Amiga.org
Amiga News and Community Announcements => Amiga News and Community Announcements => Amiga.org site announcements => Topic started by: on February 09, 2003, 07:45:51 PM
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New Posting Guidelines have been added. Some are VERY pertinent.
You can see the Posting Guidelines at the following URL:
http://amiga.org/modules/sections/index.php?op=viewarticle&artid=6 (http://amiga.org/modules/sections/index.php?op=viewarticle&artid=6)
New Guidelines
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------ Cardinal Rules ------
No posting about illegal activities
If you get drunk, that's fine. If you use drugs, that's fine. The moderators of this site aren't here to be your mother. We will not however tolerate excessive posting promoting drug use or other illegal activities. It's not funny, it's annoying, and it's unacceptable. This includes image posting. Moderators are free to use their discretion up to and including banning the account of the person responsible.
------ Compusory Rules ------
Don't Jump on newcomers there are NO stupid questions
These forums were created to answer the questions of people who are either curious about, or running Amiga computers. This includes both newly arrived as well as seasoned veterans. Therefore, please don't jump on anyone, but especially not on newcomers, for asking what you may feel are stupid questions. That is the purpose of these forums ... to have someone to turn to when you need to find answers. There are no stupid questions!
Remember you're in public
Feel free to publicly criticize ideas. If you have a personal comment to or about someone, we don't need to hear it. It doesn't concern us. Take personal items to e-mail.
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I agree, Aye Captain. :-)
Chris
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Yes , Sir!
:-D
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Sounds good to me :-)
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We are only posting here so we can post next to Darrin.
:-o
R&B....
:-P
P.S. That is great Wayne!
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LMFAO
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How about setting up a seperate forum for illegal activities?
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hmm you must have a lot of time on your hands bbrv..... Aint you like running a business or something? ;-)
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@ Paul_Gadd & Ryu
Heehee! Nice one guys!! :-D :-D :-D
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bbrv wrote:
We are only posting here so we can post next to Darrin.
:-o
R&B....
:-P
LOL. It must be my new aftershave ;-)
PS. I hope it's Raquel that likes it and not you Bill :-o
:-D
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:pint:
Erm, what did I miss here guys ? Have we had another attack of the trolls ?
Hic.......
:pint:
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Hey Wildman, you better take it easy. Your off to your wedding soon...;-)
This sure is alot more fun that the normal posts!
Just Bill :-D
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No, not yet. This is just a premtive strike. Lay down the ground rules before another trollfest or prevent one.
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bbrv wrote:
Hey Wildman, you better take it easy. Your off to your wedding soon...;-)
Tell me about it - I've been writing out invitations all weekend (I left them late, didn't I). The flights are booked, the boat is booked (who needs a church?), the photographer is booked and the bride-to-be still loves me. :-)
This sure is alot more fun that the normal posts!
Just Bill :-D
You're not kidding. There's so much flac flying around at the moment that I'm keeping my head firmly down. Besides, I just bought a half ownership of a ship in my town to start selling/repairing/upgrading computers. It's been a busy month...
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What was the last Troll Fest?
Hey, that sounds good. Wayne could put out a line in Troll Fest T-shirts.
What game used to have a green troll face on the box? Thats your Troll sorted. How about the text?
It was some sort of gothic-looking font, if it was a font.
I think it was Hermidal?:huh: :-? :huh:
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Dangit bill, *I* wanted to post next to Darrin!
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I know many people are hoping for an end to 'trolling'...and I am hoping for something related to that....and end to the relentless 'counter trolling'.
Whereby people try to shut down differing ideas by playing the 'troll' card.
Perhaps now, this will be put to rest...if the post hasn't been moderated, its not a troll post.
ooops, I think I just started the anti-counter trolling movement...... :-o :-o
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Congratulations on the wedding.
I got married last year. Critics will say we are still in our 'honeymoon' phase...well whatever it is, it rocks.
Best Wishes
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and i thought this would be old posting guidelines, which are common sense. :-D
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@mono,
First, posters here rarely demonstrate common sense :-) Secondly, in light of the first fact, I thought perhaps there was a need to write them down. :-)
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@paul-gadd
maybe we should sighn up on http://amigaworld.net/modules/news/ to post this type of stuff or keep it for www.ann.lu :-D
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MarkTime wrote:
Congratulations on the wedding.
I got married last year. Critics will say we are still in our 'honeymoon' phase...well whatever it is, it rocks.
Best Wishes
Thanks mate :-)
The only thing I'm not looking forward to is the flight. My fiance is an Aussie so we're having to fly from the USA to Perth via Malaysia. From the time we get on the first aircraft to the time we get off the last one is over 26 hours... and my laptop battery only lasts 3 hours!!!! :-o
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We will not however tolerate excessive posting promoting drug use or other illegal activities. It's not funny, it's annoying, and it's unacceptable.
Hooray! 420dude was beginning to get on my nerves, tbh.
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We will not however tolerate excessive posting promoting drug use or other illegal activities.
Of course posting about drug use is not illegal. If it were then the High Times magazine would have been shut down by now. Countless movies would have never been made. Freedom of expression and freedom of speech guarantee this as a legal right.
Of course you have every right to ban any form of expression or speech on your forum, I'm just pointing out that if you are doing it for legal reasons then you need not worry about it. Only if people were conspiring to commit an illegal act should you worry, ie: setting up drug deals or piracy transactions. Simply discussing or even advocating is perfectly legal in the US and most other countries.
Also, the No posting about illegal activities rule is very blanketing. Technically I couldn't mention the fact I like to speed when I drive or that I placed a bet on the Super Bowl (I didn't, just an example) or that I paid for a lap dance at the super bowl party (illegal in my part of the world for some stupid reason). If you simply want to stop 420Dude's advocating drugs then just make a rule that says "No Advocating Of Illegal Drug Use" and leave it at that.
And oh yeah, you should also remember that not all your users live in the US so what's illegal in the US might not be in other countries. You might wanna post a link to all the laws in your country or state so people can be informed of what illegal activites thet can't talk about. ;-)
I know people will think I'm being anal here but with rules you gotta be clear and not allow them to be open to ambiguity. I've participated on forums with MUCH tighter posting rules and had no problem with it, I just think the wording should be clearer. With statements like This includes image posting I wonder if pictures like this: :quickdraw: :smack: :whack: :ak47: and :destroy: break any rules as they seem to advocate violance. Obviously a bit of sarcasim there but I think I made my point.
- Mike
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Yes Sarge!
I agree Wayne. I`m right with you on this one.
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Mike,
Please don't be pedantic over this issue. There is a forest beyond the trees. The rule was posted in the form it is for two reasons.
1) Specific users have continually misused the forum to continually spread their "I'm stoned, you should be too" propoganda.
2) It's annoying to everyone around. Even those who consider these users to be funny find their posts annoying considering they are in EVERY TOPIC.
As such, I had to write it down. I cannot play "language police" and define every subtlety for the over 200 languages on the planet. The point, which you are well aware of is that this is not a place where anyone should feel free to continually post stories, comments and pictures of bongs, smoking, or getting high in every single topic they want to.
I was asked by over a dozen members to simply ban one specific person. Rather than to do that, I wrote the new rule, then issued a strong request, pointing out the new rule.
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Glaucus,
As I keep telling everyone, I happen to love this subject....so I will pontificate at great length, to everyone's chagrin, I'm sure...smiles
But while I can see the point you are trying to make, which is that not posting about illegal activities is overly broad....the examples you gave, I am not sure are impressive.
So you can't promote speeding, gambling, or lap dancing either....
uhmmm let me play devil's advocate and say 'good'. Those are all bad things, and this is an amiga website....(and I am playing devil's advocate...but its fun!)
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@Glaucus
I'm just pointing out that if you are doing it for legal reasons then you need not worry about it.
IMO it's not for fear of legal retribution, it's more along the lines of good taste and the overall theme of the site.
An off the cuff comment once and a while wont likely get moderated.
Posting "Hey I'm soo stoned, my dog is stoned, my gold fish is stoned, I have ganji comming out my ears, you should be stoned too, look at this pic of ganji" in every thread OT *WILL* get moderated.
While OT conversation is permitted, the line must be drawn somewhere.
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So you can't promote speeding, gambling, or lap dancing either....
Ah darn, I really love 2 of those 3 you mentioned ;-)
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redrumloa wrote:
So you can't promote speeding, gambling, or lap dancing either....
Ah darn, I really love 2 of those 3 you mentioned ;-)
In the spirit of Glaucus' "be specific" reply, I just gotta ask....So you "really love" giving lap dances?
I digress before I get moderated :-D
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Wayne wrote:
In the spirit of Glaucus' "be specific" reply, I just gotta ask....So you "really love" giving lap dances?
I digress before I get moderated :-D
/me blushes
ROFLOL now that would be an ugly sight!! :roflmao:
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I just find it's overkill to invoke such a blanketing rule because one single user made repeated posts about pot. Why not just directly address that issue and not ban discussion on all things illegal. I believe that if all off topic threads and posts are contained in the OT forum then there should be no problem at all.
Remember this web site is not just an Amiga discussion forum, but an outlet for the Amiga user community. This is how Wayne has described it to me. I believe OT discussion is an important part of this community and sometimes things are said that others will not agree with or even find offensive. Obviously rules will be needed to keep the place civil but we must be careful that the rules don't get in the way of the community.
I would like to see what Dude420's view on this is. Dude, would you consider refraining from posting about pot if Wayne deferred this rule? Just an idea.
- Mike
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I know many people are hoping for an end to 'trolling'...and I am hoping for something related to that....and end to the relentless 'counter trolling'.
I'll admit, I've been guilty of the latter one more than a few times. I realized something the other day, however, that it's an endless circle that only breeds criticism, and gives an excuse for more trolling.
So, I'm avoiding the agressive stance against these trolls, and letting them show how rediculous they are. Best to have debate between rational people.
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uhmmm let me play devil's advocate and say 'good'. Those are all bad things, and this is an amiga website....(and I am playing devil's advocate...but its fun!)
I'm usually the Devil's advocate as well, sometimes I even advocate the Devil! ;-)
Perhaps my examples weren't that great, but the more I read about this rule the more I realize that what it's really all about is that some individuals have been annoying by posting OT comments repeatedly. They'd be equally annoying if smoking pot was legal or if they were advocating something that is legal. For example if Dude posted about how he's drunk instead of high, or that we should all get plastered instead of stoned in every post, it would be just as annoying wouldn't? However it would pass this little rule as being drunk isn't illegal!
Anyway, my point is that it's not what Dude420 said but how he said it. Perhaps the rule makers are looking at it all wrong.
- Mike
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Being drunk in charge of a computer should be
illegal.
So should being angry, but then Neko wouldn't get
any work done ;-)
( sorry personal, ban me )
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@Darrin,
Wow, I had a similar experience visiting my wife's family in Ukraine. If I remember correctly it is about an 18 hour flight. Oh well, the laptop I brought was kind of important after I arrived, but I barely looked at it on the plane over....
The way over, went very quickly for me...somehow my mind was filled with thoughts of the trip. The plane back, well...I don't have good news for you there...that was the most freakin !@#$@ boring trip ever.....I wanted to climb out of my skin by the time it landed....
Well, I should be more comforting, but then I'd have to lie :-)
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I just find it's overkill to invoke such a blanketing rule
Did you read the rules before commenting? It's not a blanket rule per say. It's at the moderator's disgression. As I said a comment here and there within the context of a topic in question won't likely be touched. Over doing it and/or constantly putting it in OT threads will.
[color=FF0000]If you get drunk, that's fine. If you use drugs, that's fine. The moderators of this site aren't here to be your mother. We will not however tolerate excessive posting promoting drug use or other illegal activities. It's not funny, it's annoying, and it's unacceptable. Moderators are free to use their discretion up to and including banning the account of the person responsible.[/color][/b][/i]
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@Glaucus
They'd be equally annoying if smoking pot was legal or if they were advocating something that is legal.
WHOLLY COW SON!!!!
Now that point, at least to me, is dead on the mark.
I'm impressed.
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hmmm I told everyone this subject is interesting to me...I am fighting with myself here, to shut up! I don't want to be guilty of doing the same thing, that I'm about to criticize....
but....
it is interesting, the other post about the V.I.C. and Tim Rue would come up at this time.
The most controversial figures I ever knew when I was still on c.s.a.m was Tim Rue and George Noel....
and they were far more controversial than Dude420 will ever be.....
and interesting thing about them, is they almost never spoke about anything illegal.....indeed, they were almost never off topic either.
One talked about the V.I.C. for almost a decade now, which is an Amiga program and addresses computing concepts...and the other was more of a custom chips advocate....
They rarely ever strayed off topic. They could insult you in ways that are not personal attacks.
People are very passionate about these characters, even now...
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Did you read the rules before commenting? It's not a blanket rule per say. It's at the moderator's disgression. As I said a comment here and there within the context of a topic in question won't likely be touched. Over doing it and/or constantly putting it in OT threads will.
I believe I understand the spirit in which this rule was created in which is why I am questioning the wording. :-) I understand that if someone were to create a pot advocating thread in the OT forum it would mostly go un-noticed by most. I don't believe that this rule was created to prevent such discussions, yet the way it's worded one might think that is so. I've been around long enough to know where Wayne is comming from, others might not be.
However, I think what Wayne was trying to address; the repeated OT postings of particular users in Amiga related threads, has not been properly addressed by this rule. The fact that all the repeated OT postings were of an illegal subject is secondary, wouldn't you say? This rule can't be used to stop all annoying OT posts which tells me it's of little use as people who want to be annoying will simply find ways around it quite easily.
- Mike
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Mike,
You're getting waaaay too stuck on this. It doesn't matter.
Illegal activities.
- drugs
- prostitution
- credit card fraud
- illegal ROM hacking.
Just a few examples of what Illegal means here. Should I write out a different rule for each and every incidence? Could explode the list.
Please understand that just because speeding is against the law, doesn't mean you instantly go to jail for it. Likewise, I think it's fairly safe to say that most people here get away with "murder" where posts are concerned. These rules allow us the flexibility to make the necessary decisions to keep Amiga.org running correctly. Nothing more.
1) If it's not written in the guidelines, I cannot take action when needed without someone bitching about it.
2) If it IS written in the guidelines, and you're given fair warning, then you have no reason to bitch when you reap the consequences of your actions.
You know as well as I that I'm not about to throw someone off this site for saying "I'm stoned" right now, but if, in 420's case, you had 181 posts on this site where you were either stoned, or talking about getting stoned, or showing people images of getting stoned, ad nauseum, you would feel the same way I do.
If you have alternate verbage which makes you feel more comfortable (or eliminates whatever reason you are uncomfortable), then feel free to suggest it.
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ahhhh I'm hopless...
if I may suggest alternative verbage, 'No posting about illegal activities'...to 'no posts that promote illegal activities'
Presumably, you can talk about speeding...and be against it, and that would not be offensive.
The great thing about Mike, is he is only complaining about the rules on the front end...accurately understanding what a quagmire this whole business is.....after a while, the Mike's of this community will go quiet, and its another group that becomes the problem.
people who wanted the change in the first place...they will be the ones complaining like school children about every perceived violation over and over until one would want to throw their hands in the air....
or not...maybe that never happens....he,he,he
;-)
ok now I will force myself to go quiet...if I post here again, then I'm a big liar <---committing in public to shut up on this topic.
Good luck anyhow.
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Can we talk about Amigas now? This is starting to get creepy...
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Hey Wayne,
Well, I'm pretty sure this rule won't affect me much as I don't advocate illegal things anyway, but I am a tad bit worried about a slippery slope that might follow. Some people have been annoyed by repeated postings advocating pot, I also know that many people have been annoyed by much of the OT discussions in general, especially some of the recent political debates. I'm thinking it's only a matter of time before a new rule pops up banning political discussions or anything else others might find annoying.
If you have alternate verbage which makes you feel more comfortable (or eliminates whatever reason you are uncomfortable), then feel free to suggest it.
Well, for starters I think MarkTime's suggestion is far better and more realistic. I also think catagorizing it as a cardinal rule is overkill as you stated yourself that it's a rule that won't be enforced 100% of the time but only when someone get's out of hand. That to me is not a cardinal rule but more of a guideline. :-)
However I think something the following would work nicely:
Repeated Off Topic Posts or Advocacy Will Not Be Tolerated - Except perhaps in the OT forums. This would basically mean that people who like to advocate anything not related to the forum OR the thread itself my have their posts moderated. Threads that are off-topic may also be moderated or moved to the OT forum (as I am sure they already are). Repeat offenses of the above could get you a warning and eventually a ban.
The above would cover 420Dude's repeated off-topic posts in all Amiga related forums (or more clearly stated, all forums except the OT forum). However, if Dude decides to start advocating pot in an OT thread (in the OT forum) about politics and the middle east for exampe, then he would stand a chance of getting moderated as it would again be off topic to the thread itself.
So this way you give him a small outlet for his advocacy and keep the rest happy by keeping the OT pot references to an absolute minimum. Obviously you might want to re-word it a bit more clearly then I have, starting with a clear definition of what an off-topic post really is, but I think this approach stands a much better chance of addressing the problem at it's core.
- Mike
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@MarkTime
Congrats on your aniversary coming up, it only gets better. Been married 33 years this coming July, and it still"ROCKS!!!!" :-D :-D :-D
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@Wayne
Seems like plain old common sense, and plain old (sometimes missing today) common courticy. Think I misspelled courticy, but you get the point. :-D
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artman:
Kinda sad when you have to spell it out.
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Wayne_
Have read and respected all of your rules. However, you brought up the point about drunkenness, so one has to ask:
About hou many of these :pint: will one be allowed to post before one is arrested for public intoxication?
just askin' ;-)