Irishman
10-24-2007, 02:45 PM
Hello Utopians. With cmq's blessing, I have updated the forum rules to clarify some of the existing rules, to include rules here that may have been discussed elsewhere (e.g. ban circumvention), to account for changes that have taken place with the warning system, and to explain the "point system" for infractions and how they may vary on a case-by-case basis. Here they are: :intdown:
Utopia Rules
1. Use common sense.
2. Do not post anything unlawful including, but not limited to, hacking techniques, piracy techniques, illegal pornography, or illegal drug use. If posting something can get Utopia in trouble, your post will get you in trouble.
3. Do not be an ass. This encompasses many, many things including, but not limited to: TYPING IN ALL CAPS, trolling, excessively flaming another user, personal attacks, making the same post over and over, excessively swearing, using racial or ethnic slurs, or making sexist remarks to other posters. Also, no misogynistic remarks will be tolerated.
4. Trolling and baiting, loosely defined as a deliberate attempt to annoy people with no other evident purpose, is discouraged at Utopia. Sustained trolling and baiting will generally be dealt with by an informal warning in the thread following a thread lock (mods can still post in locked threads). Once the thread is unlocked, typically a short time for cooling-off and for people to see the warning, further trolling and baiting would be the act of an Ass. Being An Ass is clearly prohibited above.
5. Respect the moderators. You don't need to agree with the moderators, but you must be respectful. Being a moderator is not a vacation, it's a job. We do this job because we love this place, and want things to run as smoothly as possible. We don't always make the right call, but we try our best to do so, or to rectify the situation when we slip up. Cut us some slack. As long as you're respectful, you have nothing to worry about.
The following are some examples of things that I consider disrespectful to the moderators:
"You're lucky the mods are so fucking lenient, or you'd be in trouble."
"A mod says this?"
"Too bad the mods are so ready to clamp down on free speech."
"You can ban me for this if you want, I don't care..."
"Why was so-and-so banned?" (anywhere but the report-a-post or subscriber forums)
6. Do not solicit another website. If you want to promote a site of your own or your buddy's, clear it with a moderator first. The cost for this site comes out of my pocket. Don't use my bandwidth to drive traffic to your site without permission.
7. Do not post hardcore pornography. If your picture or video wouldn't be seen in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, it shouldn't be seen here. Unless cmq specifically asks for it. :)
8. You are allowed only one account. If more than one user logs in from your system, advise the staff and identify them, which will generally keep us from simply banning all associated accounts.
9. You are responsible for all actions taken under your account. If someone else is known to use your computer, then be smart and log off when you're done visiting. If another user takes over your account and violates the forum rules, it is YOUR FAULT. Moderating action will be taken as if you were the one making the posts, so please be smart.
10. If your account becomes banned, it was banned for a reason. Do not attempt to circumvent your ban by creating another user account. Doing so will likely result in a permanent ban from the forums. If you wish to discuss your ban with a moderator, please feel free to post in The Wasteland. It is a forum where banned users may still post. The moderating staff will review your inquiries there and respond accordingly. As a banned user, you will only be able to see threads in The Wasteland that you have started.
11. In addition to the public forums, these rules apply equally to any and all restricted forums, private messages, and other communications.
12. By posting in these forums, you are agreeing to abide by these rules. If you are not 18 years of age, posting means you have permission from your parent or legal guardian to participate in these forums. Your parent or guardian will be held responsible for any of your misconduct.
13. Rick Astley = Buh-bye
**Fair warning to all**
Anymore links to the new Rick Astley browser fucker upper = a ban.
14. The admins reserve the right to ammend or modify usernames as they deem necessary. Try to avoid l33t-speak, horrible combinations of upper- and lowercase letters, numbers substituting as letters (and vice versa), symbols, foreign characters, and deity names.
The moderating staff will deal with violations of these rules on a case-by-case basis. It has been shown in the past that making the rules overly objective simply does not work. As much as we hate to admit it, there are some grey areas. Longtime users that slip up and make a mistake will probably not be punished as harshly as a newbie whose first three posts are nothing but flame bait. It may not be fair, but this isn't a democracy. The mods try very hard to make a good judgment call based on the severity of the violation, the situation in which it occurred, and the violator's history with Utopia. The fact is that if you're not a jerk, you won't have any problems. If you think something you're about to post is questionable, run it by a moderator first.
To conclude, here is a quote from the Grand Theft Auto forums which cmq thinks a lot of people need to realize:
"Rules should be fairly damn obvious, you act like an idiot and you'll be treated like one. Any disrespect to the people that run this place, and you'll be taken straight off. We do this in our own spare time, and we don't have to take your shit. This board is NOT a place of free speech, there are rules. Break em, we break you. Capiche?"
Other than that, have fun and enjoy your stay!
Utopia Disciplinary Guidelines
Additionally, here are the disciplinary guidelines cmq has given to the moderators. Please keep in mind that the moderators must examine each case individually to determine its context and severity. Any of these violations could result in something as simple as a verbal warning, or as extreme as a permanent ban, but this should help everyone understand what cmq expects in most cases. Deviations from the suggested guidelines may occur based on the history of the user in question and the severity of the violation(s).
When a warning is accompanied by a point assessment, the points become a part of your user profile. A standard warning carries a 6-month expiration period; however this is subject to change based on the severity of the violation. Should any user accumulate 10 points during a rolling 12-month period, that user will be issued a 6-month ban by default. The moderators, at their discretion, may choose to decrease or extend such a ban based on the history of the user in question.
Rule Violated: Do not post anything unlawful including, but not limited to, hacking techniques, piracy techniques, illegal pornography, or illegal drug use. If posting something can get Utopia in trouble, your post will get you in trouble.
Minimum Recommended Action: Verbal warning, post removal.
Typical Recommended Action: 2-point warning, post removal.
Severe Recommended Action: 1-7 day ban.
Rule Violated: Do not be an ass. This encompasses many, many things including, but not limited to: TYPING IN ALL CAPS, trolling, excessively flaming another user, personal attacks, making the same post over and over, excessively swearing, and using racial or ethnic slurs.
Minimum Recommended Action: Verbal warning.
Typical Recommended Action: 5-point warning.
Severe Recommended Action: 3-14 day ban.
Note: Racial or ethnic slurs, except in situations well-understood to have no ill intentions, will receive very little slack.
Rule Violated: Respect the moderators. You don't need to agree with the moderators, but you must be respectful. Being a moderator is not a vacation, it's a job. We do this job because we love this place, and want things to run as smoothly as possible. We don't always make the right call, but we try our best to do so, or to rectify the situation when we slip up. Cut us some slack. As long as you're respectful, you have nothing to worry about.
Minimum Recommended Action: Verbal warning.
Typical Recommended Action: 8-point warning.
Severe Recommended Action: 1-6 month ban.
Rule Violated: Do not solicit another website. If you want to promote a site of your own or your buddy's, clear it with a moderator first. The cost for this site comes out of my pocket. Don't use my bandwidth to drive traffic to your site without permission.
Minimum Recommended Action: Verbal warning, post removal.
Typical Recommended Action: 2-point warning, post removal.
Severe Recommended Action: 1-7 day ban.
Rule Violated: Do not post hardcore pornography. If your picture or video wouldn't be seen in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, it shouldn't be seen here. Unless cmq specifically asks for it. :)
Minimum Recommended Action: Verbal warning, post removal.
Typical Recommended Action: 5-point warning, post removal.
Severe Recommended Action: 1-3 month ban.
Most importantly, if you have questions or feel you have been wronged by a moderator or another user, the best course of action is always to directly contact cmq or a moderator you trust. Lashing out in a public forum not only craps on a thread, it makes more work for us, and will probably result in disciplinary action for you. Be civil and all will be well.
Utopia Rules
1. Use common sense.
2. Do not post anything unlawful including, but not limited to, hacking techniques, piracy techniques, illegal pornography, or illegal drug use. If posting something can get Utopia in trouble, your post will get you in trouble.
3. Do not be an ass. This encompasses many, many things including, but not limited to: TYPING IN ALL CAPS, trolling, excessively flaming another user, personal attacks, making the same post over and over, excessively swearing, using racial or ethnic slurs, or making sexist remarks to other posters. Also, no misogynistic remarks will be tolerated.
4. Trolling and baiting, loosely defined as a deliberate attempt to annoy people with no other evident purpose, is discouraged at Utopia. Sustained trolling and baiting will generally be dealt with by an informal warning in the thread following a thread lock (mods can still post in locked threads). Once the thread is unlocked, typically a short time for cooling-off and for people to see the warning, further trolling and baiting would be the act of an Ass. Being An Ass is clearly prohibited above.
5. Respect the moderators. You don't need to agree with the moderators, but you must be respectful. Being a moderator is not a vacation, it's a job. We do this job because we love this place, and want things to run as smoothly as possible. We don't always make the right call, but we try our best to do so, or to rectify the situation when we slip up. Cut us some slack. As long as you're respectful, you have nothing to worry about.
The following are some examples of things that I consider disrespectful to the moderators:
"You're lucky the mods are so fucking lenient, or you'd be in trouble."
"A mod says this?"
"Too bad the mods are so ready to clamp down on free speech."
"You can ban me for this if you want, I don't care..."
"Why was so-and-so banned?" (anywhere but the report-a-post or subscriber forums)
6. Do not solicit another website. If you want to promote a site of your own or your buddy's, clear it with a moderator first. The cost for this site comes out of my pocket. Don't use my bandwidth to drive traffic to your site without permission.
7. Do not post hardcore pornography. If your picture or video wouldn't be seen in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, it shouldn't be seen here. Unless cmq specifically asks for it. :)
8. You are allowed only one account. If more than one user logs in from your system, advise the staff and identify them, which will generally keep us from simply banning all associated accounts.
9. You are responsible for all actions taken under your account. If someone else is known to use your computer, then be smart and log off when you're done visiting. If another user takes over your account and violates the forum rules, it is YOUR FAULT. Moderating action will be taken as if you were the one making the posts, so please be smart.
10. If your account becomes banned, it was banned for a reason. Do not attempt to circumvent your ban by creating another user account. Doing so will likely result in a permanent ban from the forums. If you wish to discuss your ban with a moderator, please feel free to post in The Wasteland. It is a forum where banned users may still post. The moderating staff will review your inquiries there and respond accordingly. As a banned user, you will only be able to see threads in The Wasteland that you have started.
11. In addition to the public forums, these rules apply equally to any and all restricted forums, private messages, and other communications.
12. By posting in these forums, you are agreeing to abide by these rules. If you are not 18 years of age, posting means you have permission from your parent or legal guardian to participate in these forums. Your parent or guardian will be held responsible for any of your misconduct.
13. Rick Astley = Buh-bye
**Fair warning to all**
Anymore links to the new Rick Astley browser fucker upper = a ban.
14. The admins reserve the right to ammend or modify usernames as they deem necessary. Try to avoid l33t-speak, horrible combinations of upper- and lowercase letters, numbers substituting as letters (and vice versa), symbols, foreign characters, and deity names.
The moderating staff will deal with violations of these rules on a case-by-case basis. It has been shown in the past that making the rules overly objective simply does not work. As much as we hate to admit it, there are some grey areas. Longtime users that slip up and make a mistake will probably not be punished as harshly as a newbie whose first three posts are nothing but flame bait. It may not be fair, but this isn't a democracy. The mods try very hard to make a good judgment call based on the severity of the violation, the situation in which it occurred, and the violator's history with Utopia. The fact is that if you're not a jerk, you won't have any problems. If you think something you're about to post is questionable, run it by a moderator first.
To conclude, here is a quote from the Grand Theft Auto forums which cmq thinks a lot of people need to realize:
"Rules should be fairly damn obvious, you act like an idiot and you'll be treated like one. Any disrespect to the people that run this place, and you'll be taken straight off. We do this in our own spare time, and we don't have to take your shit. This board is NOT a place of free speech, there are rules. Break em, we break you. Capiche?"
Other than that, have fun and enjoy your stay!
Utopia Disciplinary Guidelines
Additionally, here are the disciplinary guidelines cmq has given to the moderators. Please keep in mind that the moderators must examine each case individually to determine its context and severity. Any of these violations could result in something as simple as a verbal warning, or as extreme as a permanent ban, but this should help everyone understand what cmq expects in most cases. Deviations from the suggested guidelines may occur based on the history of the user in question and the severity of the violation(s).
When a warning is accompanied by a point assessment, the points become a part of your user profile. A standard warning carries a 6-month expiration period; however this is subject to change based on the severity of the violation. Should any user accumulate 10 points during a rolling 12-month period, that user will be issued a 6-month ban by default. The moderators, at their discretion, may choose to decrease or extend such a ban based on the history of the user in question.
Rule Violated: Do not post anything unlawful including, but not limited to, hacking techniques, piracy techniques, illegal pornography, or illegal drug use. If posting something can get Utopia in trouble, your post will get you in trouble.
Minimum Recommended Action: Verbal warning, post removal.
Typical Recommended Action: 2-point warning, post removal.
Severe Recommended Action: 1-7 day ban.
Rule Violated: Do not be an ass. This encompasses many, many things including, but not limited to: TYPING IN ALL CAPS, trolling, excessively flaming another user, personal attacks, making the same post over and over, excessively swearing, and using racial or ethnic slurs.
Minimum Recommended Action: Verbal warning.
Typical Recommended Action: 5-point warning.
Severe Recommended Action: 3-14 day ban.
Note: Racial or ethnic slurs, except in situations well-understood to have no ill intentions, will receive very little slack.
Rule Violated: Respect the moderators. You don't need to agree with the moderators, but you must be respectful. Being a moderator is not a vacation, it's a job. We do this job because we love this place, and want things to run as smoothly as possible. We don't always make the right call, but we try our best to do so, or to rectify the situation when we slip up. Cut us some slack. As long as you're respectful, you have nothing to worry about.
Minimum Recommended Action: Verbal warning.
Typical Recommended Action: 8-point warning.
Severe Recommended Action: 1-6 month ban.
Rule Violated: Do not solicit another website. If you want to promote a site of your own or your buddy's, clear it with a moderator first. The cost for this site comes out of my pocket. Don't use my bandwidth to drive traffic to your site without permission.
Minimum Recommended Action: Verbal warning, post removal.
Typical Recommended Action: 2-point warning, post removal.
Severe Recommended Action: 1-7 day ban.
Rule Violated: Do not post hardcore pornography. If your picture or video wouldn't be seen in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, it shouldn't be seen here. Unless cmq specifically asks for it. :)
Minimum Recommended Action: Verbal warning, post removal.
Typical Recommended Action: 5-point warning, post removal.
Severe Recommended Action: 1-3 month ban.
Most importantly, if you have questions or feel you have been wronged by a moderator or another user, the best course of action is always to directly contact cmq or a moderator you trust. Lashing out in a public forum not only craps on a thread, it makes more work for us, and will probably result in disciplinary action for you. Be civil and all will be well.