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Post by ShadesofGray on Nov 16, 2004 22:03:38 GMT -5
Okay... so I didn't realize that you can *censor* specific words here... turned that off REAL quick... But it did make me think of something... I'd like to have a Sticky thread with General Guidelines for conduct around here... what will be acceptable what won't, yada yada yada. What I'd like to do, is to get some feedback from the forum itself in regards to these guidelines... So what would you like to see included in the Forum Rules/Guidelines...? Could cover about anything... avatars, signature images, etc. A forum for the people, by the people, per se'... and I'm getting better smileys and avatars... these just don't do it for me...
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Post by PrinceVegeta on Nov 16, 2004 22:08:45 GMT -5
Well deffinatly have something about no spamming, also make sure to point out keep on topic with the forum. And let them know if a post is out of place it will be either removed or transfered over to the proper place.
That's all I can really think of.
Vegeta
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BenMech
At Fates Hands http://www.fat
The One You Warned Me Of
Posts: 1,470
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Post by BenMech on Nov 17, 2004 16:40:13 GMT -5
I would think a call AGAINST flaming is in order. Conversations must be civil, though they do not HAVE to be everyone agreeing with each other.
Although this is an FW board, as long as you can provide concise examples throughout for your argument, you don NOT have to be a FW fan.
This is a public board, shared by young and old alike. English is a very wonderful colorful language. Find other words to express the same thought as the "naughty" words if you must make some emphasis, and you can EDIT your own posts if you are in a really grumpy mood.
I can probably think of other suggestions of conduct which aren't exactly RULES
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SethFWF
At Fates Hands http://www.fat
"Rattle your God damn head!"
Posts: 1,405
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Post by SethFWF on Nov 17, 2004 17:25:10 GMT -5
Those suggestions sound good. I wanted to add another suggestion, but a different issue. Can you add a button next to a thread title to go to the last post on that thread Colleen? Makes it easier to see the latest posts rather than having to scan through the whole thread. No biggie if you can't.
Also, can we put pictures in our signatures? Looked like you had one in yours, if so...how to do it?
Thanks...Seth
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Post by journeytoarcana on Nov 17, 2004 17:35:14 GMT -5
The less rules, the better. What I liked about fateswarning.com was the candor involved, regardless of how "offensive" some people may have found it. No one was forced to read anything, and yet I seemed to be the only one pointing that out.
Flames? Who gives a shit? Not I. When you start posting guidelines, you force a novice community to begin peeking over their shoulders to see which rules they are breaking first, and allowing them to express themselves freely second. What results is a plethora of disingenuous 'nice-nice' chatter that serves no purpose than to promote accord, not opinion or debate.
Then, an overseer must be the judge of what passes for 'flames' and what passes for 'fiery debate', and then must delete these posts accordingly. I do not doubt Colleen's astute awareness of recognizing the difference, or even being fair about it for that matter. I just don't think it should even be an issue at all, because by then, it may be just a matter of deleting unpopular speech or opinions.
The regulars knows where to draw the lines, as unwritten as they may be. The regulars do not, as far as my experience goes, post porn or spam or relentlessly plug some shitty garage band side project they happen to be working on either. And, if the posts do not fall into the above categories, then I feel the appropriate route to follow would be under the moniker of "anything goes"
that is all for now
jta
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Post by RichmanRush on Nov 17, 2004 17:59:03 GMT -5
I think we, the fates groupies, know what is a flame and what isn't. But there are some personal rules that need to be covered such as No personal attacks. No derogatory comments that might offend (more specifically racial slurs used in a negative or demeaning manner).
I don't think Colleen wants to rule with an iron fist, but there is a line that must be drawn for everything. We all think before we speak, and we all use good judgement. But, we've all known each other for years so we know what to expect. But to someone who is new to us and our behavior, we have to be careful not to cross THEIR lines. We want more Fates fans to come around and chat, not scare them away.
As for me, only rules I see that are useful, are limiting sig picture sizes (or limiting sigs in general). Always hate the dude with a 800x600 image, and "War and Peace" in full text in his sig...
Another might be, not sure if this feature is here already, but the thumbnail feature for displaying/linking pictures. It usually reduces the image tag to a thumbnail size, and you can click it to view the actual size. With the age of digital cameras, we don't need people posting their 5+ megapixel, 1880x1440 pics of their new guitar. Both the large sigs, and large pictures make for long threads, long scrolling, and sometimes, more pages than you really need.
I'll stop babbling now...
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SethFWF
At Fates Hands http://www.fat
"Rattle your God damn head!"
Posts: 1,405
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Post by SethFWF on Nov 17, 2004 18:02:40 GMT -5
The less rules, the better. What I liked about fateswarning.com was the candor involved, regardless of how "offensive" some people may have found it. No one was forced to read anything, and yet I seemed to be the only one pointing that out.
Flames? Who gives a shit? Not I. When you start posting guidelines, you force a novice community to begin peeking over their shoulders to see which rules they are breaking first, and allowing them to express themselves freely second. What results is a plethora of disingenuous 'nice-nice' chatter that serves no purpose than to promote accord, not opinion or debate.
Agree...we're all mature adults and should be able to say what we want, and accept what everyone else says. If this was a new board with a bunch of new people, it would be a different story. But it's mostly the same folks who know what to expect from each other. Seth
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SethFWF
At Fates Hands http://www.fat
"Rattle your God damn head!"
Posts: 1,405
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Post by SethFWF on Nov 17, 2004 18:05:32 GMT -5
From Rich..."But to someone who is new to us and our behavior, we have to be careful not to cross THEIR lines. We want more Fates fans to come around and chat, not scare them away."
Agree with that also...some discretion needs to be used in those situations.
Seth
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Shark Black
At Fates Hands http://www.fat
AKA Raiderblack
Posts: 1,352
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Post by Shark Black on Nov 19, 2004 23:52:14 GMT -5
As long as we have a responsive moderator, I'm sure people will point out any big offenders. The less rules the better. The ability to separate the catagories is great though, and will keep things topic appropriate.
How about a spell check!! LOL
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Post by ShadesofGray on Nov 20, 2004 0:29:43 GMT -5
Alrighty... As I hoped prior to starting this discussion, most people are thinking along the same lines as I am. Great minds yada, yada, yada... My #1 priority with this forum is to create a place where anyone who visits will feel comfortable. A place that is easy to navigate, easy to use and easy to feel at home with. As with any forum, that means that some form of moderating must come in to play. At this point, it's just little 'ol me, and I do NOT intend to rule with an iron fist. But I do strongly believe that a set of guidelines is paramount to being able to moderate any forum adequately. I feel this way because, say, I notice, or am notified, of something that has been taken as offensive? Of course, each incident will be looked at accordingly, but as the Mod here, and the creator of the forum, I'll have a hell of a lot more ground to stand on with dealing with a situation if some guidelines are in place. Mind you, I'm extremely easy going, and it takes A LOT to offend me (like just about EVERYONE here), but that doesn't mean I think utter anarchy is the way to go either. Does this make sense? I sure hope so To me, guidelines mean guidelines. Not a strict set of "Rules", but guidelines as to what will and will not be tolerated (i.e. not tolerated means removed. Period.) Of course, this covers a very wide range of possibilities. That range is the reason I'm asking for input as to what everyone feels would work. At this point, I'm reading through each comment and taking what is stated to heart. Going to take some time to really get the wording correct, and to try to get something put together that will be widely accepted. I agree with everyone that one of the greatest aspects of the other forum is knowing that you can freely speak your mind without fear of censoring. I'm not here to censor. I'm here to moderate and to try to help out the band in some small way. Again... it takes ALOT to offend me, but just keep in mind that others are not that way. As for the phenomenal suggestions for additions to the features... I will impliment as many as I can here. I am currently working on a more "customized" forum and hopefully will find a way to implement them all. I agree that signatures shouldn't be allowed to be monstrous. That's just annoying. The auto thumbnail feature and the spell check are, to the best of my knowledge, not available through proboards. Their server also often gets overloaded, so I would very much like to move to a more personalized and efficient server. More likely than not, the change will coincide with the new Fates Warning website switch. Keep 'em coming... I really appreciate all the input!
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Post by journeytoarcana on Nov 20, 2004 10:37:31 GMT -5
I feel this way because, say, I notice, or am notified, of something that has been taken as offensive?
Ah, and therein lie the ambiguities. Something that may be taken as offensive. So we can all agree that insults are indeed taken and not given.
Unfortunately, any guidelines leave the "giver" to always be on the negative side of the tracks. And the "taker" to be the victim of utmost proportions, and perhaps not the whiny tart that he or she should be perceived as.
The way I see it, the following are tiresome tricks that make a community unpleasant:
****Porn with links**** ****Spam with links****
The following are what falls under "guidelines" at other boards:
Any negative comment about (insert member of Fates Warning here) will not be tolerated
Any negative comment about (insert name of Fates Warning song/album here) will not be tolerated
Any comment that isn't 200% within the topic categories will be removed
Repeat offenders will lose their privaledge to post here
blah blah blah. Colleen, you've never struck me as a type of person on a power trip, but what are we talking about here with guidelines? Is there the possibility of an "Ignore" button, that way people can choose to not be subjected to those they find off color or annoying or WHATEVER criteria people use these days to define something "offensive"? There are some whiny bitches in the prog world. Especially Dream Theater fans (ohhh, I had to)
We could start a "Don't Feed the Trolls" campaign, b/c as everyone knows, this only incites their desire to post more crap.
So, perhaps may I ask for a list of ideas from thee? Or what anyone else had in mind for "guidelines"? Excessive Porn and Spam suck righteously ... but other than that, what kind of problems could we expect to see on a Fates Warning board, a band with an internet fan population of about 19?
jta
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Post by ShadesofGray on Nov 20, 2004 16:20:08 GMT -5
I feel this way because, say, I notice, or am notified, of something that has been taken as offensive? Ah, and therein lie the ambiguities. Something that may be taken as offensive. So we can all agree that insults are indeed taken and not given. **Almost completely in agreement with you here. Beauty, as well as ugliness, is seen in the eyes of the beholder. BUT! insults definitely CAN be given... As the Mod here, though, the responsibility of dealing with *escalated* issues lies on my shoulders. I don't want to babysit. I expect that the majority of people who are here, and who will hopefully come here, are mature enough to deal with disagreements on their own. That being said, I cannot help but think that at some point in time, some form of guidelines will be looked at to determine the best way to handle an issue. THAT is the reason they need to be put in place. Unfortunately, any guidelines leave the "giver" to always be on the negative side of the tracks. And the "taker" to be the victim of utmost proportions, and perhaps not the whiny tart that he or she should be perceived as. **I'm the type of person who will tell a whiny tart to quit their whining, if it's warranted LOL Misunderstandings come with the territory in text-based communications. That being said, I do have a knack for mediation, thank the gods... The way I see it, the following are tiresome tricks that make a community unpleasant:
****Porn with links**** AGREED (WILL be included in the guidelines and dealt with accordingly.) ****Spam with links**** AGREED (please see above...) The following are what falls under "guidelines" at other boards:
Any negative comment about (insert member of Fates Warning here) will not be tolerated**Nope... if someone can't handle negative comments about themselves or or about bandmembers... nothing I can do about that. It's gonna happen. I can handle a knock on Ray, and y'all know how I feel about that.... If you can't take it... don't dish it out... Expect THAT in the guidelines... Any negative comment about (insert name of Fates Warning song/album here) will not be tolerated***Again, NOPE. This is a DISCUSSION forum. I expect disagreements in opinion. Again, I don't plan on babysitting... We're mature adults here, right? Right?! Any comment that isn't 200% within the topic categories will be removed**Nope... I do plan on having and using the option of moving posts which are not Topic specific... Removal, to me, is only warranted if said post is inflammatory to the 9th degree, overtly hostile (meaning threats and whatnot) or obscenely vulgar. Again, keep in mind that I am NOT easily offended... Repeat offenders will lose their privaledge to post here**Possibly... Depends on what the repeat offenses consist of. Repeat spammers.... BANNED. Repeat Asshole? They just come with life... I'm NOT on a power trip, and am very glad that you don't see me as the type. Only that way with my little dude, and THAT's on occasion Just want to have something to stand on if the need ever arises to become the "Disciplinarian". Is there the possibility of an "Ignore" button, that way people can choose to not be subjected to those they find off color or annoying or WHATEVER criteria people use these days to define something "offensive"? **Will check into this one asap... GREAT idea There are some whiny bitches in the prog world. Especially Dream Theater fans (ohhh, I had to)**Whiny DT fans? Really?? I had nooooo idea.... /end sarcasm We could start a "Don't Feed the Trolls" campaign, b/c as everyone knows, this only incites their desire to post more crap.**Definitely agreed here... another great idea! Thank you So, perhaps may I ask for a list of ideas from thee?**Shall be posted by yours truly asap... Keep in mind, I'm not putting out a huge list of "rules". General guidelines. No spamming... No porn spamming... No "real" threats on someone's life, family or property... Please don't Feed the Trolls... Please keep posts as on topic as possible. Etc. but other than that, what kind of problems could we expect to see on a Fates Warning board, a band with an internet fan population of about 19?**Hey now... I think we're ALL hoping that will change I truly appreciate everyone's input on this. To me, this is the best way to get things started off on the best foot... not the right foot... just the best one
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Post by RichmanRush on Nov 20, 2004 17:08:57 GMT -5
What sorts of rules on nudity are going to be imposed? What sorts of language is considered inappropriate? (Foul language, racial slurs, vulgar or demeaning, etc etc) Reason is, if this board becomes linked off of the main FW site, it's possible you might need a disclaimer of some sort on the front page, or an age requirement to register. Years ago, I think it was a gaming msg board, some 13 year old kid was reading and came across a "booty thread" and his mom walked in. A 'booty thread' being one that contains women (or men) in their underwear, half-nekkid, or full on nekkid), and the administrator received an email from the parent... yadda yadda, no nudity was then allowed on the msg board. Not that the parent can probably do anything to the admin, but it's possible she could block the website, thus removing a fan (though he'd find a way back in, I'm sure) 99.99999% it won't happen here (with all of the regular 6 posters from the old board), but we have to remain proactive in the case Fates hits it big, and we see a flood of traffic If you choose to allow any and all language and nudity in posts, it might be wise to put a "Must be 18+ to register" or something. Outside of what's been said already, I think we got it covered though.
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Post by RichmanRush on Nov 20, 2004 17:09:36 GMT -5
As for a feature, I think most boards have it, but after you submit your reply, it takes you to the your post (the last one) automatically.
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Post by PrinceVegeta on Nov 20, 2004 17:11:45 GMT -5
I like how it's being summed up so far. It seems like it will be pretty stable and smooth.
Vegeta
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