Poll: New forum rules - Yay or Nay?

[Spade Lead]

Been banned before, if it happens again, then I will just stop coming here like I have the others. I didn't read the rules, because I KNOW how to behave. Look at my join date, how many rules changes do you think I have seen? And I was lurking long before I posted.

 

[scyther250]

The health bar thing seems a bit harsh, I agree. There should be some sort of expiration date on them.

Edit: well, now that I read it, there is an expiration date. 2 years is an awfully long time, though.

 

[Trolldor]

The health bar thing seems a bit harsh, I agree. There should be some sort of expiration date on them.

Edit: well, now that I read it, there is an expiration date. 2 years is an awfully long time, though.

That's not an expiration date at all.

An expiration on mod sanctions would have them removed a certian amount of time after issue. This is not the case. Instead it's a point system where you get given points after six months.

 

[Trolldor]

I have a new concern (every time I think about these rules I think of a new concern.)

Advocating illegal activities.

According to whose legislation?

I think exercising common sense would save a lot of pondering. I don't think the mods are gonna punish anyone for discussing where bicycles should be or weather or not you should own a gun.

Don't advocate piracy, don't advocate child pornography, don't encourage people to go out and murder their neighbors, ect. Easy enough, I think I could go on but you get the point.

Yes it is up to moderator discretion as to what is permissible to discuss, this is their site after all. You don't have freedom of speech on someone else's site, you have permission to post on it.

So what?
If they don't define their rules how are we supposed to abide by them?
They've already stated that some illegal activities can be advocated, so how do we know which activities are illegal enough to avoid advocating?

 

[Rayne870]

So, there´s been an update to the rules. If you haven´t seen it, it´ll come up when you try to post.

So anyway, what does the Escapist think of this new set of rules? Yay? Nay? Don´t care?!

Personally, i think the rules are just as good as usual, but the whole forum health meter thing sounds a little unfair. I mean, you can NEVER get strikes back? That sounds kinda impractical.

Let´s be hypothetical here: Let´s say a poster reaches the last zone before a ban, but decides he/she doesn´t like to be banned and stops acting like a twat. 9 months pass with plenty of posts and not a single infraction, but then, this poster makes one post that could be classified as offensive/jerkish etc. And they´re banned. I dunno. Just doesn´t sound fair to me.

I voted "Some yay". If they got rid of the "Forum health meter" i´d be good. I don´t think infractions should be measured in this way.

I'm not to happy about it either I really do try not to be a jerk and try to filter a lot of things, but I'm at two strikes that I cant get back, and I'm guessing in the rest of the year I'll probably say something mild and getting more infractions.

I think there should at least be an annual wiping of warning or something for people whom are not toxic to the community but just make mistakes. A little forgiveness would be nice.

Edit: Just read this

"Amnesty
After every 6 months without any warnings, you will drop down one level on the Forum Health Meter. After 2 years without any warnings, your meter will be returned to 0, regardless of where it was before.

These adjustments don't apply to any users that have been permanently banned, and they don't remove the history that the moderators can see on your account. Anyone that is seen "gaming the system" will be held accountable for it. "

I guess that kind of works.

 

[scyther250]

The health bar thing seems a bit harsh, I agree. There should be some sort of expiration date on them.

Edit: well, now that I read it, there is an expiration date. 2 years is an awfully long time, though.

That's not an expiration date at all.

An expiration on mod sanctions would have them removed a certian amount of time after issue. This is not the case. Instead it's a point system where you get given points after six months.

That's true. It's a pretty silly system, overall. And the fact that they'll crack down on those "gaming the system" is wholly laughable. By their rules, you can troll once every six months. How will they know if you're gaming the system or simply an infrequent troller? If I remember, I might try get a warning on New Year's Day and another in July some time, just to see what happens, but that'd likely be too much effort.

It's a bad system, anyway. Forums don't need "health bars", just regular bans and warnings.

 

[TacticalAssassin1]

Inspecting the rules....

Yeah that's fair. They have the amnesty thingo there so you can just chill for a year and be good with it. As long as they don't go throwing out warnings like they're on fire i don't see a problem.

 

[Friendshipandmagic]

I have a new concern (every time I think about these rules I think of a new concern.)

Advocating illegal activities.

According to whose legislation?

I think exercising common sense would save a lot of pondering. I don't think the mods are gonna punish anyone for discussing where bicycles should be or weather or not you should own a gun.

Don't advocate piracy, don't advocate child pornography, don't encourage people to go out and murder their neighbors, ect. Easy enough, I think I could go on but you get the point.

Yes it is up to moderator discretion as to what is permissible to discuss, this is their site after all. You don't have freedom of speech on someone else's site, you have permission to post on it.

So what?
If they don't define their rules how are we supposed to abide by them?
They've already stated that some illegal activities can be advocated, so how do we know which activities are illegal enough to avoid advocating?

By using your head. I thinks its very clear what is meant by "illegal" in the context of what is and is not appropriate forum posts. They should not have to spell out every possible violation of that rule, most self respecting posters know exactly what it means.

I guess some posters won't, but if a post is going to cross that line I am willing to bet it deserved to get moderated. Meaning the posts saying "I pirated X game" are going to get strikes against them and silly stuff like differing road rules are gonna get overlooked.

If a few people learn the lesson the hard way, so be it.

 

[blankedboy]

I think it's a bit harsh but whatever. I'm cool with it.

 

[Andy of Comix Inc]

Let's see...

...they're fine. Bit sad about the "perverted remarks" thing... I think. I guess there's a difference between "sexually open" and "perverted," though as much as I'd love to test that theory, I guess I'll try to keep my stuff PG-rated where possible!

We can still swear, right? Fuck tits shit mittens?

 

[mageroel]

I have just read the entire set of rules, and indeed it seems a bit harsh for the perma-probation thing. I noticed something at the end though:

"After every 6 months without any warnings, you will drop down one level on the Forum Health Meter. After 2 years without any warnings, your meter will be returned to 0, regardless of where it was before."

Seems like there IS a way to "drop down one level", meaning probation will possibly last 6 months, and not indefinitely.

 

[gbemery]

I have just read the entire set of rules, and indeed it seems a bit harsh for the perma-probation thing. I noticed something at the end though:

"After every 6 months without any warnings, you will drop down one level on the Forum Health Meter. After 2 years without any warnings, your meter will be returned to 0, regardless of where it was before."

Seems like there IS a way to "drop down one level", meaning probation will possibly last 6 months, and not indefinitely.

hmm either i didn't read that part or they added it in after. but now that i see that I really don't have an issue anymore. I have been here for over a year and only got one warning for a low content post...and oddly enough still have that warning against me for some odd reason meh.

EDIT- though I still don't like the idea to a certain extent because mods are different from each other in what they find "breaks" the rules etc. what one might let slide another might warn like crazy for. Plus what if the mod is having a bad day or week? The appeals process is crap in my opinion because when i tried to appeal the warning I got I never received any reply.

 

[mageroel]

I have just read the entire set of rules, and indeed it seems a bit harsh for the perma-probation thing. I noticed something at the end though:

"After every 6 months without any warnings, you will drop down one level on the Forum Health Meter. After 2 years without any warnings, your meter will be returned to 0, regardless of where it was before."

Seems like there IS a way to "drop down one level", meaning probation will possibly last 6 months, and not indefinitely.

hmm either i didn't read that part or they added it in after. but now that i see that I really don't have an issue anymore. I have been here for over a year and only got one warning for a low content post...and oddly enough still have that warning against me for some odd reason meh.

EDIT- though I still don't like the idea to a certain extent because mods are different from each other in what they find "breaks" the rules etc. what one might let slide another might warn like crazy for. Plus what if the mod is having a bad day or week? The appeals process is crap in my opinion because when i tried to appeal the warning I got I never received any reply.

*EDIT*
I just had to agree to the rules again... I haven't posted in a while, maybe it's an outdated version? Or alternatively, it is the right page but I have to agree again to make sure I read them or something?

I think that's because they started counting from this moment, or at least the moment you agreed to these rules. Though it seems strange that these rules are retro-active... Imagine banning, say, threads about Halo being better than (x=genericgame), and then retro-actively banning each and every starter of those threads.

Also, there will always, and I mean ALWAYS, be a human factor to this. Human factor also means human mood. But, seeing as being made a mod isn't done without reason and to anyone, I think it's safe to say those who are chosen are usually professional enough not to let their mood get to them.

 

[The Moehlinator]

Coming late to this party....

I am not going to read all....1196 replies, so if I am saying the same thing someone else is, forgive me.

I like some of the changes....I agree that there should be some sort of way to deplete your 'health meter' (which, incidentally, sounds backwards....but whatever) back to safe levels, but that is a minor concern for me. I am here just to socialize with like minded individuals and have a good time....not a very aggressive person. I feel for the people who are near the max of the warning system because of low content posts when they first joined....that seems unfair. You learn your lesson, pay your debt to society, and you all move on.

 

[gbemery]

Coming late to this party....

I am not going to read all....1196 replies, so if I am saying the same thing someone else is, forgive me.

well at least you know that if you ever were nearly bored to death and had absolutely nothing better to do and didn't actually feel like going through with the whole "dying" aspect that there is something to pass the time with...but I would imagine you would have had to been to the other side of the internet and back before you got to that point.

I think that's because they started counting from this moment, or at least the moment you agreed to these rules. Though it seems strange that these rules are retro-active... Imagine banning, say, threads about Halo being better than (x=genericgame), and then retro-actively banning each and every starter of those threads.

Also, there will always, and I mean ALWAYS, be a human factor to this. Human factor also means human mood. But, seeing as being made a mod isn't done without reason and to anyone, I think it's safe to say those who are chosen are usually professional enough not to let their mood get to them.

yeah my warning has been a long time ago. I agree with someone else or multiple people who said it should be a clean slate if they are going to tally them up like this even if they are forgiven in 6 months or so.

Yeah human factor has always been there. When I posted my LCP there were like ten other LCPs that never got probation but I did. So maybe the mod that day was pissed :/

 

[Vallds]

Well, I rarely seem to stray in to the wrong on any site or forum, not through lack of trying mind you, so not really concerned here.

You do bad, you do bad, simple enough?

 

[Fire Daemon]

Cheat codes.

Right...

Were that to come from anyone else would it be considered a low content post? If you don't want to answer my question, don't reply. No need to be rude. Besides, the question was why, not how.

 

[mageroel]

-snip-

Yeah human factor has always been there. When I posted my LCP there were like ten other LCPs that never got probation but I did. So maybe the mod that day was pissed :/

Or, more likely, the mods didn't see the other threads, or found those less offensive of the forum rules at the time. I'm not sure what could have happened there, but I'm pretty sure the mods don't see every single thread. Did you report the other LCP's?

 

[idodo35]

wait what does "negative consequinses" (i know its spelled awfull sory) mean?!

 

[Wargamer]

I don't remember seeing any popup announcing a change in the rules...

But frankly, this is all just more evidence that the Escapist is going to the dogs.