Idea: Site Rules

[Stewo]

There seems more and more banishment's on CF over the past couple of months. This begs the question, why aren't there black and white rules for posting? I mean, you could rummage around for hours trying to find the little tidbits posted here and there and MAYBE you'll find an answer to your question. Of the 4 or 5 forums that I belong to, this is the only one that doesn't have a direct link TO EVERY SINGLE RULE about posting. I'll give you a perfect example. I've been a member of ls1gto.com for nearly 4 years, my longest standing forum membership, and I've never not known what what acceptable and what was not. Here is the first page that you come to when you enter ls1gto.com...

2004-2006 GTO Source (notice the only link in green?)

Now, this is what you see when you click on that high-speed, green link...

LS1GTO.com Forums

Pretty amazing stuff, eh? Maybe I just have a higher standard because this is what I started with, but to me, it just makes sense. Hell, I bet you could copy and paste some of their rules over here. I'm not talking about reinventing the wheel. What this does is eliminates the gray area. There seems to be a negative slant towards certain posters on CF and this can help put that fire out.

This is just my suggestion, but I think most here can agree that a well-defined set of site rules needs to be easily accessible. A simple link on the left-hand side would suffice. Discuss.

 

[ChrisMWilliams]

There seems more and more banishment's on CF over the past couple of months. This begs the question, why aren't there black and white rules for posting? I mean, you could rummage around for hours trying to find the little tidbits posted here and there and MAYBE you'll find an answer to your question. Of the 4 or 5 forums that I belong to, this is the only one that doesn't have a direct link TO EVERY SINGLE RULE about posting. I'll give you a perfect example. I've been a member of ls1gto.com for nearly 4 years, my longest standing forum membership, and I've never not known what what acceptable and what was not. Here is the first page that you come to when you enter ls1gto.com...

2004-2006 GTO Source (notice the only link in green?)

Now, this is what you see when you click on that high-speed, green link...

LS1GTO.com Forums

Pretty amazing stuff, eh? Maybe I just have a higher standard because this is what I started with, but to me, it just makes sense. Hell, I bet you could copy and paste some of their rules over here. I'm not talking about reinventing the wheel. What this does is eliminates the gray area. There seems to be a negative slant towards certain posters on CF and this can help put that fire out.

This is just my suggestion, but I think most here can agree that a well-defined set of site rules needs to be easily accessible. A simple link on the left-hand side would suffice. Discuss.

Thanks Stewo. This is a project that I am currently working on. I'm not going to copy/paste anything though. We are our own entity so we'll have our own rules. I appreciate the feedback.

 

[CTAClone]

Thanks Stewo. This is a project that I am currently working on. I'm not going to copy/paste anything though. We are our own entity so we'll have our own rules. I appreciate the feedback.

FWIW. The link to the site rules was lost in one of the server moves and I know CW and the owners are working diligently to update the site rules and get the link back up.

 

[Cyclonepride]

I think it would keep everyone in line if they dropped the ban hammer on whoever used the secret word each day. Kind of like Pee Wee's Playhouse, with an evil twist.

 

[Stewo]

Thanks Stewo. This is a project that I am currently working on. I'm not going to copy/paste anything though. We are our own entity so we'll have our own rules. I appreciate the feedback.

Good to hear. I'm going to propose something to you then. The bans, perma or temp, over the last few weeks be lifted. The reason being, I think, obvious.

 

[CTAClone]

Good to hear. I'm going to propose something to you then. The bans, perma or temp, over the last few weeks be lifted. The reason being, I think, obvious.

Really? Site rules were up in 2008 when you've joined and everyone is well aware of what they did wrong. If not they can PM me.

 

[CylentButDeadly]

Really? Site rules were up in 2008 when you've joined and everyone is well aware of what they did wrong. If not they can PM me.

Can you PM when you're banned?

 

[Stewo]

Really? Site rules were up in 2008 when you've joined and everyone is well aware of what they did wrong. If not they can PM me.

Roger, but do you remember what you read in 2008? Now, I'm not an idiot. I know right from wrong, but site rules will be different at every message board. Also, to have to PM a mod about something being right or wrong, is the wrong answer. That's like calling a police officer about what he can and cannot do while I'm in his town.

 

[mj4cy]

Even if the rules aren't clear or linked clearly, that doesn't excuse people for lack of common sense. Some posts are just obviously offensive or not needed on this site. Other posts, I can understand if people are upset if the posts are in the gray area.

 

[GeronimusClone]

I'm just glad there is ban talk going on and I wasn't involved for once.

 

[wxman1]

I have not noticed anyone getting banned lately nor have I ever read the site rules. That being said the rules need to be consistent but be applied in special places. I think more could be done and more has been done in the past few weeks to combat the people bringing basketball problems into everything, that and all the personal attacking done on here is sickening at times.

 

[Stewo]

This was suggested to me by one of my cohorts. I think it's a marvelous idea. Institute an 18 and older, off-topic forum that has very little moderation, still uses the language filters and only registered users can view the content. This can EASILY be done. SEE: Social Groups.

 

[cyfanatic]

I'm just glad there is ban talk going on and I wasn't involved for once.

I was worried when I first read this topic...thought I might be going a few days without reading GC's commentary! Hate those days!

 

[TarHeelHawk]

Really? Site rules were up in 2008 when you've joined and everyone is well aware of what they did wrong. If not they can PM me.

You can? I've been sent to timeout for a couple of one-week stretches, and I wasn't able to do that. It was only after time expired that I was able to contact the MOD in question.

 

[chuckd4735]

Coming from someone who was recently banned for a few day, I agree. I was banned with no prior warning what so ever for posting a picture that was border line, at best, controversial. In an explanation of my ban today, I was told that

"...One thing that was a big factor in your case was that the site owners have recently let the mods know we should not be shy with stricter punishments. Lengthy bans, infractions, and permanent vacations are going to be more common for continual violators. "

I'm not going to argue that reason by any means, and have accepted my punishment (I was actually surprised how much it sucked to not be able to post for 2 days.)

I guess I would only offer a few suggestions. First, CF does as Stewo requests. That way ignorance will be a hard excuses to use.

Second, I am a believer that people will rebel more when they feel that the "upper authority" is becoming more "strict", per say. My job involves things like this on a day to day basis. My department is responsible for enforcing a set of rules about 200 pages in length, plus many aspects of Iowa Code. People don't like to be told they are wrong, and certainly do not like to be disrespected or treated unfairly in the process of being told they are wrong. If you take the wrong approach of telling someone that they are in violation of a set of rules or laws, it becomes increasingly harder to work with them in resolving their violation, and leaves a bad taste in their mouth when you have to work with them on future issues.

I guess I would suggest this site seriously takes a look at the way they hand down punishments, and tries to do it in a more productive manner. If this site starts to install a situation where everyone feels like they are trying to defend themselves from the "evil Mods", I can promise you people will become more rebellious.

Think of the last VEISHEA riot. After that, many studies done by the Ames PD, Story County, and ISU PD concluded that the Police should try to be more friendly with their constituents, and that in return, the chances would be far less likely anything like that riot would happen again. So far those tactics have been successful!

 

[GeronimusClone]

Coming from someone who was recently banned for a few day, I agree. I was banned with no prior warning what so ever for posting a picture that was border line, at best, controversial. In an explanation of my ban today, I was told that

I'm not going to argue that reason by any means, and have accepted my punishment (I was actually surprised how much it sucked to not be able to post for 2 days.)

I guess I would only offer a few suggestions. First, CF does as Stewo requests. That way ignorance will be a hard excuses to use.

Second, I am a believer that people will rebel more when they feel that the "upper authority" is becoming more "strict", per say. My job involves things like this on a day to day basis. My department is responsible for enforcing a set of rules about 200 pages in length, plus many aspects of Iowa Code. People don't like to be told they are wrong, and certainly do not like to be disrespected or treated unfairly in the process of being told they are wrong. If you take the wrong approach of telling someone that they are in violation of a set of rules or laws, it becomes increasingly harder to work with them in resolving their violation, and leaves a bad taste in their mouth when you have to work with them on future issues.

I guess I would suggest this site seriously takes a look at the way they hand down punishments, and tries to do it in a more productive manner. If this site starts to install a situation where everyone feels like they are trying to defend themselves from the "evil Mods", I can promise you people will become more rebellious.

Think of the last VEISHEA riot. After that, many studies done by the Ames PD, Story County, and ISU PD concluded that the Police should try to be more friendly with their constituents, and that in return, the chances would be far less likely anything like that riot would happen again. So far those tactics have been successful!

Did they seriously just give mods Judge Dredd power? Nice knowing you all.

 

[chuckd4735]

Can you PM when you're banned?

No you cant. You cant send or receive PM's when banned. I had to wait till my ban was lifted before I got the justification of my ban.

 

[CTAClone]

This was suggested to me by one of my cohorts. I think it's a marvelous idea. Institute an 18 and older, off-topic forum that has very little moderation, still uses the language filters and only registered users can view the content. This can EASILY be done. SEE: Social Groups.

We tried that once. It didn't work out at all, it kept spilling on the main board.

 

[Mr Janny]

This was suggested to me by one of my cohorts. I think it's a marvelous idea. Institute an 18 and older, off-topic forum that has very little moderation, still uses the language filters and only registered users can view the content. This can EASILY be done. SEE: Social Groups.

We already did that, remember? The members were not able to keep their antics contained to their social group, and in the end, they closed it down themselves.

 

[d4nim4l]

One thing I would like to see is if a slew of posts from one poster are deleted a PM to said poster as to why. From what I have seen these PMs are case by case but I have also heard of people being banned a day after the fact when they had one or two posts deleted.

Like most things in life, I think a higher degree of communication would go a longer way.