website, or for any other reason, is not the intended use of this wiki. Please do not engage in this kind of behavior.

* '''Editorial opinion pieces''' are not the intended use of this wiki. Articles should be unbiased and strive for a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV]]. If you want to share your biased opinions or personal pet views, consider going to the [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum], or another website on the internet.

* '''Self-promotion''' is not the reason this wiki is here. While it is tempting to write about a company you work for, or about yourself, or things you are involved in, it is difficult to remain objective. Therefore, it is recommended that you do not write about these type of things that you are directly involved in so that a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view]] might be accomplished.

* '''Rumors''' are not acceptable here and this is not the place to write about or speculate over future events or products. It is also not the place to write rumors about people, companies, or organizations that may constitute libel, or slander.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, or image and media storage site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, image hosting site, or storage site for other files, or media.

* This wiki is not the place to make long lists of links to external websites, or upload images that will not be used in an article.
* It is not a place to replicate another website (or portion thereof) as a mirror site.
* It should not be used as personal web storage space for files, lists, images, and the like.
* This is also not the place to dump or copy large portions of information from public domain sources.

There are many other websites on the internet that can be used for these kinds of activities.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a webspace provider or social networking site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a social networking site like [http://www.myspace.com MySpace] or [http://www.facebook.com Facebook]. While there are certainly social aspects to a collaborative project, the pages here, including user pages, are intended to help the community collaborate on building and improving the wiki for the benefit of CPAP users, and others who visit the wiki. You may not host your own website here or build your own wiki here. There are many other websites on the internet that provide webhosting, social networking, and wiki spaces, either for free, or for a fee. Again, this is not a file hosting website. Uploaded images should be used in relevant articles on the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not censored ===
Articles and pages on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki can be edited or created by just about anyone, and the changes show up instantaneously, once submitted. For this reason, some readers may see content that they consider offensive or objectionable. So, the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki cannot guarantee that content here will always be acceptable to everyone, or adhere to your social (or religious) norms and standards, ideas, personal viewpoints, or beliefs.

Inappropriate content (links to porn sites, profanity, hate words, etc.) is typically the work of vandalism and is often removed quickly by members or Sysops of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Content that is judged to be in violation of the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], and the general policies and guidelines of CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, will be removed.

There could be content here that may be offensive to some users (information, ideas, concepts, text, images, links, language, people), but relevant to an article within the scope of the wiki. Discussions about controversial content should focus not so much on the possible offensiveness of the content, but whether or not it is appropriate and important to the article.

You must be 18 years of age, or older as mentioned in the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], to use this website.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not medical advice ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a doctor or medical practitioner. This site is largely created and edited by its members who are mostly not in the medical profession. Even if the information is accurate, or is written in part or completely by a medical professional (doctor, nurse, pharmacist, etc.), or someone claiming to be a medical professional, it may not apply to your particular situation.

For more information see [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer#Use_This_Site_At_Your_Own_Risk|this disclaimer]].

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information. Instead, it is an organized collection of articles relevant to the scope of this wiki and of interest to the CPAPtalk.com community. There are also guidelines to be aware of when writing articles here. Therefore, articles should typically not just be:

* '''Lists''' of statistics, websites, phone numbers, addresses, genealogical entries, directories, etc. While there are lists that may be incorporated into an article because the information is relevant to the topic, articles which are simply long lists should be avoided. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the yellow pages and it is not an internet guide or listing service.
* '''Scientific papers''' are not appropriate here on the wiki, because articles need to be written with a wider audience in mind, and scientific papers are often difficult for the lay audience. However, research papers and scientific journals may be used as a reference, or citation, or there may be cases where an external link to such material might be appropriate.
* '''Sales information''' is not the intended use of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Nor is it intended to be a place used for conducting business. Articles about products should not list pricing information unless there is some kind of historical or notable significance to mentioning pricing. Articles should not be a list of products you or your organization sells, and should also not contain sales pitches or be slanted with bias towards trying to promote the product. Articles should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV guidelines]].
* '''FAQ formats''' should usually not be used here on the wiki. Articles should be presented in a more formal manner. Exceptions are the [[CPAP_FAQs|CPAP FAQs]] page, and the [[Help:FAQs|Help FAQs]] page, as well as pages designed to help members utilize and improve the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a news service ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the place to write articles covering current events or news. This is also not the place to self-promote, or write about an event you are personally involved in. There may be news or events, on occasion, that are noteworthy and relevant to an article in which case it should be mentioned or referred to in the appropriate article, and cited as a reference.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dictionary ===
The CPAPtalk.com is not a dictionary. Therefore, articles here should start by defining the topic with a quality description of the subject matter, and then expand on other aspects of the topic with relevant information. If an article is simply a definition and nothing more, then it should be expanded upon if at all possible. Avoid making lists of words, or glossaries.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not Wikipedia ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki has some elements that are similar to [http://wikipedia.org/ Wikipedia], the two websites are different in scope, policies, and style. Wikipedia is universal in scope and is constructed in an encyclopedic nature. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is limited in scope and does not exactly fall under the definition of ''encylopedia''. Wikipedia also has different rules, policies and guidelines, and in particular, they have different rules about user submissions and usage of content, as well as many other variations from the policies and guidelines set forth here on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

* A lot may be learned from Wikipedia, but articles should not be copied or imported here from any of the Wikipedia family of websites (or any other source). Nor should articles here be copied to Wikipedia, or any other place.

* See the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]] for more information about ''User Submissions and Content License'' and ''Usage of Content'' from this website.

* There may be times when linking to information on Wikipedia may be appropriate in an article here. For example, if the article topic is not within the scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and therefore should not be created here, but the information about said topic would be useful in relation to another article that is appropriate here, then placing an external link to the Wikipedia article might be appropriate.

== Community ==

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum or message board. While there are places here to discuss and collaborate for the purpose of writing and improving articles, and for the construction and general maintenance of the wiki, this is not a forum open for discussions about anything and everything.

* Avoid taking discussions into the articles themselves.
* Use the user talk pages, and appropriate article talk pages to resolve issues involved in writing or improving articles on the wiki.
* Talk pages exist for the purpose of improving articles and are not general discussion pages about the topic.
* Talk pages are also not a technical help desk for support or instructional assistance about the subject.

The [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum] is a discussion forum for CPAP users. There are also many other places on the web that may be used as discussion forums.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a battlefield ===
All CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki users are expected to treat each other with respect and have an attitude of cooperative kindness towards the goal of improving the wiki. It is not appropriate to make threats, hold grudges, create conflict or drama, or personally attack, harass, insult, or attempt to instill fear or hatred in others here. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated and a user may be blocked or banned as a result of engaging in these type of activities.

Try to treat others the same way you would like to be treated. If conflict does occur, stay calm and use intelligent and polite discussion to resolve the matter. If another user does not follow these guidelines, that does not give you rationalization to retaliate.

Creating or modifying articles here with the intention of making or point or in response to a conflict or disagreement with someone (or something) here is not acceptable. Do not engage in edit wars.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dating website ===
This is not the appropriate place to discuss or pursue your personal relationship or sexual desires, sexual preferences, or try to make advances towards other members. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated. There are many other places, online and offline, that would be better suited for these purposes.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy. Nor is it a political or social experiment. The primary means of determining consensus is through editing and discussing articles, not voting. While editors may occasionally use straw polls or surveys to check for consensus, this is generally discouraged and may actually impede the process of improving the article.

While the members here play a very large role in determining what should be included in the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and what should or should not happen on this website, it is owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., which reserves the right at their sole discretion, to be the final arbiter about any aspect of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not an anarchy ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is relatively free and open for the purposes of building a dynamic website with information for CPAP users and those afflicted with Obstructive Sleep Apnea, it restricts both freedom and openness where it may interfere with that purpose. Even though the wiki is self-governing to a large degree, the idea here is not to push the limits of or experiment with anarchy, but to focus on the task of improving the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a viral marketing site ===
This is not the place to attempt to market anything, for any reason, in any way shape or form, viral or otherwise.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest. Simply put, this wiki is not here to see who has the most edits, or knowledge, or intelligence, or who can win and get their way, or make the fastest improvements, or become Sysop, or any other type of competitive self-aggrandizing game or contest.

Whether a member simply reads articles, or makes minor edits once in awhile, or is a master writer and editor, or an expert on a topic, or is a Sysop, or contributes in other ways to the wiki, does not really matter and does not make one member better than another. The fact is that people contribute in their own way, at their own pace, and in their own time. Not everyone wants to get involved and there are many users who mainly read articles for informational purposes. Members should not criticize each other for not contributing to the wiki and should try to keep a healthy attitude and perspective towards individual contributions, large and small, including their own contributions.

If you start feeling like working on the wiki is a competition, contest, or something you are becoming obsessed with to your own detriment, or that you may be using to escape from real life, then consider taking a break from the wiki.

== See also ==
* [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer|General Disclaimers]]
* [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]]
* [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]]
* [[Help:Contents|Help Contents]]
* [[CpapWiki:About|About the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki]]
* [[CpapWiki:Administrators|CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki Administrators]]

CpapWiki:What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not

2008-10-24T23:46:58Z

Sleeppunk: /* The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not made of paper */

{{guideline}}
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is an online knowledge-base of information and articles pertaining to CPAP use and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. As a means to that end, it is also an online community. Therefore, there are some things that the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki '''is not'''. Above all, use common sense.
== Content ==

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not made of paper ===
This may seem obvious. The main point is that this wiki is potentially limitless, and includes formatting and links typically not found in paper publications, and is dynamically created by many people. However, there is a big difference between what can be done and what should reasonably be carried out.

Keep in mind the primary scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is on articles pertaining to CPAP usage, and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. This is not the place for articles about unrelated topics. Refer to the [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]] and [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]], as needed.

* It should be made clear, that because this is not a paper publication, but is instead a wiki, any of your submissions to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki may be edited mercilessly, temporarily removed, permanently deleted, moved, disputed, changed, modified, discussed, critiqued, rearranged, reformatted, linked to, not linked to, lost, placed in a historical archive, referred to, not referred to, used (or not used) as an example (good or bad), featured on the wiki, not featured on the wiki, viewed by many, viewed by few or none, or used in other ways defined in the User Agreement.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, podium, or pulpit ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, pulpit, podium, or an outlet for advertising, self-promotion, promotion of your personal biased opinions or passionate beliefs, recruitment of any kind (commercial, political, religious, or other), rumors, or editorial opinion pieces.

* '''Advertising''' (of any kind;commercial or non-commercial) is not acceptable on this wiki. Inserting links to external websites just to promote your business or product(s) is not the intended use of this site and will not be tolerated. Writing or editing articles to promote your business, organization, events, product(s), self, or other things you may be involved in personally or directly, is not recommended. External links to major commercial organizations are acceptable if they identify major organizations related to that article. Articles about notable companies should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view guidelines]].

* '''Recruiting''' people for your business, project, organization, religion, political party, other website, or for any other reason, is not the intended use of this wiki. Please do not engage in this kind of behavior.

* '''Editorial opinion pieces''' are not the intended use of this wiki. Articles should be unbiased and strive for a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV]]. If you want to share your biased opinions or personal pet views, consider going to the [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum], or another website on the internet.

* '''Self-promotion''' is not the reason this wiki is here. While it is tempting to write about a company you work for, or about yourself, or things you are involved in, it is difficult to remain objective. Therefore, it is recommended that you do not write about these type of things that you are directly involved in so that a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view]] might be accomplished.

* '''Rumors''' are not acceptable here and this is not the place to write about or speculate over future events or products. It is also not the place to write rumors about people, companies, or organizations that may constitute libel, or slander.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, or image and media storage site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, image hosting site, or storage site for other files, or media.

* This wiki is not the place to make long lists of links to external websites, or upload images that will not be used in an article.
* It is not a place to replicate another website (or portion thereof) as a mirror site.
* It should not be used as personal web storage space for files, lists, images, and the like.
* This is also not the place to dump or copy large portions of information from public domain sources.

There are many other websites on the internet that can be used for these kinds of activities.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a webspace provider or social networking site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a social networking site like [http://www.myspace.com MySpace] or [http://www.facebook.com Facebook]. While there are certainly social aspects to a collaborative project, the pages here, including user pages, are intended to help the community collaborate on building and improving the wiki for the benefit of CPAP users, and others who visit the wiki. You may not host your own website here or build your own wiki here. There are many other websites on the internet that provide webhosting, social networking, and wiki spaces, either for free, or for a fee. Again, this is not a file hosting website. Uploaded images should be used in relevant articles on the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not censored ===
Articles and pages on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki can be edited or created by just about anyone, and the changes show up instantaneously, once submitted. For this reason, some readers may see content that they consider offensive or objectionable. So, the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki cannot guarantee that content here will always be acceptable to everyone, or adhere to your social (or religious) norms and standards, ideas, personal viewpoints, or beliefs.

Inappropriate content (links to porn sites, profanity, hate words, etc.) is typically the work of vandalism and is often removed quickly by members or Sysops of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Content that is judged to be in violation of the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], and the general policies and guidelines of CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, will be removed.

There could be content here that may be offensive to some users (information, ideas, concepts, text, images, links, language, people), but relevant to an article within the scope of the wiki. Discussions about controversial content should focus not so much on the possible offensiveness of the content, but whether or not it is appropriate and important to the article.

You must be 18 years of age, or older as mentioned in the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], to use this website.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not medical advice ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a doctor or medical practitioner. This site is largely created and edited by its members who are mostly not in the medical profession. Even if the information is accurate, or is written in part or completely by a medical professional (doctor, nurse, pharmacist, etc.), or someone claiming to be a medical professional, it may not apply to your particular situation.

For more information see [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer#Use_This_Site_At_Your_Own_Risk|this disclaimer]].

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information. Instead, it is an organized collection of articles relevant to the scope of this wiki and of interest to the CPAPtalk.com community. There are also guidelines to be aware of when writing articles here. Therefore, articles should typically not just be:

* '''Lists''' of statistics, websites, phone numbers, addresses, genealogical entries, directories, etc. While there are lists that may be incorporated into an article because the information is relevant to the topic, articles which are simply long lists should be avoided. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the yellow pages and it is not an internet guide or listing service.
* '''Scientific papers''' are not appropriate here on the wiki, because articles need to be written with a wider audience in mind, and scientific papers are often difficult for the lay audience. However, research papers and scientific journals may be used as a reference, or citation, or there may be cases where an external link to such material might be appropriate.
* '''Sales information''' is not the intended use of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Nor is it intended to be a place used for conducting business. Articles about products should not list pricing information unless there is some kind of historical or notable significance to mentioning pricing. Articles should not be a list of products you or your organization sells, and should also not contain sales pitches or be slanted with bias towards trying to promote the product. Articles should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV guidelines]].
* '''FAQ formats''' should usually not be used here on the wiki. Articles should be presented in a more formal manner. Exceptions are the [[CPAP_FAQs|CPAP FAQs]] page, and the [[Help:FAQs|Help FAQs]] page, as well as pages designed to help members utilize and improve the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a news service ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the place to write articles covering current events or news. This is also not the place to self-promote, or write about an event you are personally involved in. There may be news or events, on occasion, that are noteworthy and relevant to an article in which case it should be mentioned or referred to in the appropriate article, and cited as a reference.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dictionary ===
The CPAPtalk.com is not a dictionary. Therefore, articles here should start by defining the topic with a quality description of the subject matter, and then expand on other aspects of the topic with relevant information. If an article is simply a definition and nothing more, then it should be expanded upon if at all possible. Avoid making lists of words, or glossaries.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not Wikipedia ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki has some elements that are similar to [http://wikipedia.org/ Wikipedia], the two websites are different in scope, policies, and style. Wikipedia is universal in scope and is constructed in an encyclopedic nature. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is limited in scope and does not exactly fall under the definition of ''encylopedia''. Wikipedia also has different rules, policies and guidelines, and in particular, they have different rules about user submissions and usage of content, as well as many other variations from the policies and guidelines set forth here on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

* A lot may be learned from Wikipedia, but articles should not be copied or imported here from any of the Wikipedia family of websites (or any other source). Nor should articles here be copied to Wikipedia, or any other place.

* See the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]] for more information about ''User Submissions and Content License'' and ''Usage of Content'' from this website.

* There may be times when linking to information on Wikipedia may be appropriate in an article here. For example, if the article topic is not within the scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and therefore should not be created here, but the information about said topic would be useful in relation to another article that is appropriate here, then placing an external link to the Wikipedia article might be appropriate.

== Community ==

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum or message board. While there are places here to discuss and collaborate for the purpose of writing and improving articles, and for the construction and general maintenance of the wiki, this is not a forum open for discussions about anything and everything.

* Avoid taking discussions into the articles themselves.
* Use the user talk pages, and appropriate article talk pages to resolve issues involved in writing or improving articles on the wiki.
* Talk pages exist for the purpose of improving articles and are not general discussion pages about the topic.
* Talk pages are also not a technical help desk for support or instructional assistance about the subject.

The [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum] is a discussion forum for CPAP users. There are also many other places on the web that may be used as discussion forums.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a battlefield ===
All CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki users are expected to treat each other with respect and have an attitude of cooperative kindness towards the goal of improving the wiki. It is not appropriate to make threats, hold grudges, create conflict or drama, or personally attack, harass, insult, or attempt to instill fear or hatred in others here. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated and a user may be blocked or banned as a result of engaging in these type of activities.

Try to treat others the same way you would like to be treated. If conflict does occur, stay calm and use intelligent and polite discussion to resolve the matter. If another user does not follow these guidelines, that does not give you rationalization to retaliate.

Creating or modifying articles here with the intention of making or point or in response to a conflict or disagreement with someone (or something) here is not acceptable. Do not engage in edit wars.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dating website ===
This is not the appropriate place to discuss or pursue your personal relationship or sexual desires, sexual preferences, or try to make advances towards other members. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated. There are many other places, online and offline, that would be better suited for these purposes.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy. Nor is it a political or social experiment. The primary means of determining consensus is through editing and discussing articles, not voting. While editors may occasionally use straw polls or surveys to check for consensus, this is generally discouraged and may actually impede the process of improving the article.

While the members here play a very large role in determining what should be included in the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and what should or should not happen on this website, it is owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., which reserves the right at their sole discretion, to be the final arbiter about any aspect of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not an anarchy ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is relatively free and open for the purposes of building a dynamic website with information for CPAP users and those afflicted with Obstructive Sleep Apnea, it restricts both freedom and openness where it may interfere with that purpose. Even though the wiki is self-governing to a large degree, the idea here is not to push the limits of or experiment with anarchy, but to focus on the task of improving the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a viral marketing site ===
This is not the place to attempt to market anything, for any reason, in any way shape or form, viral or otherwise.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest. Simply put, this wiki is not here to see who has the most edits, or knowledge, or intelligence, or who can win and get their way, or make the fastest improvements, or become Sysop, or any other type of competitive self-aggrandizing game or contest.

Whether a member simply reads articles, or makes minor edits once in awhile, or is a master writer and editor, or an expert on a topic, or is a Sysop, or contributes in other ways to the wiki, does not really matter and does not make one member better than another. The fact is that people contribute in their own way, at their own pace, and in their own time. Not everyone wants to get involved and there are many users who mainly read articles for informational purposes. Members should not criticize each other for not contributing to the wiki and should try to keep a healthy attitude and perspective towards individual contributions, large and small, including their own contributions.

If you start feeling like working on the wiki is a competition, contest, or something you are becoming obsessed with to your own detriment, or that you may be using to escape from real life, then consider taking a break from the wiki.

== See also ==
* [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer|General Disclaimers]]
* [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]]
* [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]]
* [[Help:Contents|Help Contents]]
* [[CpapWiki:About|About the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki]]
* [[CpapWiki:Administrators|CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki Administrators]]

CpapWiki:What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not

2008-10-24T23:18:31Z

Sleeppunk: /* The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not made of paper */

{{guideline}}
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is an online knowledge-base of information and articles pertaining to CPAP use and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. As a means to that end, it is also an online community. Therefore, there are some things that the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki '''is not'''. Above all, use common sense.
== Content ==

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not made of paper ===
This may seem obvious. The main point is that this wiki is potentially limitless, and includes formatting and links typically not found in paper publications, and is dynamically created by many people. However, there is a big difference between what can be done and what should reasonably be carried out.

Keep in mind the primary scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is on articles pertaining to CPAP usage, and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. This is not the place for articles about unrelated topics. Refer to the [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]] and [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]], as needed.

* It should be made clear that any of your submissions to the CPAPtalk.com may be edited mercilessly, deleted, moved, 

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, podium, or pulpit ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, pulpit, podium, or an outlet for advertising, self-promotion, promotion of your personal biased opinions or passionate beliefs, recruitment of any kind (commercial, political, religious, or other), rumors, or editorial opinion pieces.

* '''Advertising''' (of any kind;commercial or non-commercial) is not acceptable on this wiki. Inserting links to external websites just to promote your business or product(s) is not the intended use of this site and will not be tolerated. Writing or editing articles to promote your business, organization, events, product(s), self, or other things you may be involved in personally or directly, is not recommended. External links to major commercial organizations are acceptable if they identify major organizations related to that article. Articles about notable companies should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view guidelines]].

* '''Recruiting''' people for your business, project, organization, religion, political party, other website, or for any other reason, is not the intended use of this wiki. Please do not engage in this kind of behavior.

* '''Editorial opinion pieces''' are not the intended use of this wiki. Articles should be unbiased and strive for a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV]]. If you want to share your biased opinions or personal pet views, consider going to the [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum], or another website on the internet.

* '''Self-promotion''' is not the reason this wiki is here. While it is tempting to write about a company you work for, or about yourself, or things you are involved in, it is difficult to remain objective. Therefore, it is recommended that you do not write about these type of things that you are directly involved in so that a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view]] might be accomplished.

* '''Rumors''' are not acceptable here and this is not the place to write about or speculate over future events or products. It is also not the place to write rumors about people, companies, or organizations that may constitute libel, or slander.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, or image and media storage site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, image hosting site, or storage site for other files, or media.

* This wiki is not the place to make long lists of links to external websites, or upload images that will not be used in an article.
* It is not a place to replicate another website (or portion thereof) as a mirror site.
* It should not be used as personal web storage space for files, lists, images, and the like.
* This is also not the place to dump or copy large portions of information from public domain sources.

There are many other websites on the internet that can be used for these kinds of activities.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a webspace provider or social networking site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a social networking site like [http://www.myspace.com MySpace] or [http://www.facebook.com Facebook]. While there are certainly social aspects to a collaborative project, the pages here, including user pages, are intended to help the community collaborate on building and improving the wiki for the benefit of CPAP users, and others who visit the wiki. You may not host your own website here or build your own wiki here. There are many other websites on the internet that provide webhosting, social networking, and wiki spaces, either for free, or for a fee. Again, this is not a file hosting website. Uploaded images should be used in relevant articles on the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not censored ===
Articles and pages on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki can be edited or created by just about anyone, and the changes show up instantaneously, once submitted. For this reason, some readers may see content that they consider offensive or objectionable. So, the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki cannot guarantee that content here will always be acceptable to everyone, or adhere to your social (or religious) norms and standards, ideas, personal viewpoints, or beliefs.

Inappropriate content (links to porn sites, profanity, hate words, etc.) is typically the work of vandalism and is often removed quickly by members or Sysops of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Content that is judged to be in violation of the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], and the general policies and guidelines of CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, will be removed.

There could be content here that may be offensive to some users (information, ideas, concepts, text, images, links, language, people), but relevant to an article within the scope of the wiki. Discussions about controversial content should focus not so much on the possible offensiveness of the content, but whether or not it is appropriate and important to the article.

You must be 18 years of age, or older as mentioned in the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], to use this website.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not medical advice ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a doctor or medical practitioner. This site is largely created and edited by its members who are mostly not in the medical profession. Even if the information is accurate, or is written in part or completely by a medical professional (doctor, nurse, pharmacist, etc.), or someone claiming to be a medical professional, it may not apply to your particular situation.

For more information see [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer#Use_This_Site_At_Your_Own_Risk|this disclaimer]].

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information. Instead, it is an organized collection of articles relevant to the scope of this wiki and of interest to the CPAPtalk.com community. There are also guidelines to be aware of when writing articles here. Therefore, articles should typically not just be:

* '''Lists''' of statistics, websites, phone numbers, addresses, genealogical entries, directories, etc. While there are lists that may be incorporated into an article because the information is relevant to the topic, articles which are simply long lists should be avoided. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the yellow pages and it is not an internet guide or listing service.
* '''Scientific papers''' are not appropriate here on the wiki, because articles need to be written with a wider audience in mind, and scientific papers are often difficult for the lay audience. However, research papers and scientific journals may be used as a reference, or citation, or there may be cases where an external link to such material might be appropriate.
* '''Sales information''' is not the intended use of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Nor is it intended to be a place used for conducting business. Articles about products should not list pricing information unless there is some kind of historical or notable significance to mentioning pricing. Articles should not be a list of products you or your organization sells, and should also not contain sales pitches or be slanted with bias towards trying to promote the product. Articles should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV guidelines]].
* '''FAQ formats''' should usually not be used here on the wiki. Articles should be presented in a more formal manner. Exceptions are the [[CPAP_FAQs|CPAP FAQs]] page, and the [[Help:FAQs|Help FAQs]] page, as well as pages designed to help members utilize and improve the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a news service ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the place to write articles covering current events or news. This is also not the place to self-promote, or write about an event you are personally involved in. There may be news or events, on occasion, that are noteworthy and relevant to an article in which case it should be mentioned or referred to in the appropriate article, and cited as a reference.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dictionary ===
The CPAPtalk.com is not a dictionary. Therefore, articles here should start by defining the topic with a quality description of the subject matter, and then expand on other aspects of the topic with relevant information. If an article is simply a definition and nothing more, then it should be expanded upon if at all possible. Avoid making lists of words, or glossaries.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not Wikipedia ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki has some elements that are similar to [http://wikipedia.org/ Wikipedia], the two websites are different in scope, policies, and style. Wikipedia is universal in scope and is constructed in an encyclopedic nature. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is limited in scope and does not exactly fall under the definition of ''encylopedia''. Wikipedia also has different rules, policies and guidelines, and in particular, they have different rules about user submissions and usage of content, as well as many other variations from the policies and guidelines set forth here on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

* A lot may be learned from Wikipedia, but articles should not be copied or imported here from any of the Wikipedia family of websites (or any other source). Nor should articles here be copied to Wikipedia, or any other place.

* See the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]] for more information about ''User Submissions and Content License'' and ''Usage of Content'' from this website.

* There may be times when linking to information on Wikipedia may be appropriate in an article here. For example, if the article topic is not within the scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and therefore should not be created here, but the information about said topic would be useful in relation to another article that is appropriate here, then placing an external link to the Wikipedia article might be appropriate.

== Community ==

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum or message board. While there are places here to discuss and collaborate for the purpose of writing and improving articles, and for the construction and general maintenance of the wiki, this is not a forum open for discussions about anything and everything.

* Avoid taking discussions into the articles themselves.
* Use the user talk pages, and appropriate article talk pages to resolve issues involved in writing or improving articles on the wiki.
* Talk pages exist for the purpose of improving articles and are not general discussion pages about the topic.
* Talk pages are also not a technical help desk for support or instructional assistance about the subject.

The [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum] is a discussion forum for CPAP users. There are also many other places on the web that may be used as discussion forums.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a battlefield ===
All CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki users are expected to treat each other with respect and have an attitude of cooperative kindness towards the goal of improving the wiki. It is not appropriate to make threats, hold grudges, create conflict or drama, or personally attack, harass, insult, or attempt to instill fear or hatred in others here. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated and a user may be blocked or banned as a result of engaging in these type of activities.

Try to treat others the same way you would like to be treated. If conflict does occur, stay calm and use intelligent and polite discussion to resolve the matter. If another user does not follow these guidelines, that does not give you rationalization to retaliate.

Creating or modifying articles here with the intention of making or point or in response to a conflict or disagreement with someone (or something) here is not acceptable. Do not engage in edit wars.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dating website ===
This is not the appropriate place to discuss or pursue your personal relationship or sexual desires, sexual preferences, or try to make advances towards other members. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated. There are many other places, online and offline, that would be better suited for these purposes.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy. Nor is it a political or social experiment. The primary means of determining consensus is through editing and discussing articles, not voting. While editors may occasionally use straw polls or surveys to check for consensus, this is generally discouraged and may actually impede the process of improving the article.

While the members here play a very large role in determining what should be included in the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and what should or should not happen on this website, it is owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., which reserves the right at their sole discretion, to be the final arbiter about any aspect of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not an anarchy ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is relatively free and open for the purposes of building a dynamic website with information for CPAP users and those afflicted with Obstructive Sleep Apnea, it restricts both freedom and openness where it may interfere with that purpose. Even though the wiki is self-governing to a large degree, the idea here is not to push the limits of or experiment with anarchy, but to focus on the task of improving the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a viral marketing site ===
This is not the place to attempt to market anything, for any reason, in any way shape or form, viral or otherwise.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest. Simply put, this wiki is not here to see who has the most edits, or knowledge, or intelligence, or who can win and get their way, or make the fastest improvements, or become Sysop, or any other type of competitive self-aggrandizing game or contest.

Whether a member simply reads articles, or makes minor edits once in awhile, or is a master writer and editor, or an expert on a topic, or is a Sysop, or contributes in other ways to the wiki, does not really matter and does not make one member better than another. The fact is that people contribute in their own way, at their own pace, and in their own time. Not everyone wants to get involved and there are many users who mainly read articles for informational purposes. Members should not criticize each other for not contributing to the wiki and should try to keep a healthy attitude and perspective towards individual contributions, large and small, including their own contributions.

If you start feeling like working on the wiki is a competition, contest, or something you are becoming obsessed with to your own detriment, or that you may be using to escape from real life, then consider taking a break from the wiki.

== See also ==
* [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer|General Disclaimers]]
* [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]]
* [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]]
* [[Help:Contents|Help Contents]]
* [[CpapWiki:About|About the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki]]
* [[CpapWiki:Administrators|CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki Administrators]]

CpapWiki:What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not

2008-10-24T23:10:34Z

Sleeppunk: /* The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, podium, or pulpit */

{{guideline}}
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is an online knowledge-base of information and articles pertaining to CPAP use and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. As a means to that end, it is also an online community. Therefore, there are some things that the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki '''is not'''. Above all, use common sense.
== Content ==

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not made of paper ===
This may seem obvious. The main point is that this wiki is potentially limitless, and includes formatting and links typically not found in paper publications, and is dynamically created by many people. However, there is a big difference between what can be done and what should reasonably be carried out.

Keep in mind the primary scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is on articles pertaining to CPAP usage, and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. This is not the place for articles about unrelated topics. Refer to the [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]] and [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]], as needed.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, podium, or pulpit ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, pulpit, podium, or an outlet for advertising, self-promotion, promotion of your personal biased opinions or passionate beliefs, recruitment of any kind (commercial, political, religious, or other), rumors, or editorial opinion pieces.

* '''Advertising''' (of any kind;commercial or non-commercial) is not acceptable on this wiki. Inserting links to external websites just to promote your business or product(s) is not the intended use of this site and will not be tolerated. Writing or editing articles to promote your business, organization, events, product(s), self, or other things you may be involved in personally or directly, is not recommended. External links to major commercial organizations are acceptable if they identify major organizations related to that article. Articles about notable companies should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view guidelines]].

* '''Recruiting''' people for your business, project, organization, religion, political party, other website, or for any other reason, is not the intended use of this wiki. Please do not engage in this kind of behavior.

* '''Editorial opinion pieces''' are not the intended use of this wiki. Articles should be unbiased and strive for a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV]]. If you want to share your biased opinions or personal pet views, consider going to the [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum], or another website on the internet.

* '''Self-promotion''' is not the reason this wiki is here. While it is tempting to write about a company you work for, or about yourself, or things you are involved in, it is difficult to remain objective. Therefore, it is recommended that you do not write about these type of things that you are directly involved in so that a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view]] might be accomplished.

* '''Rumors''' are not acceptable here and this is not the place to write about or speculate over future events or products. It is also not the place to write rumors about people, companies, or organizations that may constitute libel, or slander.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, or image and media storage site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, image hosting site, or storage site for other files, or media.

* This wiki is not the place to make long lists of links to external websites, or upload images that will not be used in an article.
* It is not a place to replicate another website (or portion thereof) as a mirror site.
* It should not be used as personal web storage space for files, lists, images, and the like.
* This is also not the place to dump or copy large portions of information from public domain sources.

There are many other websites on the internet that can be used for these kinds of activities.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a webspace provider or social networking site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a social networking site like [http://www.myspace.com MySpace] or [http://www.facebook.com Facebook]. While there are certainly social aspects to a collaborative project, the pages here, including user pages, are intended to help the community collaborate on building and improving the wiki for the benefit of CPAP users, and others who visit the wiki. You may not host your own website here or build your own wiki here. There are many other websites on the internet that provide webhosting, social networking, and wiki spaces, either for free, or for a fee. Again, this is not a file hosting website. Uploaded images should be used in relevant articles on the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not censored ===
Articles and pages on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki can be edited or created by just about anyone, and the changes show up instantaneously, once submitted. For this reason, some readers may see content that they consider offensive or objectionable. So, the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki cannot guarantee that content here will always be acceptable to everyone, or adhere to your social (or religious) norms and standards, ideas, personal viewpoints, or beliefs.

Inappropriate content (links to porn sites, profanity, hate words, etc.) is typically the work of vandalism and is often removed quickly by members or Sysops of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Content that is judged to be in violation of the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], and the general policies and guidelines of CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, will be removed.

There could be content here that may be offensive to some users (information, ideas, concepts, text, images, links, language, people), but relevant to an article within the scope of the wiki. Discussions about controversial content should focus not so much on the possible offensiveness of the content, but whether or not it is appropriate and important to the article.

You must be 18 years of age, or older as mentioned in the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], to use this website.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not medical advice ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a doctor or medical practitioner. This site is largely created and edited by its members who are mostly not in the medical profession. Even if the information is accurate, or is written in part or completely by a medical professional (doctor, nurse, pharmacist, etc.), or someone claiming to be a medical professional, it may not apply to your particular situation.

For more information see [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer#Use_This_Site_At_Your_Own_Risk|this disclaimer]].

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information. Instead, it is an organized collection of articles relevant to the scope of this wiki and of interest to the CPAPtalk.com community. There are also guidelines to be aware of when writing articles here. Therefore, articles should typically not just be:

* '''Lists''' of statistics, websites, phone numbers, addresses, genealogical entries, directories, etc. While there are lists that may be incorporated into an article because the information is relevant to the topic, articles which are simply long lists should be avoided. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the yellow pages and it is not an internet guide or listing service.
* '''Scientific papers''' are not appropriate here on the wiki, because articles need to be written with a wider audience in mind, and scientific papers are often difficult for the lay audience. However, research papers and scientific journals may be used as a reference, or citation, or there may be cases where an external link to such material might be appropriate.
* '''Sales information''' is not the intended use of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Nor is it intended to be a place used for conducting business. Articles about products should not list pricing information unless there is some kind of historical or notable significance to mentioning pricing. Articles should not be a list of products you or your organization sells, and should also not contain sales pitches or be slanted with bias towards trying to promote the product. Articles should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV guidelines]].
* '''FAQ formats''' should usually not be used here on the wiki. Articles should be presented in a more formal manner. Exceptions are the [[CPAP_FAQs|CPAP FAQs]] page, and the [[Help:FAQs|Help FAQs]] page, as well as pages designed to help members utilize and improve the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a news service ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the place to write articles covering current events or news. This is also not the place to self-promote, or write about an event you are personally involved in. There may be news or events, on occasion, that are noteworthy and relevant to an article in which case it should be mentioned or referred to in the appropriate article, and cited as a reference.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dictionary ===
The CPAPtalk.com is not a dictionary. Therefore, articles here should start by defining the topic with a quality description of the subject matter, and then expand on other aspects of the topic with relevant information. If an article is simply a definition and nothing more, then it should be expanded upon if at all possible. Avoid making lists of words, or glossaries.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not Wikipedia ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki has some elements that are similar to [http://wikipedia.org/ Wikipedia], the two websites are different in scope, policies, and style. Wikipedia is universal in scope and is constructed in an encyclopedic nature. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is limited in scope and does not exactly fall under the definition of ''encylopedia''. Wikipedia also has different rules, policies and guidelines, and in particular, they have different rules about user submissions and usage of content, as well as many other variations from the policies and guidelines set forth here on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

* A lot may be learned from Wikipedia, but articles should not be copied or imported here from any of the Wikipedia family of websites (or any other source). Nor should articles here be copied to Wikipedia, or any other place.

* See the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]] for more information about ''User Submissions and Content License'' and ''Usage of Content'' from this website.

* There may be times when linking to information on Wikipedia may be appropriate in an article here. For example, if the article topic is not within the scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and therefore should not be created here, but the information about said topic would be useful in relation to another article that is appropriate here, then placing an external link to the Wikipedia article might be appropriate.

== Community ==

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum or message board. While there are places here to discuss and collaborate for the purpose of writing and improving articles, and for the construction and general maintenance of the wiki, this is not a forum open for discussions about anything and everything.

* Avoid taking discussions into the articles themselves.
* Use the user talk pages, and appropriate article talk pages to resolve issues involved in writing or improving articles on the wiki.
* Talk pages exist for the purpose of improving articles and are not general discussion pages about the topic.
* Talk pages are also not a technical help desk for support or instructional assistance about the subject.

The [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum] is a discussion forum for CPAP users. There are also many other places on the web that may be used as discussion forums.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a battlefield ===
All CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki users are expected to treat each other with respect and have an attitude of cooperative kindness towards the goal of improving the wiki. It is not appropriate to make threats, hold grudges, create conflict or drama, or personally attack, harass, insult, or attempt to instill fear or hatred in others here. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated and a user may be blocked or banned as a result of engaging in these type of activities.

Try to treat others the same way you would like to be treated. If conflict does occur, stay calm and use intelligent and polite discussion to resolve the matter. If another user does not follow these guidelines, that does not give you rationalization to retaliate.

Creating or modifying articles here with the intention of making or point or in response to a conflict or disagreement with someone (or something) here is not acceptable. Do not engage in edit wars.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dating website ===
This is not the appropriate place to discuss or pursue your personal relationship or sexual desires, sexual preferences, or try to make advances towards other members. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated. There are many other places, online and offline, that would be better suited for these purposes.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy. Nor is it a political or social experiment. The primary means of determining consensus is through editing and discussing articles, not voting. While editors may occasionally use straw polls or surveys to check for consensus, this is generally discouraged and may actually impede the process of improving the article.

While the members here play a very large role in determining what should be included in the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and what should or should not happen on this website, it is owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., which reserves the right at their sole discretion, to be the final arbiter about any aspect of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not an anarchy ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is relatively free and open for the purposes of building a dynamic website with information for CPAP users and those afflicted with Obstructive Sleep Apnea, it restricts both freedom and openness where it may interfere with that purpose. Even though the wiki is self-governing to a large degree, the idea here is not to push the limits of or experiment with anarchy, but to focus on the task of improving the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a viral marketing site ===
This is not the place to attempt to market anything, for any reason, in any way shape or form, viral or otherwise.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest. Simply put, this wiki is not here to see who has the most edits, or knowledge, or intelligence, or who can win and get their way, or make the fastest improvements, or become Sysop, or any other type of competitive self-aggrandizing game or contest.

Whether a member simply reads articles, or makes minor edits once in awhile, or is a master writer and editor, or an expert on a topic, or is a Sysop, or contributes in other ways to the wiki, does not really matter and does not make one member better than another. The fact is that people contribute in their own way, at their own pace, and in their own time. Not everyone wants to get involved and there are many users who mainly read articles for informational purposes. Members should not criticize each other for not contributing to the wiki and should try to keep a healthy attitude and perspective towards individual contributions, large and small, including their own contributions.

If you start feeling like working on the wiki is a competition, contest, or something you are becoming obsessed with to your own detriment, or that you may be using to escape from real life, then consider taking a break from the wiki.

== See also ==
* [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer|General Disclaimers]]
* [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]]
* [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]]
* [[Help:Contents|Help Contents]]
* [[CpapWiki:About|About the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki]]
* [[CpapWiki:Administrators|CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki Administrators]]

CpapWiki:What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not

2008-10-24T21:52:59Z

Sleeppunk: /* See also */

{{guideline}}
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is an online knowledge-base of information and articles pertaining to CPAP use and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. As a means to that end, it is also an online community. Therefore, there are some things that the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki '''is not'''. Above all, use common sense.
== Content ==

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not made of paper ===
This may seem obvious. The main point is that this wiki is potentially limitless, and includes formatting and links typically not found in paper publications, and is dynamically created by many people. However, there is a big difference between what can be done and what should reasonably be carried out.

Keep in mind the primary scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is on articles pertaining to CPAP usage, and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. This is not the place for articles about unrelated topics. Refer to the [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]] and [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]], as needed.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, podium, or pulpit ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, pulpit, podium, or an outlet for advertising, self-promotion, recruitment of any kind (commercial, political, religious, or other), rumors, or editorial opinion pieces.

* '''Advertising''' (of any kind;commercial or non-commercial) is not acceptable on this wiki. Inserting links to external websites just to promote your business or product(s) is not the intended use of this site and will not be tolerated. Writing or editing articles to promote your business, organization, events, product(s), self, or other things you may be involved in personally or directly, is not recommended. External links to major commercial organizations are acceptable if they identify major organizations related to that article. Articles about notable companies should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view guidelines]].

* '''Recruiting''' people for your business, project, organization, religion, political party, other website, or for any other reason, is not the intended use of this wiki. Please do not engage in this kind of behavior.

* '''Editorial opinion pieces''' are not the intended use of this wiki. Articles should be unbiased and strive for a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV]]. If you want to share your biased opinions or personal pet views, consider going to the [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum], or another website on the internet.

* '''Self-promotion''' is not the reason this wiki is here. While it is tempting to write about a company you work for, or about yourself, or things you are involved in, it is difficult to remain objective. Therefore, it is recommended that you do not write about these type of things that you are directly involved in so that a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view]] might be accomplished.

* '''Rumors''' are not acceptable here and this is not the place to write about or speculate over future events or products. It is also not the place to write rumors about people, companies, or organizations that may constitute libel, or slander.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, or image and media storage site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, image hosting site, or storage site for other files, or media.

* This wiki is not the place to make long lists of links to external websites, or upload images that will not be used in an article.
* It is not a place to replicate another website (or portion thereof) as a mirror site.
* It should not be used as personal web storage space for files, lists, images, and the like.
* This is also not the place to dump or copy large portions of information from public domain sources.

There are many other websites on the internet that can be used for these kinds of activities.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a webspace provider or social networking site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a social networking site like [http://www.myspace.com MySpace] or [http://www.facebook.com Facebook]. While there are certainly social aspects to a collaborative project, the pages here, including user pages, are intended to help the community collaborate on building and improving the wiki for the benefit of CPAP users, and others who visit the wiki. You may not host your own website here or build your own wiki here. There are many other websites on the internet that provide webhosting, social networking, and wiki spaces, either for free, or for a fee. Again, this is not a file hosting website. Uploaded images should be used in relevant articles on the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not censored ===
Articles and pages on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki can be edited or created by just about anyone, and the changes show up instantaneously, once submitted. For this reason, some readers may see content that they consider offensive or objectionable. So, the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki cannot guarantee that content here will always be acceptable to everyone, or adhere to your social (or religious) norms and standards, ideas, personal viewpoints, or beliefs.

Inappropriate content (links to porn sites, profanity, hate words, etc.) is typically the work of vandalism and is often removed quickly by members or Sysops of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Content that is judged to be in violation of the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], and the general policies and guidelines of CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, will be removed.

There could be content here that may be offensive to some users (information, ideas, concepts, text, images, links, language, people), but relevant to an article within the scope of the wiki. Discussions about controversial content should focus not so much on the possible offensiveness of the content, but whether or not it is appropriate and important to the article.

You must be 18 years of age, or older as mentioned in the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], to use this website.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not medical advice ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a doctor or medical practitioner. This site is largely created and edited by its members who are mostly not in the medical profession. Even if the information is accurate, or is written in part or completely by a medical professional (doctor, nurse, pharmacist, etc.), or someone claiming to be a medical professional, it may not apply to your particular situation.

For more information see [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer#Use_This_Site_At_Your_Own_Risk|this disclaimer]].

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information. Instead, it is an organized collection of articles relevant to the scope of this wiki and of interest to the CPAPtalk.com community. There are also guidelines to be aware of when writing articles here. Therefore, articles should typically not just be:

* '''Lists''' of statistics, websites, phone numbers, addresses, genealogical entries, directories, etc. While there are lists that may be incorporated into an article because the information is relevant to the topic, articles which are simply long lists should be avoided. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the yellow pages and it is not an internet guide or listing service.
* '''Scientific papers''' are not appropriate here on the wiki, because articles need to be written with a wider audience in mind, and scientific papers are often difficult for the lay audience. However, research papers and scientific journals may be used as a reference, or citation, or there may be cases where an external link to such material might be appropriate.
* '''Sales information''' is not the intended use of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Nor is it intended to be a place used for conducting business. Articles about products should not list pricing information unless there is some kind of historical or notable significance to mentioning pricing. Articles should not be a list of products you or your organization sells, and should also not contain sales pitches or be slanted with bias towards trying to promote the product. Articles should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV guidelines]].
* '''FAQ formats''' should usually not be used here on the wiki. Articles should be presented in a more formal manner. Exceptions are the [[CPAP_FAQs|CPAP FAQs]] page, and the [[Help:FAQs|Help FAQs]] page, as well as pages designed to help members utilize and improve the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a news service ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the place to write articles covering current events or news. This is also not the place to self-promote, or write about an event you are personally involved in. There may be news or events, on occasion, that are noteworthy and relevant to an article in which case it should be mentioned or referred to in the appropriate article, and cited as a reference.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dictionary ===
The CPAPtalk.com is not a dictionary. Therefore, articles here should start by defining the topic with a quality description of the subject matter, and then expand on other aspects of the topic with relevant information. If an article is simply a definition and nothing more, then it should be expanded upon if at all possible. Avoid making lists of words, or glossaries.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not Wikipedia ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki has some elements that are similar to [http://wikipedia.org/ Wikipedia], the two websites are different in scope, policies, and style. Wikipedia is universal in scope and is constructed in an encyclopedic nature. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is limited in scope and does not exactly fall under the definition of ''encylopedia''. Wikipedia also has different rules, policies and guidelines, and in particular, they have different rules about user submissions and usage of content, as well as many other variations from the policies and guidelines set forth here on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

* A lot may be learned from Wikipedia, but articles should not be copied or imported here from any of the Wikipedia family of websites (or any other source). Nor should articles here be copied to Wikipedia, or any other place.

* See the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]] for more information about ''User Submissions and Content License'' and ''Usage of Content'' from this website.

* There may be times when linking to information on Wikipedia may be appropriate in an article here. For example, if the article topic is not within the scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and therefore should not be created here, but the information about said topic would be useful in relation to another article that is appropriate here, then placing an external link to the Wikipedia article might be appropriate.

== Community ==

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum or message board. While there are places here to discuss and collaborate for the purpose of writing and improving articles, and for the construction and general maintenance of the wiki, this is not a forum open for discussions about anything and everything.

* Avoid taking discussions into the articles themselves.
* Use the user talk pages, and appropriate article talk pages to resolve issues involved in writing or improving articles on the wiki.
* Talk pages exist for the purpose of improving articles and are not general discussion pages about the topic.
* Talk pages are also not a technical help desk for support or instructional assistance about the subject.

The [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum] is a discussion forum for CPAP users. There are also many other places on the web that may be used as discussion forums.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a battlefield ===
All CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki users are expected to treat each other with respect and have an attitude of cooperative kindness towards the goal of improving the wiki. It is not appropriate to make threats, hold grudges, create conflict or drama, or personally attack, harass, insult, or attempt to instill fear or hatred in others here. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated and a user may be blocked or banned as a result of engaging in these type of activities.

Try to treat others the same way you would like to be treated. If conflict does occur, stay calm and use intelligent and polite discussion to resolve the matter. If another user does not follow these guidelines, that does not give you rationalization to retaliate.

Creating or modifying articles here with the intention of making or point or in response to a conflict or disagreement with someone (or something) here is not acceptable. Do not engage in edit wars.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dating website ===
This is not the appropriate place to discuss or pursue your personal relationship or sexual desires, sexual preferences, or try to make advances towards other members. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated. There are many other places, online and offline, that would be better suited for these purposes.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy. Nor is it a political or social experiment. The primary means of determining consensus is through editing and discussing articles, not voting. While editors may occasionally use straw polls or surveys to check for consensus, this is generally discouraged and may actually impede the process of improving the article.

While the members here play a very large role in determining what should be included in the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and what should or should not happen on this website, it is owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., which reserves the right at their sole discretion, to be the final arbiter about any aspect of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not an anarchy ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is relatively free and open for the purposes of building a dynamic website with information for CPAP users and those afflicted with Obstructive Sleep Apnea, it restricts both freedom and openness where it may interfere with that purpose. Even though the wiki is self-governing to a large degree, the idea here is not to push the limits of or experiment with anarchy, but to focus on the task of improving the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a viral marketing site ===
This is not the place to attempt to market anything, for any reason, in any way shape or form, viral or otherwise.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest. Simply put, this wiki is not here to see who has the most edits, or knowledge, or intelligence, or who can win and get their way, or make the fastest improvements, or become Sysop, or any other type of competitive self-aggrandizing game or contest.

Whether a member simply reads articles, or makes minor edits once in awhile, or is a master writer and editor, or an expert on a topic, or is a Sysop, or contributes in other ways to the wiki, does not really matter and does not make one member better than another. The fact is that people contribute in their own way, at their own pace, and in their own time. Not everyone wants to get involved and there are many users who mainly read articles for informational purposes. Members should not criticize each other for not contributing to the wiki and should try to keep a healthy attitude and perspective towards individual contributions, large and small, including their own contributions.

If you start feeling like working on the wiki is a competition, contest, or something you are becoming obsessed with to your own detriment, or that you may be using to escape from real life, then consider taking a break from the wiki.

== See also ==
* [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer|General Disclaimers]]
* [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]]
* [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]]
* [[Help:Contents|Help Contents]]
* [[CpapWiki:About|About the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki]]
* [[CpapWiki:Administrators|CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki Administrators]]

CpapWiki:General disclaimer

2008-10-24T21:50:00Z

Sleeppunk: /* Copyright Information */

== Disclaimers ==
Here are some general disclaimers regarding the [[CpapWiki:About|'''CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki''']].

== Indentification ==
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki may be identified by any webpage that begins with http://www.cpaptalk.com/wiki/ in the URL.

== User Agreement ==
These disclaimers are in addition to and incorporated into the entire [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]].

== Use This Site At Your Own Risk ==
You are using this website at your own risk. U.S. Expediters, Inc. is not responsible for any content on this website and does not endorse it. Individual employees of U.S. Expediters, Inc. and unaffiliated users of this website contribute and edit content that they think is of interest to the community. Because the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki may be edited at any time by just about anyone, there is no warranty of any kind that the information contained on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is accurate or valid. The authors may not be qualified to provide you with complete information or to inform you about adequate safety precautions and other measures to prevent injury, or other damage to your person, property or reputation. If you need specific advice such as medical, legal, financial, marital or risk management, or other advice, please seek out the services of a professional who is licensed or knowledgeable in your area of need.

None of the individual contributors, system operators, developers, nor anyone else connected to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, can take any responsibility for the results or consequences of any attempt to use or adopt any of the information presented on this web site. None of the contributors, sponsors, administrators, or anyone else connected with the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki in any way whatsoever can be responsible for the appearance of any inaccurate or libelous information or for your use of the information contained in or linked from the web pages within the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== Not Peer Reviewed ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not uniformly peer reviewed; while readers may correct errors or remove erroneous suggestions, they have no legal duty to do so. All information found on the site is without any implied warranty of fitness for any purpose or use whatsoever.

=== No Medical Advice; No Guarantees ===
You recognize and agree that the content made available through CPAPtalk.com is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be taken, and should not in any way be construed as; medical advice, or counseling, or as the practice of medicine, or as the creation of a physician-patient relationship with CPAPtalk.com. Users should never use any CPAPtalk.com resources in place of seeking professional advice from a licensed medical practitioner. We make no guarantees, promises, or predictions of success regarding any of the services or resources offered through CPAPtalk.com.

== Final Arbiter ==
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki users play a role in determining what should be included in the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and what should or should not happen on this website, it is owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., which reserves the right at their sole discretion, to be the final arbiter about any aspect of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

== Copyright Information ==
Do not submit copyrighted material without permission. When adding information to articles, make sure it is written in your own words. Remember that all information found on the Internet is copyrighted unless the website specifically states otherwise. More information about ''User Submissions and Content License'' and ''Usage of Content'', may be found in the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]]. Please note that the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki does not use the GNU Free Documentation Licence, or Creative Commons License, or any other type of copyleft or free licensing.

=== Images ===
==== CPAP.com Images ====
U.S. Expediters, Inc., owners of [https://www.cpap.com CPAP.com], [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com], and [http://www.cpapauction.com CPAPAuction.com], agrees to allow members of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki to upload images here from CPAP.com that have the CPAP.com watermark embedded on them, which indicates the copyright is held by U.S. Expediters, Inc. These images may be used in articles on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. They should not be used outside of CPAPtalk.com, CPAP.com, CPAPAuction.com, or other Sites owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., unless written permission is requested and granted.

==== Other Images ====
Other images from CPAP.com that do not have the CPAP.com watermark are usually 3rd party images, typically provided by the manufacturer for marketing purposes and will not be allowed here on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

Images that you do not own the copyright to, or that are not in the public domain, are not allowed to be uploaded here.

You may submit your own images if you own the copyright to those images.

=== Copyright Violations ===
If you believe that any content on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki website infringes your rights, you can send a written complaint to CPAPtalk.com at 9100 Southwest Freeway, Suite 135, Houston, Texas 77074, which '''MUST''' contain the following information in order to be processed by us:

* Your Name
* Your Mailing Address
* Your Email Address
* Your Phone Number (day)
* Your Phone Number (evening) or Cell Phone Number
* Exact URL of objectionable content
* Detailed explanation regarding the nature of Your complaint
* Does the content infringe your copyrights or other rights? If so, explain which rights and how they are infringed
* Does the content contain libel or slander? If so, explain

Upon receipt of a complaint with this information we may, at our sole discretion, take down the objectionable content. If we do not react to your complaint, please feel free to follow-up with us, but please note that such inaction on our side does not constitute taking a position either way. This website is provided free of charge and we will try to do our best within our capacity and resources to address any concerns users and third parties may have.

== See also ==
*[[CpapWiki:What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not|What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not]]
*[[CpapWiki:Privacy_policy|CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki Privacy Policy]]
*[[CpapWiki:About|About the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki]]

CpapWiki:General disclaimer

2008-10-24T21:47:28Z

Sleeppunk: /* Use This Site At Your Own Risk */

== Disclaimers ==
Here are some general disclaimers regarding the [[CpapWiki:About|'''CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki''']].

== Indentification ==
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki may be identified by any webpage that begins with http://www.cpaptalk.com/wiki/ in the URL.

== User Agreement ==
These disclaimers are in addition to and incorporated into the entire [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]].

== Use This Site At Your Own Risk ==
You are using this website at your own risk. U.S. Expediters, Inc. is not responsible for any content on this website and does not endorse it. Individual employees of U.S. Expediters, Inc. and unaffiliated users of this website contribute and edit content that they think is of interest to the community. Because the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki may be edited at any time by just about anyone, there is no warranty of any kind that the information contained on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is accurate or valid. The authors may not be qualified to provide you with complete information or to inform you about adequate safety precautions and other measures to prevent injury, or other damage to your person, property or reputation. If you need specific advice such as medical, legal, financial, marital or risk management, or other advice, please seek out the services of a professional who is licensed or knowledgeable in your area of need.

None of the individual contributors, system operators, developers, nor anyone else connected to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, can take any responsibility for the results or consequences of any attempt to use or adopt any of the information presented on this web site. None of the contributors, sponsors, administrators, or anyone else connected with the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki in any way whatsoever can be responsible for the appearance of any inaccurate or libelous information or for your use of the information contained in or linked from the web pages within the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== Not Peer Reviewed ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not uniformly peer reviewed; while readers may correct errors or remove erroneous suggestions, they have no legal duty to do so. All information found on the site is without any implied warranty of fitness for any purpose or use whatsoever.

=== No Medical Advice; No Guarantees ===
You recognize and agree that the content made available through CPAPtalk.com is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be taken, and should not in any way be construed as; medical advice, or counseling, or as the practice of medicine, or as the creation of a physician-patient relationship with CPAPtalk.com. Users should never use any CPAPtalk.com resources in place of seeking professional advice from a licensed medical practitioner. We make no guarantees, promises, or predictions of success regarding any of the services or resources offered through CPAPtalk.com.

== Final Arbiter ==
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki users play a role in determining what should be included in the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and what should or should not happen on this website, it is owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., which reserves the right at their sole discretion, to be the final arbiter about any aspect of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

== Copyright Information ==
Do not submit copyrighted material without permission. When adding information to articles, make sure it is written in your own words. Remember that all information found on the Internet is copyrighted unless the website specifically states otherwise. More information about ''User Submissions and Content License'', and ''Usage of Content'' may be found in the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]]. Please note that the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki does not use the GNU Free Documentation Licence, or Creative Commons License, or any other type of copyleft or free licensing.

=== Images ===
==== CPAP.com Images ====
U.S. Expediters, Inc., owners of [https://www.cpap.com CPAP.com], [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com], and [http://www.cpapauction.com CPAPAuction.com], agrees to allow members of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki to upload images here from CPAP.com that have the CPAP.com watermark embedded on them, which indicates the copyright is held by U.S. Expediters, Inc. These images may be used in articles on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. They should not be used outside of CPAPtalk.com, CPAP.com, CPAPAuction.com, or other Sites owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., unless written permission is requested and granted.

==== Other Images ====
Other images from CPAP.com that do not have the CPAP.com watermark are usually 3rd party images, typically provided by the manufacturer for marketing purposes and will not be allowed here on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

Images that you do not own the copyright to, or that are not in the public domain, are not allowed to be uploaded here.

You may submit your own images if you own the copyright to those images.

=== Copyright Violations ===
If you believe that any content on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki website infringes your rights, you can send a written complaint to CPAPtalk.com at 9100 Southwest Freeway, Suite 135, Houston, Texas 77074, which '''MUST''' contain the following information in order to be processed by us:

* Your Name
* Your Mailing Address
* Your Email Address
* Your Phone Number (day)
* Your Phone Number (evening) or Cell Phone Number
* Exact URL of objectionable content
* Detailed explanation regarding the nature of Your complaint
* Does the content infringe your copyrights or other rights? If so, explain which rights and how they are infringed
* Does the content contain libel or slander? If so, explain

Upon receipt of a complaint with this information we may, at our sole discretion, take down the objectionable content. If we do not react to your complaint, please feel free to follow-up with us, but please note that such inaction on our side does not constitute taking a position either way. This website is provided free of charge and we will try to do our best within our capacity and resources to address any concerns users and third parties may have.

== See also ==
*[[CpapWiki:What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not|What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not]]
*[[CpapWiki:Privacy_policy|CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki Privacy Policy]]
*[[CpapWiki:About|About the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki]]

CpapWiki:General disclaimer

2008-10-24T21:44:05Z

Sleeppunk: /* Copyright Information */

== Disclaimers ==
Here are some general disclaimers regarding the [[CpapWiki:About|'''CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki''']].

== Indentification ==
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki may be identified by any webpage that begins with http://www.cpaptalk.com/wiki/ in the URL.

== User Agreement ==
These disclaimers are in addition to and incorporated into the entire [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]].

== Use This Site At Your Own Risk ==
You are using this website at your own risk. U.S. Expediters, Inc. is not responsible for any content on this website and does not endorse it. Individual employees of U.S. Expediters, Inc. and unaffiliated users of this website contribute and edit content that they think is of interest to the community. Because the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki may be edited at any time by just about anyone, there is no warranty of any kind that the information contained on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is accurate or valid. The authors may not be qualified to provide you with complete information or to inform you about adequate safety precautions and other measures to prevent injury, or other damage to your person, property or reputation. If you need specific advice such as medical, legal, financial, marital or risk management advice, please seek out the services of a professional licensed or knowledgeable in that area.

None of the individual contributors, system operators, developers, nor anyone else connected to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, can take any responsibility for the results or consequences of any attempt to use or adopt any of the information presented on this web site. None of the contributors, sponsors, administrators, or anyone else connected with the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki in any way whatsoever can be responsible for the appearance of any inaccurate or libelous information or for your use of the information contained in or linked from the web pages within the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== Not Peer Reviewed ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not uniformly peer reviewed; while readers may correct errors or remove erroneous suggestions, they have no legal duty to do so. All information found on the site is without any implied warranty of fitness for any purpose or use whatsoever.

=== No Medical Advice; No Guarantees ===
You recognize and agree that the content made available through CPAPtalk.com is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be taken, and should not in any way be construed as; medical advice, or counseling, or as the practice of medicine, or as the creation of a physician-patient relationship with CPAPtalk.com. Users should never use any CPAPtalk.com resources in place of seeking professional advice from a licensed medical practitioner. We make no guarantees, promises, or predictions of success regarding any of the services or resources offered through CPAPtalk.com.

== Final Arbiter ==
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki users play a role in determining what should be included in the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and what should or should not happen on this website, it is owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., which reserves the right at their sole discretion, to be the final arbiter about any aspect of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

== Copyright Information ==
Do not submit copyrighted material without permission. When adding information to articles, make sure it is written in your own words. Remember that all information found on the Internet is copyrighted unless the website specifically states otherwise. More information about ''User Submissions and Content License'', and ''Usage of Content'' may be found in the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]]. Please note that the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki does not use the GNU Free Documentation Licence, or Creative Commons License, or any other type of copyleft or free licensing.

=== Images ===
==== CPAP.com Images ====
U.S. Expediters, Inc., owners of [https://www.cpap.com CPAP.com], [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com], and [http://www.cpapauction.com CPAPAuction.com], agrees to allow members of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki to upload images here from CPAP.com that have the CPAP.com watermark embedded on them, which indicates the copyright is held by U.S. Expediters, Inc. These images may be used in articles on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. They should not be used outside of CPAPtalk.com, CPAP.com, CPAPAuction.com, or other Sites owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., unless written permission is requested and granted.

==== Other Images ====
Other images from CPAP.com that do not have the CPAP.com watermark are usually 3rd party images, typically provided by the manufacturer for marketing purposes and will not be allowed here on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

Images that you do not own the copyright to, or that are not in the public domain, are not allowed to be uploaded here.

You may submit your own images if you own the copyright to those images.

=== Copyright Violations ===
If you believe that any content on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki website infringes your rights, you can send a written complaint to CPAPtalk.com at 9100 Southwest Freeway, Suite 135, Houston, Texas 77074, which '''MUST''' contain the following information in order to be processed by us:

* Your Name
* Your Mailing Address
* Your Email Address
* Your Phone Number (day)
* Your Phone Number (evening) or Cell Phone Number
* Exact URL of objectionable content
* Detailed explanation regarding the nature of Your complaint
* Does the content infringe your copyrights or other rights? If so, explain which rights and how they are infringed
* Does the content contain libel or slander? If so, explain

Upon receipt of a complaint with this information we may, at our sole discretion, take down the objectionable content. If we do not react to your complaint, please feel free to follow-up with us, but please note that such inaction on our side does not constitute taking a position either way. This website is provided free of charge and we will try to do our best within our capacity and resources to address any concerns users and third parties may have.

== See also ==
*[[CpapWiki:What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not|What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not]]
*[[CpapWiki:Privacy_policy|CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki Privacy Policy]]
*[[CpapWiki:About|About the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki]]

CpapWiki:General disclaimer

2008-10-24T21:31:49Z

Sleeppunk: /* Copyright Information */

== Disclaimers ==
Here are some general disclaimers regarding the [[CpapWiki:About|'''CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki''']].

== Indentification ==
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki may be identified by any webpage that begins with http://www.cpaptalk.com/wiki/ in the URL.

== User Agreement ==
These disclaimers are in addition to and incorporated into the entire [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]].

== Use This Site At Your Own Risk ==
You are using this website at your own risk. U.S. Expediters, Inc. is not responsible for any content on this website and does not endorse it. Individual employees of U.S. Expediters, Inc. and unaffiliated users of this website contribute and edit content that they think is of interest to the community. Because the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki may be edited at any time by just about anyone, there is no warranty of any kind that the information contained on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is accurate or valid. The authors may not be qualified to provide you with complete information or to inform you about adequate safety precautions and other measures to prevent injury, or other damage to your person, property or reputation. If you need specific advice such as medical, legal, financial, marital or risk management advice, please seek out the services of a professional licensed or knowledgeable in that area.

None of the individual contributors, system operators, developers, nor anyone else connected to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, can take any responsibility for the results or consequences of any attempt to use or adopt any of the information presented on this web site. None of the contributors, sponsors, administrators, or anyone else connected with the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki in any way whatsoever can be responsible for the appearance of any inaccurate or libelous information or for your use of the information contained in or linked from the web pages within the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== Not Peer Reviewed ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not uniformly peer reviewed; while readers may correct errors or remove erroneous suggestions, they have no legal duty to do so. All information found on the site is without any implied warranty of fitness for any purpose or use whatsoever.

=== No Medical Advice; No Guarantees ===
You recognize and agree that the content made available through CPAPtalk.com is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be taken, and should not in any way be construed as; medical advice, or counseling, or as the practice of medicine, or as the creation of a physician-patient relationship with CPAPtalk.com. Users should never use any CPAPtalk.com resources in place of seeking professional advice from a licensed medical practitioner. We make no guarantees, promises, or predictions of success regarding any of the services or resources offered through CPAPtalk.com.

== Final Arbiter ==
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki users play a role in determining what should be included in the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and what should or should not happen on this website, it is owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., which reserves the right at their sole discretion, to be the final arbiter about any aspect of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

== Copyright Information ==
Do not submit copyrighted material without permission. When adding information to articles, make sure it is written in your own words. Remember that all information found on the Internet is copyrighted unless the website specifically states otherwise. More information about ''User Submissions and Content License'', and ''Usage of Content'' may be found in the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]].

=== Images ===
==== CPAP.com Images ====
U.S. Expediters, Inc., owners of [https://www.cpap.com CPAP.com], [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com], and [http://www.cpapauction.com CPAPAuction.com], agrees to allow members of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki to upload images here from CPAP.com that have the CPAP.com watermark embedded on them, which indicates the copyright is held by U.S. Expediters, Inc. These images may be used in articles on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. They should not be used outside of CPAPtalk.com, CPAP.com, CPAPAuction.com, or other Sites owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., unless written permission is requested and granted.

==== Other Images ====
Other images from CPAP.com that do not have the CPAP.com watermark are usually 3rd party images, typically provided by the manufacturer for marketing purposes and will not be allowed here on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

Images that you do not own the copyright to, or that are not in the public domain, are not allowed to be uploaded here.

You may submit your own images if you own the copyright to those images.

=== Copyright Violations ===
If you believe that any content on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki website infringes your rights, you can send a written complaint to CPAPtalk.com at 9100 Southwest Freeway, Suite 135, Houston, Texas 77074, which '''MUST''' contain the following information in order to be processed by us:

* Your Name
* Your Mailing Address
* Your Email Address
* Your Phone Number (day)
* Your Phone Number (evening) or Cell Phone Number
* Exact URL of objectionable content
* Detailed explanation regarding the nature of Your complaint
* Does the content infringe your copyrights or other rights? If so, explain which rights and how they are infringed
* Does the content contain libel or slander? If so, explain

Upon receipt of a complaint with this information we may, at our sole discretion, take down the objectionable content. If we do not react to your complaint, please feel free to follow-up with us, but please note that such inaction on our side does not constitute taking a position either way. This website is provided free of charge and we will try to do our best within our capacity and resources to address any concerns users and third parties may have.

== See also ==
*[[CpapWiki:What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not|What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not]]
*[[CpapWiki:Privacy_policy|CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki Privacy Policy]]
*[[CpapWiki:About|About the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki]]

CpapWiki:General disclaimer

2008-10-24T21:28:53Z

Sleeppunk: /* Copyright Information */

== Disclaimers ==
Here are some general disclaimers regarding the [[CpapWiki:About|'''CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki''']].

== Indentification ==
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki may be identified by any webpage that begins with http://www.cpaptalk.com/wiki/ in the URL.

== User Agreement ==
These disclaimers are in addition to and incorporated into the entire [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]].

== Use This Site At Your Own Risk ==
You are using this website at your own risk. U.S. Expediters, Inc. is not responsible for any content on this website and does not endorse it. Individual employees of U.S. Expediters, Inc. and unaffiliated users of this website contribute and edit content that they think is of interest to the community. Because the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki may be edited at any time by just about anyone, there is no warranty of any kind that the information contained on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is accurate or valid. The authors may not be qualified to provide you with complete information or to inform you about adequate safety precautions and other measures to prevent injury, or other damage to your person, property or reputation. If you need specific advice such as medical, legal, financial, marital or risk management advice, please seek out the services of a professional licensed or knowledgeable in that area.

None of the individual contributors, system operators, developers, nor anyone else connected to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, can take any responsibility for the results or consequences of any attempt to use or adopt any of the information presented on this web site. None of the contributors, sponsors, administrators, or anyone else connected with the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki in any way whatsoever can be responsible for the appearance of any inaccurate or libelous information or for your use of the information contained in or linked from the web pages within the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== Not Peer Reviewed ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not uniformly peer reviewed; while readers may correct errors or remove erroneous suggestions, they have no legal duty to do so. All information found on the site is without any implied warranty of fitness for any purpose or use whatsoever.

=== No Medical Advice; No Guarantees ===
You recognize and agree that the content made available through CPAPtalk.com is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be taken, and should not in any way be construed as; medical advice, or counseling, or as the practice of medicine, or as the creation of a physician-patient relationship with CPAPtalk.com. Users should never use any CPAPtalk.com resources in place of seeking professional advice from a licensed medical practitioner. We make no guarantees, promises, or predictions of success regarding any of the services or resources offered through CPAPtalk.com.

== Final Arbiter ==
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki users play a role in determining what should be included in the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and what should or should not happen on this website, it is owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., which reserves the right at their sole discretion, to be the final arbiter about any aspect of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

== Copyright Information ==
Do not submit copyrighted material without permission. When adding information to articles, make sure it is written in your own words. Remember that all information found on the Internet is copyrighted unless the website specifically states otherwise. More information about Copyright, Content Usage [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]]

=== Images ===
==== CPAP.com Images ====
U.S. Expediters, Inc., owners of [https://www.cpap.com CPAP.com], [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com], and [http://www.cpapauction.com CPAPAuction.com], agrees to allow members of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki to upload images here from CPAP.com that have the CPAP.com watermark embedded on them, which indicates the copyright is held by U.S. Expediters, Inc. These images may be used in articles on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. They should not be used outside of CPAPtalk.com, CPAP.com, CPAPAuction.com, or other Sites owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., unless written permission is requested and granted.

==== Other Images ====
Other images from CPAP.com that do not have the CPAP.com watermark are usually 3rd party images, typically provided by the manufacturer for marketing purposes and will not be allowed here on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

Images that you do not own the copyright to, or that are not in the public domain, are not allowed to be uploaded here.

You may submit your own images if you own the copyright to those images.

=== Copyright Violations ===
If you believe that any content on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki website infringes your rights, you can send a written complaint to CPAPtalk.com at 9100 Southwest Freeway, Suite 135, Houston, Texas 77074, which '''MUST''' contain the following information in order to be processed by us:

* Your Name
* Your Mailing Address
* Your Email Address
* Your Phone Number (day)
* Your Phone Number (evening) or Cell Phone Number
* Exact URL of objectionable content
* Detailed explanation regarding the nature of Your complaint
* Does the content infringe your copyrights or other rights? If so, explain which rights and how they are infringed
* Does the content contain libel or slander? If so, explain

Upon receipt of a complaint with this information we may, at our sole discretion, take down the objectionable content. If we do not react to your complaint, please feel free to follow-up with us, but please note that such inaction on our side does not constitute taking a position either way. This website is provided free of charge and we will try to do our best within our capacity and resources to address any concerns users and third parties may have.

== See also ==
*[[CpapWiki:What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not|What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not]]
*[[CpapWiki:Privacy_policy|CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki Privacy Policy]]
*[[CpapWiki:About|About the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki]]

CpapWiki:General disclaimer

2008-10-24T21:27:38Z

Sleeppunk: /* User Agreement */

== Disclaimers ==
Here are some general disclaimers regarding the [[CpapWiki:About|'''CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki''']].

== Indentification ==
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki may be identified by any webpage that begins with http://www.cpaptalk.com/wiki/ in the URL.

== User Agreement ==
These disclaimers are in addition to and incorporated into the entire [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]].

== Use This Site At Your Own Risk ==
You are using this website at your own risk. U.S. Expediters, Inc. is not responsible for any content on this website and does not endorse it. Individual employees of U.S. Expediters, Inc. and unaffiliated users of this website contribute and edit content that they think is of interest to the community. Because the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki may be edited at any time by just about anyone, there is no warranty of any kind that the information contained on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is accurate or valid. The authors may not be qualified to provide you with complete information or to inform you about adequate safety precautions and other measures to prevent injury, or other damage to your person, property or reputation. If you need specific advice such as medical, legal, financial, marital or risk management advice, please seek out the services of a professional licensed or knowledgeable in that area.

None of the individual contributors, system operators, developers, nor anyone else connected to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, can take any responsibility for the results or consequences of any attempt to use or adopt any of the information presented on this web site. None of the contributors, sponsors, administrators, or anyone else connected with the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki in any way whatsoever can be responsible for the appearance of any inaccurate or libelous information or for your use of the information contained in or linked from the web pages within the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== Not Peer Reviewed ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not uniformly peer reviewed; while readers may correct errors or remove erroneous suggestions, they have no legal duty to do so. All information found on the site is without any implied warranty of fitness for any purpose or use whatsoever.

=== No Medical Advice; No Guarantees ===
You recognize and agree that the content made available through CPAPtalk.com is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be taken, and should not in any way be construed as; medical advice, or counseling, or as the practice of medicine, or as the creation of a physician-patient relationship with CPAPtalk.com. Users should never use any CPAPtalk.com resources in place of seeking professional advice from a licensed medical practitioner. We make no guarantees, promises, or predictions of success regarding any of the services or resources offered through CPAPtalk.com.

== Final Arbiter ==
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki users play a role in determining what should be included in the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and what should or should not happen on this website, it is owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., which reserves the right at their sole discretion, to be the final arbiter about any aspect of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

== Copyright Information ==
Do not submit copyrighted material without permission. When adding information to articles, make sure it is written in your own words. Remember that all information found on the Internet is copyrighted unless the website specifically states otherwise.

=== Images ===
==== CPAP.com Images ====
U.S. Expediters, Inc., owners of [https://www.cpap.com CPAP.com], [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com], and [http://www.cpapauction.com CPAPAuction.com], agrees to allow members of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki to upload images here from CPAP.com that have the CPAP.com watermark embedded on them, which indicates the copyright is held by U.S. Expediters, Inc. These images may be used in articles on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. They should not be used outside of CPAPtalk.com, CPAP.com, CPAPAuction.com, or other Sites owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., unless written permission is requested and granted.

==== Other Images ====
Other images from CPAP.com that do not have the CPAP.com watermark are usually 3rd party images, typically provided by the manufacturer for marketing purposes and will not be allowed here on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

Images that you do not own the copyright to, or that are not in the public domain, are not allowed to be uploaded here.

You may submit your own images if you own the copyright to those images.

=== Copyright Violations ===
If you believe that any content on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki website infringes your rights, you can send a written complaint to CPAPtalk.com at 9100 Southwest Freeway, Suite 135, Houston, Texas 77074, which '''MUST''' contain the following information in order to be processed by us:

* Your Name
* Your Mailing Address
* Your Email Address
* Your Phone Number (day)
* Your Phone Number (evening) or Cell Phone Number
* Exact URL of objectionable content
* Detailed explanation regarding the nature of Your complaint
* Does the content infringe your copyrights or other rights? If so, explain which rights and how they are infringed
* Does the content contain libel or slander? If so, explain

Upon receipt of a complaint with this information we may, at our sole discretion, take down the objectionable content. If we do not react to your complaint, please feel free to follow-up with us, but please note that such inaction on our side does not constitute taking a position either way. This website is provided free of charge and we will try to do our best within our capacity and resources to address any concerns users and third parties may have.

== See also ==
*[[CpapWiki:What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not|What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not]]
*[[CpapWiki:Privacy_policy|CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki Privacy Policy]]
*[[CpapWiki:About|About the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki]]

CpapWiki:General disclaimer

2008-10-24T21:25:43Z

Sleeppunk: /* Use This Site At Your Own Risk */

== Disclaimers ==
Here are some general disclaimers regarding the [[CpapWiki:About|'''CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki''']].

== Indentification ==
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki may be identified by any webpage that begins with http://www.cpaptalk.com/wiki/ in the URL.

== User Agreement ==
These disclaimers are in addition to and incorporated into the entire [http://www.cpaptalk.com/user-agreement.php CPAPtalk.com User Agreement].

== Use This Site At Your Own Risk ==
You are using this website at your own risk. U.S. Expediters, Inc. is not responsible for any content on this website and does not endorse it. Individual employees of U.S. Expediters, Inc. and unaffiliated users of this website contribute and edit content that they think is of interest to the community. Because the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki may be edited at any time by just about anyone, there is no warranty of any kind that the information contained on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is accurate or valid. The authors may not be qualified to provide you with complete information or to inform you about adequate safety precautions and other measures to prevent injury, or other damage to your person, property or reputation. If you need specific advice such as medical, legal, financial, marital or risk management advice, please seek out the services of a professional licensed or knowledgeable in that area.

None of the individual contributors, system operators, developers, nor anyone else connected to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, can take any responsibility for the results or consequences of any attempt to use or adopt any of the information presented on this web site. None of the contributors, sponsors, administrators, or anyone else connected with the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki in any way whatsoever can be responsible for the appearance of any inaccurate or libelous information or for your use of the information contained in or linked from the web pages within the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== Not Peer Reviewed ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not uniformly peer reviewed; while readers may correct errors or remove erroneous suggestions, they have no legal duty to do so. All information found on the site is without any implied warranty of fitness for any purpose or use whatsoever.

=== No Medical Advice; No Guarantees ===
You recognize and agree that the content made available through CPAPtalk.com is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be taken, and should not in any way be construed as; medical advice, or counseling, or as the practice of medicine, or as the creation of a physician-patient relationship with CPAPtalk.com. Users should never use any CPAPtalk.com resources in place of seeking professional advice from a licensed medical practitioner. We make no guarantees, promises, or predictions of success regarding any of the services or resources offered through CPAPtalk.com.

== Final Arbiter ==
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki users play a role in determining what should be included in the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and what should or should not happen on this website, it is owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., which reserves the right at their sole discretion, to be the final arbiter about any aspect of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

== Copyright Information ==
Do not submit copyrighted material without permission. When adding information to articles, make sure it is written in your own words. Remember that all information found on the Internet is copyrighted unless the website specifically states otherwise.

=== Images ===
==== CPAP.com Images ====
U.S. Expediters, Inc., owners of [https://www.cpap.com CPAP.com], [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com], and [http://www.cpapauction.com CPAPAuction.com], agrees to allow members of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki to upload images here from CPAP.com that have the CPAP.com watermark embedded on them, which indicates the copyright is held by U.S. Expediters, Inc. These images may be used in articles on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. They should not be used outside of CPAPtalk.com, CPAP.com, CPAPAuction.com, or other Sites owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., unless written permission is requested and granted.

==== Other Images ====
Other images from CPAP.com that do not have the CPAP.com watermark are usually 3rd party images, typically provided by the manufacturer for marketing purposes and will not be allowed here on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

Images that you do not own the copyright to, or that are not in the public domain, are not allowed to be uploaded here.

You may submit your own images if you own the copyright to those images.

=== Copyright Violations ===
If you believe that any content on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki website infringes your rights, you can send a written complaint to CPAPtalk.com at 9100 Southwest Freeway, Suite 135, Houston, Texas 77074, which '''MUST''' contain the following information in order to be processed by us:

* Your Name
* Your Mailing Address
* Your Email Address
* Your Phone Number (day)
* Your Phone Number (evening) or Cell Phone Number
* Exact URL of objectionable content
* Detailed explanation regarding the nature of Your complaint
* Does the content infringe your copyrights or other rights? If so, explain which rights and how they are infringed
* Does the content contain libel or slander? If so, explain

Upon receipt of a complaint with this information we may, at our sole discretion, take down the objectionable content. If we do not react to your complaint, please feel free to follow-up with us, but please note that such inaction on our side does not constitute taking a position either way. This website is provided free of charge and we will try to do our best within our capacity and resources to address any concerns users and third parties may have.

== See also ==
*[[CpapWiki:What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not|What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not]]
*[[CpapWiki:Privacy_policy|CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki Privacy Policy]]
*[[CpapWiki:About|About the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki]]

CpapWiki:General disclaimer

2008-10-24T21:23:14Z

Sleeppunk: /* Use This Site At Your Own Risk */

== Disclaimers ==
Here are some general disclaimers regarding the [[CpapWiki:About|'''CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki''']].

== Indentification ==
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki may be identified by any webpage that begins with http://www.cpaptalk.com/wiki/ in the URL.

== User Agreement ==
These disclaimers are in addition to and incorporated into the entire [http://www.cpaptalk.com/user-agreement.php CPAPtalk.com User Agreement].

== Use This Site At Your Own Risk ==
You are using this website at your own risk. U.S. Expediters, Inc. is not responsible for any content on this website and does not endorse it. Individual employees of U.S. Expediters, Inc. and unaffiliated users of this website contribute and edit content that they think is of interest to the community. Because the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki may be edited at any time by just about anyone, there is no warranty of any kind that the information contained on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is accurate or valid. The authors may not be qualified to provide you with complete information or to inform you about adequate safety precautions and other measures to prevent injury, or other damage to your person, property or reputation. If you need specific advice such as medical, legal, financial, marital or risk management advice, please seek out the services of a professional licensed or knowledgeable in that area.

None of the individual contributors, system operators, developers, nor anyone else connected to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, can take any responsibility for the results or consequences of any attempt to use or adopt any of the information presented on this web site. None of the contributors, sponsors, administrators, or anyone else connected with the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki in any way whatsoever can be responsible for the appearance of any inaccurate or libelous information or for your use of the information contained in or linked from the web pages within the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== No Medical Advice; No Guarantees ===
You recognize and agree that the content made available through CPAPtalk.com is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be taken, and should not in any way be construed as; medical advice, or counseling, or as the practice of medicine, or as the creation of a physician-patient relationship with CPAPtalk.com. Users should never use any CPAPtalk.com resources in place of seeking professional advice from a licensed medical practitioner. We make no guarantees, promises, or predictions of success regarding any of the services or resources offered through CPAPtalk.com.

== Final Arbiter ==
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki users play a role in determining what should be included in the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and what should or should not happen on this website, it is owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., which reserves the right at their sole discretion, to be the final arbiter about any aspect of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

== Copyright Information ==
Do not submit copyrighted material without permission. When adding information to articles, make sure it is written in your own words. Remember that all information found on the Internet is copyrighted unless the website specifically states otherwise.

=== Images ===
==== CPAP.com Images ====
U.S. Expediters, Inc., owners of [https://www.cpap.com CPAP.com], [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com], and [http://www.cpapauction.com CPAPAuction.com], agrees to allow members of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki to upload images here from CPAP.com that have the CPAP.com watermark embedded on them, which indicates the copyright is held by U.S. Expediters, Inc. These images may be used in articles on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. They should not be used outside of CPAPtalk.com, CPAP.com, CPAPAuction.com, or other Sites owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., unless written permission is requested and granted.

==== Other Images ====
Other images from CPAP.com that do not have the CPAP.com watermark are usually 3rd party images, typically provided by the manufacturer for marketing purposes and will not be allowed here on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

Images that you do not own the copyright to, or that are not in the public domain, are not allowed to be uploaded here.

You may submit your own images if you own the copyright to those images.

=== Copyright Violations ===
If you believe that any content on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki website infringes your rights, you can send a written complaint to CPAPtalk.com at 9100 Southwest Freeway, Suite 135, Houston, Texas 77074, which '''MUST''' contain the following information in order to be processed by us:

* Your Name
* Your Mailing Address
* Your Email Address
* Your Phone Number (day)
* Your Phone Number (evening) or Cell Phone Number
* Exact URL of objectionable content
* Detailed explanation regarding the nature of Your complaint
* Does the content infringe your copyrights or other rights? If so, explain which rights and how they are infringed
* Does the content contain libel or slander? If so, explain

Upon receipt of a complaint with this information we may, at our sole discretion, take down the objectionable content. If we do not react to your complaint, please feel free to follow-up with us, but please note that such inaction on our side does not constitute taking a position either way. This website is provided free of charge and we will try to do our best within our capacity and resources to address any concerns users and third parties may have.

== See also ==
*[[CpapWiki:What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not|What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not]]
*[[CpapWiki:Privacy_policy|CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki Privacy Policy]]
*[[CpapWiki:About|About the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki]]

CpapWiki:Community Portal

2008-10-24T21:20:17Z

Sleeppunk:

[[Image:Moon_1.png|right|thumb|Click on [[CpapWiki:Community_Portal/Opentask|'''things that need to be done''']]]]
This is the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki Community portal. You may find information here about collaborations, and also about what needs to be done.

::* <big>[[CpapWiki:Community_Portal/Opentask|'''Things that need to be done.''']]</big>

::*<big>[[Help:Contents|'''How to do things here.''']]</big>

== Roles that may be useful to helping improve this website ==
First of all, while it is generally encouraged for people to dive in and improve the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, it is by no means required to use or enjoy this website. Besides, that sort of thing may not be for everybody.

Rarely is someone good at all things. Instead they usually have areas of specialty where their skills are useful. While contributing large portions of writing to the articles here is needed, there is plenty of other stuff that can be done. Here are some ideas about roles that people might take on in order to contribute to the wiki.

* '''Punctuation''': People who are good with punctuation may edit articles just to improve the punctuation.
* '''Spelling''': All it usually takes is a spellchecker, but if spelling is your thing then go for it.
* '''Wikifying''': Adding [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style#Wikilinks|wikilinks]] to articles usually needs to be done. This potentially includes improving the layout or format of the article.
* '''Grammar''': People good with grammar, sentence structure, and word usage, may be helpful by editing or improving articles.
* '''[[Special:Recentchanges|Recent changes]]''': Patrolling the recent changes page and reporting or reverting vandalism quickly is a great way to help.
*

== See also ==

CpapWiki:Community Portal

2008-10-24T21:19:24Z

Sleeppunk:

CpapWiki:General disclaimer

2008-10-24T21:18:01Z

Sleeppunk: /* Use This Site At Your Own Risk */

== Disclaimers ==
Here are some general disclaimers regarding the [[CpapWiki:About|'''CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki''']].

== Indentification ==
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki may be identified by any webpage that begins with http://www.cpaptalk.com/wiki/ in the URL.

== User Agreement ==
These disclaimers are in addition to and incorporated into the entire [http://www.cpaptalk.com/user-agreement.php CPAPtalk.com User Agreement].

== Use This Site At Your Own Risk ==
You are using this website at your own risk. U.S. Expediters, Inc. is not responsible for any content on this website and does not endorse it. Individual employees of U.S. Expediters, Inc. and unaffiliated users of this website contribute and edit content that they think is of interest to the community. Because the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki may be edited at any time by just about anyone, there is no warranty of any kind that the information contained on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is accurate or valid. If you need specific advice such as medical, legal, financial, marital or risk management advice, please seek out the services of a professional licensed or knowledgeable in that area.

None of the individual contributors, system operators, developers, nor anyone else connected to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, can take any responsibility for the results or consequences of any attempt to use or adopt any of the information presented on this web site. None of the contributors, sponsors, administrators, or anyone else connected with the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki in any way whatsoever can be responsible for the appearance of any inaccurate or libelous information or for your use of the information contained in or linked from the web pages within the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== No Medical Advice; No Guarantees ===
You recognize and agree that the content made available through CPAPtalk.com is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be taken, and should not in any way be construed as; medical advice, or counseling, or as the practice of medicine, or as the creation of a physician-patient relationship with CPAPtalk.com. Users should never use any CPAPtalk.com resources in place of seeking professional advice from a licensed medical practitioner. We make no guarantees, promises, or predictions of success regarding any of the services or resources offered through CPAPtalk.com.

== Final Arbiter ==
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki users play a role in determining what should be included in the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and what should or should not happen on this website, it is owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., which reserves the right at their sole discretion, to be the final arbiter about any aspect of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

== Copyright Information ==
Do not submit copyrighted material without permission. When adding information to articles, make sure it is written in your own words. Remember that all information found on the Internet is copyrighted unless the website specifically states otherwise.

=== Images ===
==== CPAP.com Images ====
U.S. Expediters, Inc., owners of [https://www.cpap.com CPAP.com], [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com], and [http://www.cpapauction.com CPAPAuction.com], agrees to allow members of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki to upload images here from CPAP.com that have the CPAP.com watermark embedded on them, which indicates the copyright is held by U.S. Expediters, Inc. These images may be used in articles on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. They should not be used outside of CPAPtalk.com, CPAP.com, CPAPAuction.com, or other Sites owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., unless written permission is requested and granted.

==== Other Images ====
Other images from CPAP.com that do not have the CPAP.com watermark are usually 3rd party images, typically provided by the manufacturer for marketing purposes and will not be allowed here on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

Images that you do not own the copyright to, or that are not in the public domain, are not allowed to be uploaded here.

You may submit your own images if you own the copyright to those images.

=== Copyright Violations ===
If you believe that any content on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki website infringes your rights, you can send a written complaint to CPAPtalk.com at 9100 Southwest Freeway, Suite 135, Houston, Texas 77074, which '''MUST''' contain the following information in order to be processed by us:

* Your Name
* Your Mailing Address
* Your Email Address
* Your Phone Number (day)
* Your Phone Number (evening) or Cell Phone Number
* Exact URL of objectionable content
* Detailed explanation regarding the nature of Your complaint
* Does the content infringe your copyrights or other rights? If so, explain which rights and how they are infringed
* Does the content contain libel or slander? If so, explain

Upon receipt of a complaint with this information we may, at our sole discretion, take down the objectionable content. If we do not react to your complaint, please feel free to follow-up with us, but please note that such inaction on our side does not constitute taking a position either way. This website is provided free of charge and we will try to do our best within our capacity and resources to address any concerns users and third parties may have.

== See also ==
*[[CpapWiki:What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not|What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not]]
*[[CpapWiki:Privacy_policy|CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki Privacy Policy]]
*[[CpapWiki:About|About the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki]]

CpapWiki:General disclaimer

2008-10-24T21:15:58Z

Sleeppunk: /* Use This Site At Your Own Risk */

== Disclaimers ==
Here are some general disclaimers regarding the [[CpapWiki:About|'''CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki''']].

== Indentification ==
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki may be identified by any webpage that begins with http://www.cpaptalk.com/wiki/ in the URL.

== User Agreement ==
These disclaimers are in addition to and incorporated into the entire [http://www.cpaptalk.com/user-agreement.php CPAPtalk.com User Agreement].

== Use This Site At Your Own Risk ==
You are using this website at your own risk. U.S. Expediters, Inc. is not responsible for any content on this website and does not endorse it. Individual employees of U.S. Expediters, Inc. and unaffiliated users of this website contribute and edit content that they think is of interest to the community. Because the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki may be edited at any time by just about anyone, there is no warranty of any kind that the information contained on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is accurate or valid. If you need specific advice such as medical, legal, financial, marital or risk management advice, please seek out the services of a professional licensed or knowledgeable in that area.

None of the individual contributors, system operators, developers, nor anyone else connected to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, can take any responsibility for the results or consequences of any attempt to use or adopt any of the information presented on this web site. None of the contributors, sponsors, administrators, or anyone else connected with the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki in any way whatsoever can be responsible for the appearance of any inaccurate or libelous information or for your use of the information contained in or linked from the web pages contained within the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== No Medical Advice; No Guarantees ===
You recognize and agree that the content made available through CPAPtalk.com is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be taken, and should not in any way be construed as; medical advice, or counseling, or as the practice of medicine, or as the creation of a physician-patient relationship with CPAPtalk.com. Users should never use any CPAPtalk.com resources in place of seeking professional advice from a licensed medical practitioner. We make no guarantees, promises, or predictions of success regarding any of the services or resources offered through CPAPtalk.com.

== Final Arbiter ==
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki users play a role in determining what should be included in the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and what should or should not happen on this website, it is owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., which reserves the right at their sole discretion, to be the final arbiter about any aspect of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

== Copyright Information ==
Do not submit copyrighted material without permission. When adding information to articles, make sure it is written in your own words. Remember that all information found on the Internet is copyrighted unless the website specifically states otherwise.

=== Images ===
==== CPAP.com Images ====
U.S. Expediters, Inc., owners of [https://www.cpap.com CPAP.com], [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com], and [http://www.cpapauction.com CPAPAuction.com], agrees to allow members of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki to upload images here from CPAP.com that have the CPAP.com watermark embedded on them, which indicates the copyright is held by U.S. Expediters, Inc. These images may be used in articles on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. They should not be used outside of CPAPtalk.com, CPAP.com, CPAPAuction.com, or other Sites owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., unless written permission is requested and granted.

==== Other Images ====
Other images from CPAP.com that do not have the CPAP.com watermark are usually 3rd party images, typically provided by the manufacturer for marketing purposes and will not be allowed here on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

Images that you do not own the copyright to, or that are not in the public domain, are not allowed to be uploaded here.

You may submit your own images if you own the copyright to those images.

=== Copyright Violations ===
If you believe that any content on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki website infringes your rights, you can send a written complaint to CPAPtalk.com at 9100 Southwest Freeway, Suite 135, Houston, Texas 77074, which '''MUST''' contain the following information in order to be processed by us:

* Your Name
* Your Mailing Address
* Your Email Address
* Your Phone Number (day)
* Your Phone Number (evening) or Cell Phone Number
* Exact URL of objectionable content
* Detailed explanation regarding the nature of Your complaint
* Does the content infringe your copyrights or other rights? If so, explain which rights and how they are infringed
* Does the content contain libel or slander? If so, explain

Upon receipt of a complaint with this information we may, at our sole discretion, take down the objectionable content. If we do not react to your complaint, please feel free to follow-up with us, but please note that such inaction on our side does not constitute taking a position either way. This website is provided free of charge and we will try to do our best within our capacity and resources to address any concerns users and third parties may have.

== See also ==
*[[CpapWiki:What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not|What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not]]
*[[CpapWiki:Privacy_policy|CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki Privacy Policy]]
*[[CpapWiki:About|About the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki]]

CpapWiki:General disclaimer

2008-10-24T21:04:05Z

Sleeppunk: /* Use This Site At Your Own Risk */

== Disclaimers ==
Here are some general disclaimers regarding the [[CpapWiki:About|'''CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki''']].

== Indentification ==
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki may be identified by any webpage that begins with http://www.cpaptalk.com/wiki/ in the URL.

== User Agreement ==
These disclaimers are in addition to and incorporated into the entire [http://www.cpaptalk.com/user-agreement.php CPAPtalk.com User Agreement].

== Use This Site At Your Own Risk ==
You are using this website at your own risk. U.S. Expediters, Inc. is not responsible for any content on this website and does not endorse it. Individual employees of U.S. Expediters, Inc. and unaffiliated users of this website contribute and edit content that they think is of interest to the community. There is no warranty of any kind that the information contained on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is accurate. None of the individual contributors, system operators, developers, nor anyone else connected to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, can take any responsibility for the results or consequences of any attempt to use or adopt any of the information presented on this web site. None of the contributors, sponsors, administrators, or anyone else connected with the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki in any way whatsoever can be responsible for the appearance of any inaccurate or libelous information or for your use of the information contained in or linked from the web pages contained within the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== No Medical Advice; No Guarantees ===
You recognize and agree that the content made available through CPAPtalk.com is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be taken, and should not in any way be construed as; medical advice, or counseling, or as the practice of medicine, or as the creation of a physician-patient relationship with CPAPtalk.com. Users should never use any CPAPtalk.com resources in place of seeking professional advice from a licensed medical practitioner. We make no guarantees, promises, or predictions of success regarding any of the services or resources offered through CPAPtalk.com.

== Final Arbiter ==
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki users play a role in determining what should be included in the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and what should or should not happen on this website, it is owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., which reserves the right at their sole discretion, to be the final arbiter about any aspect of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

== Copyright Information ==
Do not submit copyrighted material without permission. When adding information to articles, make sure it is written in your own words. Remember that all information found on the Internet is copyrighted unless the website specifically states otherwise.

=== Images ===
==== CPAP.com Images ====
U.S. Expediters, Inc., owners of [https://www.cpap.com CPAP.com], [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com], and [http://www.cpapauction.com CPAPAuction.com], agrees to allow members of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki to upload images here from CPAP.com that have the CPAP.com watermark embedded on them, which indicates the copyright is held by U.S. Expediters, Inc. These images may be used in articles on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. They should not be used outside of CPAPtalk.com, CPAP.com, CPAPAuction.com, or other Sites owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., unless written permission is requested and granted.

==== Other Images ====
Other images from CPAP.com that do not have the CPAP.com watermark are usually 3rd party images, typically provided by the manufacturer for marketing purposes and will not be allowed here on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

Images that you do not own the copyright to, or that are not in the public domain, are not allowed to be uploaded here.

You may submit your own images if you own the copyright to those images.

=== Copyright Violations ===
If you believe that any content on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki website infringes your rights, you can send a written complaint to CPAPtalk.com at 9100 Southwest Freeway, Suite 135, Houston, Texas 77074, which '''MUST''' contain the following information in order to be processed by us:

* Your Name
* Your Mailing Address
* Your Email Address
* Your Phone Number (day)
* Your Phone Number (evening) or Cell Phone Number
* Exact URL of objectionable content
* Detailed explanation regarding the nature of Your complaint
* Does the content infringe your copyrights or other rights? If so, explain which rights and how they are infringed
* Does the content contain libel or slander? If so, explain

Upon receipt of a complaint with this information we may, at our sole discretion, take down the objectionable content. If we do not react to your complaint, please feel free to follow-up with us, but please note that such inaction on our side does not constitute taking a position either way. This website is provided free of charge and we will try to do our best within our capacity and resources to address any concerns users and third parties may have.

== See also ==
*[[CpapWiki:What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not|What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not]]
*[[CpapWiki:Privacy_policy|CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki Privacy Policy]]
*[[CpapWiki:About|About the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki]]

CpapWiki:What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not

2008-10-24T20:55:17Z

Sleeppunk: /* See also */

{{guideline}}
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is an online knowledge-base of information and articles pertaining to CPAP use and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. As a means to that end, it is also an online community. Therefore, there are some things that the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki '''is not'''. Above all, use common sense.
== Content ==

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not made of paper ===
This may seem obvious. The main point is that this wiki is potentially limitless, and includes formatting and links typically not found in paper publications, and is dynamically created by many people. However, there is a big difference between what can be done and what should reasonably be carried out.

Keep in mind the primary scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is on articles pertaining to CPAP usage, and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. This is not the place for articles about unrelated topics. Refer to the [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]] and [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]], as needed.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, podium, or pulpit ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, pulpit, podium, or an outlet for advertising, self-promotion, recruitment of any kind (commercial, political, religious, or other), rumors, or editorial opinion pieces.

* '''Advertising''' (of any kind;commercial or non-commercial) is not acceptable on this wiki. Inserting links to external websites just to promote your business or product(s) is not the intended use of this site and will not be tolerated. Writing or editing articles to promote your business, organization, events, product(s), self, or other things you may be involved in personally or directly, is not recommended. External links to major commercial organizations are acceptable if they identify major organizations related to that article. Articles about notable companies should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view guidelines]].

* '''Recruiting''' people for your business, project, organization, religion, political party, other website, or for any other reason, is not the intended use of this wiki. Please do not engage in this kind of behavior.

* '''Editorial opinion pieces''' are not the intended use of this wiki. Articles should be unbiased and strive for a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV]]. If you want to share your biased opinions or personal pet views, consider going to the [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum], or another website on the internet.

* '''Self-promotion''' is not the reason this wiki is here. While it is tempting to write about a company you work for, or about yourself, or things you are involved in, it is difficult to remain objective. Therefore, it is recommended that you do not write about these type of things that you are directly involved in so that a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view]] might be accomplished.

* '''Rumors''' are not acceptable here and this is not the place to write about or speculate over future events or products. It is also not the place to write rumors about people, companies, or organizations that may constitute libel, or slander.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, or image and media storage site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, image hosting site, or storage site for other files, or media.

* This wiki is not the place to make long lists of links to external websites, or upload images that will not be used in an article.
* It is not a place to replicate another website (or portion thereof) as a mirror site.
* It should not be used as personal web storage space for files, lists, images, and the like.
* This is also not the place to dump or copy large portions of information from public domain sources.

There are many other websites on the internet that can be used for these kinds of activities.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a webspace provider or social networking site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a social networking site like [http://www.myspace.com MySpace] or [http://www.facebook.com Facebook]. While there are certainly social aspects to a collaborative project, the pages here, including user pages, are intended to help the community collaborate on building and improving the wiki for the benefit of CPAP users, and others who visit the wiki. You may not host your own website here or build your own wiki here. There are many other websites on the internet that provide webhosting, social networking, and wiki spaces, either for free, or for a fee. Again, this is not a file hosting website. Uploaded images should be used in relevant articles on the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not censored ===
Articles and pages on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki can be edited or created by just about anyone, and the changes show up instantaneously, once submitted. For this reason, some readers may see content that they consider offensive or objectionable. So, the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki cannot guarantee that content here will always be acceptable to everyone, or adhere to your social (or religious) norms and standards, ideas, personal viewpoints, or beliefs.

Inappropriate content (links to porn sites, profanity, hate words, etc.) is typically the work of vandalism and is often removed quickly by members or Sysops of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Content that is judged to be in violation of the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], and the general policies and guidelines of CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, will be removed.

There could be content here that may be offensive to some users (information, ideas, concepts, text, images, links, language, people), but relevant to an article within the scope of the wiki. Discussions about controversial content should focus not so much on the possible offensiveness of the content, but whether or not it is appropriate and important to the article.

You must be 18 years of age, or older as mentioned in the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], to use this website.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not medical advice ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a doctor or medical practitioner. This site is largely created and edited by its members who are mostly not in the medical profession. Even if the information is accurate, or is written in part or completely by a medical professional (doctor, nurse, pharmacist, etc.), or someone claiming to be a medical professional, it may not apply to your particular situation.

For more information see [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer#Use_This_Site_At_Your_Own_Risk|this disclaimer]].

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information. Instead, it is an organized collection of articles relevant to the scope of this wiki and of interest to the CPAPtalk.com community. There are also guidelines to be aware of when writing articles here. Therefore, articles should typically not just be:

* '''Lists''' of statistics, websites, phone numbers, addresses, genealogical entries, directories, etc. While there are lists that may be incorporated into an article because the information is relevant to the topic, articles which are simply long lists should be avoided. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the yellow pages and it is not an internet guide or listing service.
* '''Scientific papers''' are not appropriate here on the wiki, because articles need to be written with a wider audience in mind, and scientific papers are often difficult for the lay audience. However, research papers and scientific journals may be used as a reference, or citation, or there may be cases where an external link to such material might be appropriate.
* '''Sales information''' is not the intended use of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Nor is it intended to be a place used for conducting business. Articles about products should not list pricing information unless there is some kind of historical or notable significance to mentioning pricing. Articles should not be a list of products you or your organization sells, and should also not contain sales pitches or be slanted with bias towards trying to promote the product. Articles should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV guidelines]].
* '''FAQ formats''' should usually not be used here on the wiki. Articles should be presented in a more formal manner. Exceptions are the [[CPAP_FAQs|CPAP FAQs]] page, and the [[Help:FAQs|Help FAQs]] page, as well as pages designed to help members utilize and improve the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a news service ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the place to write articles covering current events or news. This is also not the place to self-promote, or write about an event you are personally involved in. There may be news or events, on occasion, that are noteworthy and relevant to an article in which case it should be mentioned or referred to in the appropriate article, and cited as a reference.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dictionary ===
The CPAPtalk.com is not a dictionary. Therefore, articles here should start by defining the topic with a quality description of the subject matter, and then expand on other aspects of the topic with relevant information. If an article is simply a definition and nothing more, then it should be expanded upon if at all possible. Avoid making lists of words, or glossaries.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not Wikipedia ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki has some elements that are similar to [http://wikipedia.org/ Wikipedia], the two websites are different in scope, policies, and style. Wikipedia is universal in scope and is constructed in an encyclopedic nature. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is limited in scope and does not exactly fall under the definition of ''encylopedia''. Wikipedia also has different rules, policies and guidelines, and in particular, they have different rules about user submissions and usage of content, as well as many other variations from the policies and guidelines set forth here on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

* A lot may be learned from Wikipedia, but articles should not be copied or imported here from any of the Wikipedia family of websites (or any other source). Nor should articles here be copied to Wikipedia, or any other place.

* See the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]] for more information about ''User Submissions and Content License'' and ''Usage of Content'' from this website.

* There may be times when linking to information on Wikipedia may be appropriate in an article here. For example, if the article topic is not within the scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and therefore should not be created here, but the information about said topic would be useful in relation to another article that is appropriate here, then placing an external link to the Wikipedia article might be appropriate.

== Community ==

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum or message board. While there are places here to discuss and collaborate for the purpose of writing and improving articles, and for the construction and general maintenance of the wiki, this is not a forum open for discussions about anything and everything.

* Avoid taking discussions into the articles themselves.
* Use the user talk pages, and appropriate article talk pages to resolve issues involved in writing or improving articles on the wiki.
* Talk pages exist for the purpose of improving articles and are not general discussion pages about the topic.
* Talk pages are also not a technical help desk for support or instructional assistance about the subject.

The [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum] is a discussion forum for CPAP users. There are also many other places on the web that may be used as discussion forums.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a battlefield ===
All CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki users are expected to treat each other with respect and have an attitude of cooperative kindness towards the goal of improving the wiki. It is not appropriate to make threats, hold grudges, create conflict or drama, or personally attack, harass, insult, or attempt to instill fear or hatred in others here. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated and a user may be blocked or banned as a result of engaging in these type of activities.

Try to treat others the same way you would like to be treated. If conflict does occur, stay calm and use intelligent and polite discussion to resolve the matter. If another user does not follow these guidelines, that does not give you rationalization to retaliate.

Creating or modifying articles here with the intention of making or point or in response to a conflict or disagreement with someone (or something) here is not acceptable. Do not engage in edit wars.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dating website ===
This is not the appropriate place to discuss or pursue your personal relationship or sexual desires, sexual preferences, or try to make advances towards other members. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated. There are many other places, online and offline, that would be better suited for these purposes.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy. Nor is it a political or social experiment. The primary means of determining consensus is through editing and discussing articles, not voting. While editors may occasionally use straw polls or surveys to check for consensus, this is generally discouraged and may actually impede the process of improving the article.

While the members here play a very large role in determining what should be included in the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and what should or should not happen on this website, it is owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., which reserves the right at their sole discretion, to be the final arbiter about any aspect of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not an anarchy ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is relatively free and open for the purposes of building a dynamic website with information for CPAP users and those afflicted with Obstructive Sleep Apnea, it restricts both freedom and openness where it may interfere with that purpose. Even though the wiki is self-governing to a large degree, the idea here is not to push the limits of or experiment with anarchy, but to focus on the task of improving the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a viral marketing site ===
This is not the place to attempt to market anything, for any reason, in any way shape or form, viral or otherwise.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest. Simply put, this wiki is not here to see who has the most edits, or knowledge, or intelligence, or who can win and get their way, or make the fastest improvements, or become Sysop, or any other type of competitive self-aggrandizing game or contest.

Whether a member simply reads articles, or makes minor edits once in awhile, or is a master writer and editor, or an expert on a topic, or is a Sysop, or contributes in other ways to the wiki, does not really matter and does not make one member better than another. The fact is that people contribute in their own way, at their own pace, and in their own time. Not everyone wants to get involved and there are many users who mainly read articles for informational purposes. Members should not criticize each other for not contributing to the wiki and should try to keep a healthy attitude and perspective towards individual contributions, large and small, including their own contributions.

If you start feeling like working on the wiki is a competition, contest, or something you are becoming obsessed with to your own detriment, or that you may be using to escape from real life, then consider taking a break from the wiki.

== See also ==
* [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]]
* [[CpapWiki:About|About the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki]]
* [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]]
* [[CpapWiki:Administrators|CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki Administrators]]
* [[Help:Contents|Help Contents]]
* [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer|General Disclaimers]]

CpapWiki:What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not

2008-10-24T20:54:41Z

Sleeppunk: /* The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy */

{{guideline}}
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is an online knowledge-base of information and articles pertaining to CPAP use and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. As a means to that end, it is also an online community. Therefore, there are some things that the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki '''is not'''. Above all, use common sense.
== Content ==

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not made of paper ===
This may seem obvious. The main point is that this wiki is potentially limitless, and includes formatting and links typically not found in paper publications, and is dynamically created by many people. However, there is a big difference between what can be done and what should reasonably be carried out.

Keep in mind the primary scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is on articles pertaining to CPAP usage, and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. This is not the place for articles about unrelated topics. Refer to the [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]] and [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]], as needed.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, podium, or pulpit ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, pulpit, podium, or an outlet for advertising, self-promotion, recruitment of any kind (commercial, political, religious, or other), rumors, or editorial opinion pieces.

* '''Advertising''' (of any kind;commercial or non-commercial) is not acceptable on this wiki. Inserting links to external websites just to promote your business or product(s) is not the intended use of this site and will not be tolerated. Writing or editing articles to promote your business, organization, events, product(s), self, or other things you may be involved in personally or directly, is not recommended. External links to major commercial organizations are acceptable if they identify major organizations related to that article. Articles about notable companies should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view guidelines]].

* '''Recruiting''' people for your business, project, organization, religion, political party, other website, or for any other reason, is not the intended use of this wiki. Please do not engage in this kind of behavior.

* '''Editorial opinion pieces''' are not the intended use of this wiki. Articles should be unbiased and strive for a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV]]. If you want to share your biased opinions or personal pet views, consider going to the [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum], or another website on the internet.

* '''Self-promotion''' is not the reason this wiki is here. While it is tempting to write about a company you work for, or about yourself, or things you are involved in, it is difficult to remain objective. Therefore, it is recommended that you do not write about these type of things that you are directly involved in so that a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view]] might be accomplished.

* '''Rumors''' are not acceptable here and this is not the place to write about or speculate over future events or products. It is also not the place to write rumors about people, companies, or organizations that may constitute libel, or slander.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, or image and media storage site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, image hosting site, or storage site for other files, or media.

* This wiki is not the place to make long lists of links to external websites, or upload images that will not be used in an article.
* It is not a place to replicate another website (or portion thereof) as a mirror site.
* It should not be used as personal web storage space for files, lists, images, and the like.
* This is also not the place to dump or copy large portions of information from public domain sources.

There are many other websites on the internet that can be used for these kinds of activities.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a webspace provider or social networking site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a social networking site like [http://www.myspace.com MySpace] or [http://www.facebook.com Facebook]. While there are certainly social aspects to a collaborative project, the pages here, including user pages, are intended to help the community collaborate on building and improving the wiki for the benefit of CPAP users, and others who visit the wiki. You may not host your own website here or build your own wiki here. There are many other websites on the internet that provide webhosting, social networking, and wiki spaces, either for free, or for a fee. Again, this is not a file hosting website. Uploaded images should be used in relevant articles on the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not censored ===
Articles and pages on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki can be edited or created by just about anyone, and the changes show up instantaneously, once submitted. For this reason, some readers may see content that they consider offensive or objectionable. So, the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki cannot guarantee that content here will always be acceptable to everyone, or adhere to your social (or religious) norms and standards, ideas, personal viewpoints, or beliefs.

Inappropriate content (links to porn sites, profanity, hate words, etc.) is typically the work of vandalism and is often removed quickly by members or Sysops of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Content that is judged to be in violation of the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], and the general policies and guidelines of CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, will be removed.

There could be content here that may be offensive to some users (information, ideas, concepts, text, images, links, language, people), but relevant to an article within the scope of the wiki. Discussions about controversial content should focus not so much on the possible offensiveness of the content, but whether or not it is appropriate and important to the article.

You must be 18 years of age, or older as mentioned in the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], to use this website.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not medical advice ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a doctor or medical practitioner. This site is largely created and edited by its members who are mostly not in the medical profession. Even if the information is accurate, or is written in part or completely by a medical professional (doctor, nurse, pharmacist, etc.), or someone claiming to be a medical professional, it may not apply to your particular situation.

For more information see [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer#Use_This_Site_At_Your_Own_Risk|this disclaimer]].

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information. Instead, it is an organized collection of articles relevant to the scope of this wiki and of interest to the CPAPtalk.com community. There are also guidelines to be aware of when writing articles here. Therefore, articles should typically not just be:

* '''Lists''' of statistics, websites, phone numbers, addresses, genealogical entries, directories, etc. While there are lists that may be incorporated into an article because the information is relevant to the topic, articles which are simply long lists should be avoided. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the yellow pages and it is not an internet guide or listing service.
* '''Scientific papers''' are not appropriate here on the wiki, because articles need to be written with a wider audience in mind, and scientific papers are often difficult for the lay audience. However, research papers and scientific journals may be used as a reference, or citation, or there may be cases where an external link to such material might be appropriate.
* '''Sales information''' is not the intended use of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Nor is it intended to be a place used for conducting business. Articles about products should not list pricing information unless there is some kind of historical or notable significance to mentioning pricing. Articles should not be a list of products you or your organization sells, and should also not contain sales pitches or be slanted with bias towards trying to promote the product. Articles should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV guidelines]].
* '''FAQ formats''' should usually not be used here on the wiki. Articles should be presented in a more formal manner. Exceptions are the [[CPAP_FAQs|CPAP FAQs]] page, and the [[Help:FAQs|Help FAQs]] page, as well as pages designed to help members utilize and improve the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a news service ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the place to write articles covering current events or news. This is also not the place to self-promote, or write about an event you are personally involved in. There may be news or events, on occasion, that are noteworthy and relevant to an article in which case it should be mentioned or referred to in the appropriate article, and cited as a reference.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dictionary ===
The CPAPtalk.com is not a dictionary. Therefore, articles here should start by defining the topic with a quality description of the subject matter, and then expand on other aspects of the topic with relevant information. If an article is simply a definition and nothing more, then it should be expanded upon if at all possible. Avoid making lists of words, or glossaries.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not Wikipedia ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki has some elements that are similar to [http://wikipedia.org/ Wikipedia], the two websites are different in scope, policies, and style. Wikipedia is universal in scope and is constructed in an encyclopedic nature. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is limited in scope and does not exactly fall under the definition of ''encylopedia''. Wikipedia also has different rules, policies and guidelines, and in particular, they have different rules about user submissions and usage of content, as well as many other variations from the policies and guidelines set forth here on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

* A lot may be learned from Wikipedia, but articles should not be copied or imported here from any of the Wikipedia family of websites (or any other source). Nor should articles here be copied to Wikipedia, or any other place.

* See the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]] for more information about ''User Submissions and Content License'' and ''Usage of Content'' from this website.

* There may be times when linking to information on Wikipedia may be appropriate in an article here. For example, if the article topic is not within the scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and therefore should not be created here, but the information about said topic would be useful in relation to another article that is appropriate here, then placing an external link to the Wikipedia article might be appropriate.

== Community ==

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum or message board. While there are places here to discuss and collaborate for the purpose of writing and improving articles, and for the construction and general maintenance of the wiki, this is not a forum open for discussions about anything and everything.

* Avoid taking discussions into the articles themselves.
* Use the user talk pages, and appropriate article talk pages to resolve issues involved in writing or improving articles on the wiki.
* Talk pages exist for the purpose of improving articles and are not general discussion pages about the topic.
* Talk pages are also not a technical help desk for support or instructional assistance about the subject.

The [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum] is a discussion forum for CPAP users. There are also many other places on the web that may be used as discussion forums.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a battlefield ===
All CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki users are expected to treat each other with respect and have an attitude of cooperative kindness towards the goal of improving the wiki. It is not appropriate to make threats, hold grudges, create conflict or drama, or personally attack, harass, insult, or attempt to instill fear or hatred in others here. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated and a user may be blocked or banned as a result of engaging in these type of activities.

Try to treat others the same way you would like to be treated. If conflict does occur, stay calm and use intelligent and polite discussion to resolve the matter. If another user does not follow these guidelines, that does not give you rationalization to retaliate.

Creating or modifying articles here with the intention of making or point or in response to a conflict or disagreement with someone (or something) here is not acceptable. Do not engage in edit wars.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dating website ===
This is not the appropriate place to discuss or pursue your personal relationship or sexual desires, sexual preferences, or try to make advances towards other members. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated. There are many other places, online and offline, that would be better suited for these purposes.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy. Nor is it a political or social experiment. The primary means of determining consensus is through editing and discussing articles, not voting. While editors may occasionally use straw polls or surveys to check for consensus, this is generally discouraged and may actually impede the process of improving the article.

While the members here play a very large role in determining what should be included in the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and what should or should not happen on this website, it is owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., which reserves the right at their sole discretion, to be the final arbiter about any aspect of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not an anarchy ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is relatively free and open for the purposes of building a dynamic website with information for CPAP users and those afflicted with Obstructive Sleep Apnea, it restricts both freedom and openness where it may interfere with that purpose. Even though the wiki is self-governing to a large degree, the idea here is not to push the limits of or experiment with anarchy, but to focus on the task of improving the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a viral marketing site ===
This is not the place to attempt to market anything, for any reason, in any way shape or form, viral or otherwise.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest. Simply put, this wiki is not here to see who has the most edits, or knowledge, or intelligence, or who can win and get their way, or make the fastest improvements, or become Sysop, or any other type of competitive self-aggrandizing game or contest.

Whether a member simply reads articles, or makes minor edits once in awhile, or is a master writer and editor, or an expert on a topic, or is a Sysop, or contributes in other ways to the wiki, does not really matter and does not make one member better than another. The fact is that people contribute in their own way, at their own pace, and in their own time. Not everyone wants to get involved and there are many users who mainly read articles for informational purposes. Members should not criticize each other for not contributing to the wiki and should try to keep a healthy attitude and perspective towards individual contributions, large and small, including their own contributions.

If you start feeling like working on the wiki is a competition, contest, or something you are becoming obsessed with to your own detriment, or that you may be using to escape from real life, then consider taking a break from the wiki.

== See also ==
* [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]]
* [[CpapWiki:About|About the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki]]
* [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]]
* [[CpapWiki:Administrators|CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki Administrators]]
* [[Help:Contents|Help Contents]]

CpapWiki:General disclaimer

2008-10-24T20:53:41Z

Sleeppunk:

== Disclaimers ==
Here are some general disclaimers regarding the [[CpapWiki:About|'''CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki''']].

== Indentification ==
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki may be identified by any webpage that begins with http://www.cpaptalk.com/wiki/ in the URL.

== User Agreement ==
These disclaimers are in addition to and incorporated into the entire [http://www.cpaptalk.com/user-agreement.php CPAPtalk.com User Agreement].

== Use This Site At Your Own Risk ==
You are using this website at your own risk. U.S. Expediters, Inc. is not responsible for any content on this website and does not endorse it. Individual employees of U.S. Expediters, Inc. and unaffiliated users of this website contribute and edit content that they think is of interest to the community. There is no warranty of any kind that the information contained on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is accurate. None of the individual contributors, system operators, developers, nor anyone else connected to the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, can take any responsibility for the results or consequences of any attempt to use or adopt any of the information presented on this web site.

=== No Medical Advice; No Guarantees ===
You recognize and agree that the content made available through CPAPtalk.com is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be taken, and should not in any way be construed as; medical advice, or counseling, or as the practice of medicine, or as the creation of a physician-patient relationship with CPAPtalk.com. Users should never use any CPAPtalk.com resources in place of seeking professional advice from a licensed medical practitioner. We make no guarantees, promises, or predictions of success regarding any of the services or resources offered through CPAPtalk.com.

== Final Arbiter ==
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki users play a role in determining what should be included in the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and what should or should not happen on this website, it is owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., which reserves the right at their sole discretion, to be the final arbiter about any aspect of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

== Copyright Information ==
Do not submit copyrighted material without permission. When adding information to articles, make sure it is written in your own words. Remember that all information found on the Internet is copyrighted unless the website specifically states otherwise.

=== Images ===
==== CPAP.com Images ====
U.S. Expediters, Inc., owners of [https://www.cpap.com CPAP.com], [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com], and [http://www.cpapauction.com CPAPAuction.com], agrees to allow members of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki to upload images here from CPAP.com that have the CPAP.com watermark embedded on them, which indicates the copyright is held by U.S. Expediters, Inc. These images may be used in articles on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. They should not be used outside of CPAPtalk.com, CPAP.com, CPAPAuction.com, or other Sites owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., unless written permission is requested and granted.

==== Other Images ====
Other images from CPAP.com that do not have the CPAP.com watermark are usually 3rd party images, typically provided by the manufacturer for marketing purposes and will not be allowed here on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

Images that you do not own the copyright to, or that are not in the public domain, are not allowed to be uploaded here.

You may submit your own images if you own the copyright to those images.

=== Copyright Violations ===
If you believe that any content on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki website infringes your rights, you can send a written complaint to CPAPtalk.com at 9100 Southwest Freeway, Suite 135, Houston, Texas 77074, which '''MUST''' contain the following information in order to be processed by us:

* Your Name
* Your Mailing Address
* Your Email Address
* Your Phone Number (day)
* Your Phone Number (evening) or Cell Phone Number
* Exact URL of objectionable content
* Detailed explanation regarding the nature of Your complaint
* Does the content infringe your copyrights or other rights? If so, explain which rights and how they are infringed
* Does the content contain libel or slander? If so, explain

Upon receipt of a complaint with this information we may, at our sole discretion, take down the objectionable content. If we do not react to your complaint, please feel free to follow-up with us, but please note that such inaction on our side does not constitute taking a position either way. This website is provided free of charge and we will try to do our best within our capacity and resources to address any concerns users and third parties may have.

== See also ==
*[[CpapWiki:What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not|What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not]]
*[[CpapWiki:Privacy_policy|CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki Privacy Policy]]
*[[CpapWiki:About|About the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki]]

CpapWiki:What the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not

2008-10-24T20:45:43Z

Sleeppunk: /* The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest */

{{guideline}}
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is an online knowledge-base of information and articles pertaining to CPAP use and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. As a means to that end, it is also an online community. Therefore, there are some things that the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki '''is not'''. Above all, use common sense.
== Content ==

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not made of paper ===
This may seem obvious. The main point is that this wiki is potentially limitless, and includes formatting and links typically not found in paper publications, and is dynamically created by many people. However, there is a big difference between what can be done and what should reasonably be carried out.

Keep in mind the primary scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is on articles pertaining to CPAP usage, and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. This is not the place for articles about unrelated topics. Refer to the [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]] and [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]], as needed.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, podium, or pulpit ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a soapbox, pulpit, podium, or an outlet for advertising, self-promotion, recruitment of any kind (commercial, political, religious, or other), rumors, or editorial opinion pieces.

* '''Advertising''' (of any kind;commercial or non-commercial) is not acceptable on this wiki. Inserting links to external websites just to promote your business or product(s) is not the intended use of this site and will not be tolerated. Writing or editing articles to promote your business, organization, events, product(s), self, or other things you may be involved in personally or directly, is not recommended. External links to major commercial organizations are acceptable if they identify major organizations related to that article. Articles about notable companies should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view guidelines]].

* '''Recruiting''' people for your business, project, organization, religion, political party, other website, or for any other reason, is not the intended use of this wiki. Please do not engage in this kind of behavior.

* '''Editorial opinion pieces''' are not the intended use of this wiki. Articles should be unbiased and strive for a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV]]. If you want to share your biased opinions or personal pet views, consider going to the [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum], or another website on the internet.

* '''Self-promotion''' is not the reason this wiki is here. While it is tempting to write about a company you work for, or about yourself, or things you are involved in, it is difficult to remain objective. Therefore, it is recommended that you do not write about these type of things that you are directly involved in so that a [[CpapWiki:NPOV|neutral point of view]] might be accomplished.

* '''Rumors''' are not acceptable here and this is not the place to write about or speculate over future events or products. It is also not the place to write rumors about people, companies, or organizations that may constitute libel, or slander.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, or image and media storage site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a link farm, image hosting site, or storage site for other files, or media.

* This wiki is not the place to make long lists of links to external websites, or upload images that will not be used in an article.
* It is not a place to replicate another website (or portion thereof) as a mirror site.
* It should not be used as personal web storage space for files, lists, images, and the like.
* This is also not the place to dump or copy large portions of information from public domain sources.

There are many other websites on the internet that can be used for these kinds of activities.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a webspace provider or social networking site ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a social networking site like [http://www.myspace.com MySpace] or [http://www.facebook.com Facebook]. While there are certainly social aspects to a collaborative project, the pages here, including user pages, are intended to help the community collaborate on building and improving the wiki for the benefit of CPAP users, and others who visit the wiki. You may not host your own website here or build your own wiki here. There are many other websites on the internet that provide webhosting, social networking, and wiki spaces, either for free, or for a fee. Again, this is not a file hosting website. Uploaded images should be used in relevant articles on the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not censored ===
Articles and pages on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki can be edited or created by just about anyone, and the changes show up instantaneously, once submitted. For this reason, some readers may see content that they consider offensive or objectionable. So, the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki cannot guarantee that content here will always be acceptable to everyone, or adhere to your social (or religious) norms and standards, ideas, personal viewpoints, or beliefs.

Inappropriate content (links to porn sites, profanity, hate words, etc.) is typically the work of vandalism and is often removed quickly by members or Sysops of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Content that is judged to be in violation of the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], and the general policies and guidelines of CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, will be removed.

There could be content here that may be offensive to some users (information, ideas, concepts, text, images, links, language, people), but relevant to an article within the scope of the wiki. Discussions about controversial content should focus not so much on the possible offensiveness of the content, but whether or not it is appropriate and important to the article.

You must be 18 years of age, or older as mentioned in the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]], to use this website.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not medical advice ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a doctor or medical practitioner. This site is largely created and edited by its members who are mostly not in the medical profession. Even if the information is accurate, or is written in part or completely by a medical professional (doctor, nurse, pharmacist, etc.), or someone claiming to be a medical professional, it may not apply to your particular situation.

For more information see [[CpapWiki:General_disclaimer#Use_This_Site_At_Your_Own_Risk|this disclaimer]].

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a random compilation of information. Instead, it is an organized collection of articles relevant to the scope of this wiki and of interest to the CPAPtalk.com community. There are also guidelines to be aware of when writing articles here. Therefore, articles should typically not just be:

* '''Lists''' of statistics, websites, phone numbers, addresses, genealogical entries, directories, etc. While there are lists that may be incorporated into an article because the information is relevant to the topic, articles which are simply long lists should be avoided. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the yellow pages and it is not an internet guide or listing service.
* '''Scientific papers''' are not appropriate here on the wiki, because articles need to be written with a wider audience in mind, and scientific papers are often difficult for the lay audience. However, research papers and scientific journals may be used as a reference, or citation, or there may be cases where an external link to such material might be appropriate.
* '''Sales information''' is not the intended use of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki. Nor is it intended to be a place used for conducting business. Articles about products should not list pricing information unless there is some kind of historical or notable significance to mentioning pricing. Articles should not be a list of products you or your organization sells, and should also not contain sales pitches or be slanted with bias towards trying to promote the product. Articles should follow the [[CpapWiki:NPOV|NPOV guidelines]].
* '''FAQ formats''' should usually not be used here on the wiki. Articles should be presented in a more formal manner. Exceptions are the [[CPAP_FAQs|CPAP FAQs]] page, and the [[Help:FAQs|Help FAQs]] page, as well as pages designed to help members utilize and improve the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a news service ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not the place to write articles covering current events or news. This is also not the place to self-promote, or write about an event you are personally involved in. There may be news or events, on occasion, that are noteworthy and relevant to an article in which case it should be mentioned or referred to in the appropriate article, and cited as a reference.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dictionary ===
The CPAPtalk.com is not a dictionary. Therefore, articles here should start by defining the topic with a quality description of the subject matter, and then expand on other aspects of the topic with relevant information. If an article is simply a definition and nothing more, then it should be expanded upon if at all possible. Avoid making lists of words, or glossaries.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not Wikipedia ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki has some elements that are similar to [http://wikipedia.org/ Wikipedia], the two websites are different in scope, policies, and style. Wikipedia is universal in scope and is constructed in an encyclopedic nature. The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is limited in scope and does not exactly fall under the definition of ''encylopedia''. Wikipedia also has different rules, policies and guidelines, and in particular, they have different rules about user submissions and usage of content, as well as many other variations from the policies and guidelines set forth here on the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

* A lot may be learned from Wikipedia, but articles should not be copied or imported here from any of the Wikipedia family of websites (or any other source). Nor should articles here be copied to Wikipedia, or any other place.

* See the [[CpapWiki:User agreement|CPAPtalk.com User Agreement]] for more information about ''User Submissions and Content License'' and ''Usage of Content'' from this website.

* There may be times when linking to information on Wikipedia may be appropriate in an article here. For example, if the article topic is not within the scope of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and therefore should not be created here, but the information about said topic would be useful in relation to another article that is appropriate here, then placing an external link to the Wikipedia article might be appropriate.

== Community ==

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a discussion forum or message board. While there are places here to discuss and collaborate for the purpose of writing and improving articles, and for the construction and general maintenance of the wiki, this is not a forum open for discussions about anything and everything.

* Avoid taking discussions into the articles themselves.
* Use the user talk pages, and appropriate article talk pages to resolve issues involved in writing or improving articles on the wiki.
* Talk pages exist for the purpose of improving articles and are not general discussion pages about the topic.
* Talk pages are also not a technical help desk for support or instructional assistance about the subject.

The [http://www.cpaptalk.com CPAPtalk.com Forum] is a discussion forum for CPAP users. There are also many other places on the web that may be used as discussion forums.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a battlefield ===
All CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki users are expected to treat each other with respect and have an attitude of cooperative kindness towards the goal of improving the wiki. It is not appropriate to make threats, hold grudges, create conflict or drama, or personally attack, harass, insult, or attempt to instill fear or hatred in others here. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated and a user may be blocked or banned as a result of engaging in these type of activities.

Try to treat others the same way you would like to be treated. If conflict does occur, stay calm and use intelligent and polite discussion to resolve the matter. If another user does not follow these guidelines, that does not give you rationalization to retaliate.

Creating or modifying articles here with the intention of making or point or in response to a conflict or disagreement with someone (or something) here is not acceptable. Do not engage in edit wars.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a dating website ===
This is not the appropriate place to discuss or pursue your personal relationship or sexual desires, sexual preferences, or try to make advances towards other members. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated. There are many other places, online and offline, that would be better suited for these purposes.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a democracy. Nor is it a political or social experiment. The primary means of determining consensus is through editing and discussing articles, not voting. While editors may occasionally use straw polls or surveys to check for consensus, this is generally discouraged and may actually impede the process of improving the article.

While the members here play a very large role in determining what should be included in the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki, and what should or should not happen on this website, it is owned and operated by U.S. Expediters, Inc., who reserves the right, at their sole discretion, to be the final arbiter about any aspect of the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not an anarchy ===
While the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is relatively free and open for the purposes of building a dynamic website with information for CPAP users and those afflicted with Obstructive Sleep Apnea, it restricts both freedom and openness where it may interfere with that purpose. Even though the wiki is self-governing to a large degree, the idea here is not to push the limits of or experiment with anarchy, but to focus on the task of improving the wiki.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a viral marketing site ===
This is not the place to attempt to market anything, for any reason, in any way shape or form, viral or otherwise.

=== The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest ===
The CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki is not a competition or contest. Simply put, this wiki is not here to see who has the most edits, or knowledge, or intelligence, or who can win and get their way, or make the fastest improvements, or become Sysop, or any other type of competitive self-aggrandizing game or contest.

Whether a member simply reads articles, or makes minor edits once in awhile, or is a master writer and editor, or an expert on a topic, or is a Sysop, or contributes in other ways to the wiki, does not really matter and does not make one member better than another. The fact is that people contribute in their own way, at their own pace, and in their own time. Not everyone wants to get involved and there are many users who mainly read articles for informational purposes. Members should not criticize each other for not contributing to the wiki and should try to keep a healthy attitude and perspective towards individual contributions, large and small, including their own contributions.

If you start feeling like working on the wiki is a competition, contest, or something you are becoming obsessed with to your own detriment, or that you may be using to escape from real life, then consider taking a break from the wiki.

== See also ==
* [[CpapWiki:Neutral_point_of_view|NPOV guidelines]]
* [[CpapWiki:About|About the CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki]]
* [[CpapWiki:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]]
* [[CpapWiki:Administrators|CPAPtalk.com CPAP Wiki Administrators]]
* [[Help:Contents|Help Contents]]