VTS booths offer a hosting-and-promotional service for booth pages. The content and dynamic exhibits on those pages are generally up to each boothholder, but as in any community hosting site, especially with executable software options involved, some common sense policies must exist concerning:

• privacy -- to protect that of visitors to both sites;
• acceptable use -- which keep booths tasteful and reasonable;
• commerce -- aiding trade without harm to MESDA's tax status
• pricing -- for booths and all optional software features;
• training and help -- for all VTS software, optional or not;
• quality assurance -- ensures specs, manuals and code agree;
• installation -- of booths, options, and software upgrades;
• customer service -- for all purchasers of VTS features;
• revenue sharing -- among suppliers, brokers, hosts, etc.

Most of these issues arise during creation of any commercial web site, so reasonable and customary guidelines of taste, fair trade, and best practices are expected to resolve most issues, with management at Shadowcats, MESDA, and contributing MESDA working groups and SIGs seeking a general consensus on them. The sponsors of booths at this site, in practice, may also play a role.

Please stay tuned, and join in these policy discussions, which promise to be at times lively, educational, and fun.

Dan Corwin, R&D manager