Ok guys. The site is undergoing a few changes that you all need to be aware of. We are going to be tweaking rules/guidelines where needed, making staff adjustments, and while we're at it - cracking down on the rude behavior we see on the site. This was something that was needed a year or so ago and once everyone was whipped into shape things were good for a long time. The new VZW/Android thing has smiled upon us, and brought us a much larger community. This is a good thing! However, with 4.. 5... 700 registrations A DAY we do get a variety of personality types. This first part of this post is to address that.
Behavior
Good Eggs: For those of you who are being helpful, contributing nicely, and are respectful to your fellow member ; we thank you! We applaud those that resist getting sucked into fights and flame wars and all that stuff. Keep it up! However, please DO report trouble users/posts/threads. This is very very important. We cannot read every thread here, there is just no way, and we rely on the community to to help us weed out the trouble users.
Also the TIP US button is NOT for reporting trouble users. There is a "report this post" button below that. Use it. Please use TIP US for news tips - leads, etc.
Bad Potatoes: We are initiating an all-but zero-tolerance policy on the "poor behavior" issue. You are encouraged to debate, even if they are heated debates, that is fine.. but do NOT get downright mean to your community-mates. Name calling, being overly condescending, carrying disagreements across threads and starting more fights.. all that kinda stuff has got to stop. Everyone here needs to keep their cool and remember people come here for help and to be a member of the community and don't want to have to sift through flame wars to get the info the need.
Be respectful to everyone. Do not be hateful. Do not flip out if someone disagrees with you or has wrong information. Agree to disagree. Do not hate on noobs for having questions. Even if they don't search. Just don't post if you have a problem with it. (Though, the new threads may get merged with an old one. More on that later.)
It's simple, really; be civil to those around you. Save the smart-ass comments for when they are actually and clearly ha ha funny and not, damn - that was rude. If you don't have something constructive or nice to say - don't say it.
As the rules thread gets updated if and as needed, I will post on it noting so.
Infraction System
The infraction system is now a standard. A certain number of infractions will cause you to be put on probation, more will cause you to lose your posting privileges. Or banned. Please do not try to work the system; Oh okay so I can get x more points between now and Friday, got it. None of that.
This system is not our overall solution. It is to supplement what we already do. To help us as a group keep track of what we each are doing. There can and surely will still be bans outside the system.
Be a decent member and civil to those around you and this system won't even effect you.
Last Thing
One last thing guys. Please understand we have a huge slew of posts hitting every minute. We do our best to keep things clean, merge what needs it, etc. If we don't do this things are a huge mess with each new thread you post finding its way to page 2 in 5 minutes in a couple of the forums.
Every once in a while things happen that aren't the perfect solution in everyone's eyes. I realize this. A rational, calm PM to me or a senior mod will get you much further than actin'-a-fool.
Also understand that everyone makes mistakes. Include the staff here, including me. When mistakes do happen we correct what we can. Sometimes we can't and I apologize for when that happens. We DO NOT like to see embarrassing mistakes happen but every once in a while, with all the actions we take on a daily bases, it happens.
Please remember this is a site you are using for free - don't take for granted the community we are trying to provide. This is costing you nothing. On the flip side - others have lived very meager lives for the past year and a half flipping the (large!) cost of this place while getting it to the point where it can finally start to pay for itself. (Until more traffic grows and more hardware is needed - again.)
Thanks for your time.
Behavior
Good Eggs: For those of you who are being helpful, contributing nicely, and are respectful to your fellow member ; we thank you! We applaud those that resist getting sucked into fights and flame wars and all that stuff. Keep it up! However, please DO report trouble users/posts/threads. This is very very important. We cannot read every thread here, there is just no way, and we rely on the community to to help us weed out the trouble users.
Also the TIP US button is NOT for reporting trouble users. There is a "report this post" button below that. Use it. Please use TIP US for news tips - leads, etc.
Bad Potatoes: We are initiating an all-but zero-tolerance policy on the "poor behavior" issue. You are encouraged to debate, even if they are heated debates, that is fine.. but do NOT get downright mean to your community-mates. Name calling, being overly condescending, carrying disagreements across threads and starting more fights.. all that kinda stuff has got to stop. Everyone here needs to keep their cool and remember people come here for help and to be a member of the community and don't want to have to sift through flame wars to get the info the need.
Be respectful to everyone. Do not be hateful. Do not flip out if someone disagrees with you or has wrong information. Agree to disagree. Do not hate on noobs for having questions. Even if they don't search. Just don't post if you have a problem with it. (Though, the new threads may get merged with an old one. More on that later.)
It's simple, really; be civil to those around you. Save the smart-ass comments for when they are actually and clearly ha ha funny and not, damn - that was rude. If you don't have something constructive or nice to say - don't say it.
As the rules thread gets updated if and as needed, I will post on it noting so.
Infraction System
The infraction system is now a standard. A certain number of infractions will cause you to be put on probation, more will cause you to lose your posting privileges. Or banned. Please do not try to work the system; Oh okay so I can get x more points between now and Friday, got it. None of that.
This system is not our overall solution. It is to supplement what we already do. To help us as a group keep track of what we each are doing. There can and surely will still be bans outside the system.
Be a decent member and civil to those around you and this system won't even effect you.
Last Thing
One last thing guys. Please understand we have a huge slew of posts hitting every minute. We do our best to keep things clean, merge what needs it, etc. If we don't do this things are a huge mess with each new thread you post finding its way to page 2 in 5 minutes in a couple of the forums.
Every once in a while things happen that aren't the perfect solution in everyone's eyes. I realize this. A rational, calm PM to me or a senior mod will get you much further than actin'-a-fool.
Also understand that everyone makes mistakes. Include the staff here, including me. When mistakes do happen we correct what we can. Sometimes we can't and I apologize for when that happens. We DO NOT like to see embarrassing mistakes happen but every once in a while, with all the actions we take on a daily bases, it happens.
Please remember this is a site you are using for free - don't take for granted the community we are trying to provide. This is costing you nothing. On the flip side - others have lived very meager lives for the past year and a half flipping the (large!) cost of this place while getting it to the point where it can finally start to pay for itself. (Until more traffic grows and more hardware is needed - again.)
Thanks for your time.
By the time you're done reading this I'll remember stuff I meant to include.
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