Posting Etiquette

[MrCrowley]

Official rules and guidelines for posting on the forum.

Feel free to make a reply, any suggestions are much appreciated.

Update: 02/05/2009

Posting Etiquette

1. All topics must contain a full description.

Example:

Good: My combustion wont fire, I use Axe, and spray it for about 5 seconds, my chamber is 4" x 12" big and I use a fan. I have a stungun for ignition, it sparks fine.

Bad: my combustion wont fire!! Plzzz HELP ME!!!

2. Treat others positively and with respect. Flaming other members or other forums will lead to a warning, possibly even a ban.

This includes disciplining members who have broken the rules on the forum. So if you see a member bumping up a topic, double posting etc, DO NOT discipline them or reply to their post. Simply Private Message a Moderator with a link to the thread and a description of the infraction.

3. Topics must be submitted to the relevant forums. Please read the forum descriptions before posting.

4. Topic titles must be descriptive.

Example:

A good example is "Help needed with ignition".

A bad example is "HEEEEELP!".

5. Bumping / kicking up dead topics is allowed provided that the reply has relevant information that is useful to the continuance of the topic.

Example:

Allowed: A topic discusses a new theory. The topic's discussion has died but there is new evidence to turn thoughts around. A reply with such information that is relevant and useful is allowed.

Disallowed: A one-liner reply, i.e "awesome cannon".

Disallowed: Bumping topics continuously to get them up to the first few pages.

6. Do not double post. This is when you post two or more messages in the same topic one after each other without anyone else replying in between each post. Typically after an hour or so ,if your post is still the last in the topic and you have vital information to add, you may post in that topic again to 'bump' the topic and notify members of a reply.

Instead of double posting you can use the edit button when altering your reply.

7. Content of posts should not be explicit, offensive, shocking, discussions of demerit commodities unless it is posted in an educational sense and is acceptable to viewers aged 13 years and below.

Disallowed: Hacking, fraud, drug related, porn, political/religious discussions even if educational.

See <A HREF="http://www.spudfiles.com/forums/rules.html">the rules for more info</a>

8. No topic hijacking (going off topic).

If the topic is dead, leave it. If you have a similar question and the original question has been answered, you may ask it. Otherwise search the database for info and/or make a topic.

9. No requesting of plans is allowed unless stated otherwise. If the builder has plans, he will most likely post them for you. This includes asking how much a cannon costs, as the cost is different everywhere you go.

There are hundreds of plans already on the forums waiting for you to find them.

10. Don't post to reach a post count milestone or to brag about your post count. But you may mention it in your post if you have contributed genuinely to the topic.

11. Removal of moderated messages is not allowed. If a moderator has edited your post, or put a note in your post, you may not remove or edit it. It is there for a reason.

12. For signature rules, please read <A HREF="http://www.spudfiles.com/forums/rules.html">the rules.</a>

13. Please ask permission from the site Admin before posting a 'Never Ending Topic Plot'. If rejected please post these topics at SpudFiles' sister website <A HREF="www.theopia.com">Theopia</a> which is a general forum.

Examples of a never ending plot:

"Things that get on your nerves"
"Post pictures of your pets"
"The 'picture game'"

14. Excessive posting of similar messages to increase post count is not allowed.

15. POSTING IN ALL CAPS IS AGAINST THE RULES, DON'T DO IT.

Posting every other word in caps is also against the rules.

Example:
I have a COMBUSTION spudgun and need HELP! can ANYONE help ME?!

16. Please do not request a post to be stickied. If there is room to sticky an exceptional post we will do so.

17. Images may be posted, but please keep them below 800 pixels wide. If you must post a large picture, use a link instead.

18. Asking any staff member if you can be a part of the staff will hinder your chance of ever becoming one. They will ask you, not the other way round.

19. All forum rules apply to each members profile, no porn links, no warez forums.

20. Make sure to always do a decent search before asking any questions and/or making any topics.

Example:
If you need help with sprinkler valves, make sure you search this forum thoroughly before posting a topic asking a question about sprinkler valves.

Topics get repeated many times on SpudFiles for no reason, so if you post a commonly repeated topic with obvious signs you haven't searched, you could face a 3day topic ban.

21. Posting any phrase or comment related or identical to "first post", is not allowed. The comment will be removed and you will receive a Private Message about it. Continuing to post "first post" or similar in any of your messages on the forum will result in a temporary ban.

Example:
Cool cannon! I really like the design and paint job.

BTW, FIRST POST!!

[cdheller]

[jackssmirkingrevenge]

Sensible policies, but I have a feeling that in many cases they will fall on deaf ears - though a little strict enforcing from the mods might alleviate that problem

[MrCrowley]

This is more or less so me and the other Mods have something official to refer to when 'disciplining' a member, most members wonder where all these untold rules come from.

This way we can just refer them to this thread and what number rules they have broken without going into too much detail.

Same with the thread in the NSGRD forum, just so we have something official to base off.

[Novacastrian]

Sensible policies, but I have a feeling that in many cases they will fall on deaf ears - though a little strict enforcing from the mods might alleviate that problem

I agree, there is nothing quite like the smell of napalm in the morning :violent3:

[wangpushups]

Hopefully everyone thats new will read this and understand it.

[Killjoy]

I agree, there is nothing quite like the smell of napalm in the morning

Or the sound of a few shotgun blasts and that smell of burned gun powder.

Policies sound good, But I have one question about this one:

7. Content of posts should not be explicit, offensive, shocking, discussions of demerit commodities or pornographic unless it is posted in an educational sense. Content which is inhumane or unethical to be viewed by ages below 13 years old is not allowed.

This rule kind of leaves a little too much room for interpretation (which is fine); But it kind of contradicts itself, seeing as we can post offensive, shocking, pornographic, etc, in an educational sense (and I hope entertaining falls into that educational area), but then it can't be too bad for people younger then 13 years old, which pretty much means none of that subject matter can be posted.

Of course this is the way I interpreted it, but I way find this more understandable and straight foreward:

7. Content of posts should not be explicit, offensive, shocking, discussions of demerit commodities or pornographic unless it is posted in an educational sense and is relatively acceptable for those younger then 13 to view it.

Yeah I know I'm bitchin' over something small but you did ask for suggestions.

[MrCrowley]

I do see your point.

I will change it accordingly.


Edit:

Ok I changed it, is it what you had in mind?


Thanks Killjoy, this is the reason I left it open for dicsussion.

[Killjoy]

Yep thats perfect, thanks

[MrCrowley]

I got rid of the porn bit, because in no way should it be posted on this forum, even if by some miracle it was in an 'educational sense.'

[Killjoy]

Yeah thats probably better, since I don't think porn qualifies as both entertaining and edcuational at the same time; just entertaining...though I guess that would be one way to teach young individuals about sex, might mess them up, but at least they would know haha, so it can be educational, just not in the spudgun sense.

But I'm sure JSR can find some sort of porn that can be viewed in an educational sense and related to spudguns, so we might be seeing a miracle soon...

[jackssmirkingrevenge]

But I'm sure JSR can find some sort of porn that can be viewed in an educational sense and related to spudguns, so we might be seeing a miracle soon...

If it's educational, then it probably isn't porn (does it count if she's wearing a schoolgirl uniform ) - as to being related to spudguns, I won't even go there, 'cause there's no way I could avoid breaking the above rules

[Novacastrian]

Damn, i missed the good bits!

[wangpushups]

What if some chick that was on this site made a cannon and in her pics, it showed her half naked... 8)

[MrCrowley]

I would believe god does exist.

Well she would have to abide to the rules unfortuantly.