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Rules & Courtesies
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Rules & Courtesies |
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Michael
Moderator
Member Rara Avis
since 1999-08-13
Posts 7666California 
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Issues have come up over the past few days concerning courtesy on the forums so far as multiple posting without replying, reply to each and every response on one of your own posts, etc. Poet DeVine suggested that maybe we email all new members some rules and/or courtesies for the forum. Also, on some forums,(i.e. Dark and Adult), there is a little note asking the member to see applicable rules before posting. Problem here is, the rules are buried so far down the member may never find them. My suggestion is this; we set up a hyper-link to a "Rules and Courtesies" page on the main Forum Display page. This would give all members easy access to the overall rules for all forums, specific rules for each individual forum, as well as some common guidelines to help the new members gel into our community. When a new member signs up, he/she could atomatically be forwarded to this page also. Michael [This message has been edited by Michael (edited 09-27-1999).] |
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RainbowGirl Member Elite
since 1999-07-31
Posts 3023United Kingdom |
Rainbow duly whizzes off to see what the protocol is...:-)) HUGS ------------------ You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give. |
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Systematic Decay Senior Member
since 1999-09-15
Posts 1301That place with padded walls and funny people in white......... |
Micheal, great idea ------------------ "Despite all my rage, I am still just a rat in a cage." -Billy Corgan- |
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
And I would suggest, Michael, that the Rules page be at the very top, so people have to see it first! Good job! |
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Iloveit Senior Member
since 1999-09-02
Posts 1121NM |
LOL@rainbow girl whizzing off to see....not me....I don't have the time to find them, I will wait for the hyperlink....*big grin* great idea michael  |
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Ron
Administrator
Member Rara Avis
since 1999-05-19
Posts 8669Michigan, US |
I can definitely provide the links. In fact, I would suggest a link on the main page for "General Rules" that apply across the board, then a "Forum Rules" link within each forum for specific rules, pertinent only to that forum. PdV and I have also discussed emailing the rules to each new registrant, and that's only slightly more difficult. Here's the hard part: What are the rules? And I think differentiating between Rules (which should remain as minimal as possible) and Courtesies has to be very, very clear. Perhaps if each of the Moderators could draft a set of rules for their own forum, we could find common ground amongst them all? And I strongly encourage all of the member to get involved, both with suggestions and with votes. Again, we need to be very clear whether a proposal is a Rule or a Courtesy. Now - ya wanna hear the really hard part? If we're going to have rules, we're going to have to have repercussions. What happens when someone breaks a rule? Enforcement has to be just as clear as the rule. And just as consistent. What happens when someone "breaks" a Courtesy? Should they be snubbed? Publicly chastised?You guys know I am always open to suggestions. But I think it's important we be really, really careful on this one. Rules are necessary, I know. Einstein wasn't talking about rules when he said "Things should be made as simple as possible -- but no simpler," yet I nonetheless think it applies. |
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Nan
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-20
Posts 21191Cape Cod Massachusetts USA |
Perhaps the word "Rule" is then a bit too stringent? We all acknowledged the rules when we accepted the responsibilities of membership. It seems that what we really need now are simple "Guidelines"....ya think? |
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Michael
Moderator
Member Rara Avis
since 1999-08-13
Posts 7666California |
Nan, The main reason "Rules" were added to my suggestion is there's been some confusion, especially to new members about what they can post in the Dark Passions forum. I have had to refer quite a few new members in the way of the Adult forum. I was just thinking for forums with special rules, (Adult - regarding age), and (Dark Passions regarding blood & guts poetry, graphic violence & gore) the rules should be easily accessed and up front if possible. For the overall forum picture, including the open forum, I agree with you that "guidelines" may be appropriate. I am just trying to implement common courtesy among the members. [This message has been edited by Michael (edited 09-27-1999).] |
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RainbowGirl Member Elite
since 1999-07-31
Posts 3023United Kingdom |
Ron: My heart sunk at repercussions because I'm sure that no one breaks the rules intentionally...I'm not even sure that I should give voice to these thoughts but I'll try... It seems to have been a really quiet day today or else I've been on here too long (that's what happens when you feel at home) but I've struggled today to find poems that I felt comfortable commenting on, probably me and my mood of today but I like to be personal and don't really like saying "it's good" or similar because for me a lot of emotion goes into what I write and I tend to think the same for everyone who either posts a poem or who responds...I'm waffling...what I'm trying to say is that hard and fast rules don't always need to apply becausemaybe someone, somewhere is just deep in their thoughts and seeing their thoughts before them, helps to empty them from their mind, resulting in a little peace, maybe... Sorry for being longwinded but I hate the thought of someone not being able to find peace and I often go back to Sept 1st to find a poem that I couldn't relate to then but can now, so all is not lost regardless of how many are posted... oooops...sorry..:-( HUGS ------------------ You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give. |
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Systematic Decay Senior Member
since 1999-09-15
Posts 1301That place with padded walls and funny people in white......... |
As for repercussions, I think that if someone breaks a rule, they should be warned by the moderator of that particular forum. Such as lets say the forum doesn't allow extreme profanity, and the moderator thinks that someone has crossed the line, then they should get like a first and second warning, and then perhaps be banned from posting in the forum for X amount of time, which increases with each subsequent violation, and after X amount of violations, the member is permanantly banned from the forum....? I believe that anyone who hasnt paid attention to the warnings after once or twice has a problem with respecting rules and expectations anyway, and in this forum I dont think the rules are all that demanding anyway. As for someone goign against a general guideline, such as the all infuriating posting 6 poems, and bumping them all back up (which I too was guilty of to a point the firts few days here) when the don't bother replying to other poets, just making sure that they know the guidelines could be a simple way to fix the problem..... Like Rainbow, I believe that noone purposely breaks a rule, but if the rule is so obvious and/or broken several time, I agree that something should be done in the way of a repercussion, for what is a rule if nothing happens when broken.? Thanks ------------------ "Despite all my rage, I am still just a rat in a cage." -Billy Corgan- |
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Poet deVine
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-26
Posts 22612Hurricane Alley |
The rules are posted on each forum..Like: you have to be an adult to enter the Adult Forum and you have to e-mail the moderator or the administrator for a password. I think those are the only rules...rules of the forum, not rules of conduct. Courtesies (per Michael) is just that - please be courteous and don't post 30 poems in 20 minutes..be courteous and reply to other poets...that sort of thing... I don't like the idea of repercussions! I personally don't want anyone ejected from the forums. I think warnings are ok..and now that the moderators can move postings, it will solve the problem of 'unsuitable' postings. There, another two cents worth...we may have a dollar soon! |
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Julie Senior Member
since 1999-08-20
Posts 739Houston, TX |
Good idea Michael. I too have a problem with reprecussions. I think it will make this site cliquish and the veterans of this site may become watchdogs. The rules are already posted, adding the courtesies I think would be sufficient. So if a new member wants to know why their not being read then it makes a simple answer...Have you read the courtesies? Add in tips on How to Get Your Poetry Read? I think keeping the rules and courtesies in one place simplifies things. Just my opinion... ------------------ Julie ------------------------- Thou who has given so much to me, give one thing more: a grateful heart. >George Herbert |
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DreamEvil Member Elite
since 1999-06-22
Posts 2396 |
I would agree that a page listing suggested rules of posting conduct be implemented. Other than obvious things such as blood and such that goes in Dark or blatant erotica that goes in Adult, I see no reason to place more restrictions to posting. I would further say that the individual Moderators are granted broad discretionary power in what is acceptable in each forum and that should be enough. I wonder if Open poetry will become a romantic poetry only forum if we differentiate and scrutinize too much. The biggest problem with courtesy is the tendency to post 15 poems in a 20 minute stretch which leads us to another thread started long ago about a limit to the # of postings. Concerns aside, I agree that a page should be set up with guidelines for each forum but that each Moderator interpret those guidelines. ------------------ Now and forever my heart hears ~one voice~. DreamEvil© |
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Poet deVine
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-26
Posts 22612Hurricane Alley |
If the Moderators must interpret the guidelines, then perhaps each forum should have two Moderators (open being the exception as it's so busy). That way one person's interpretation will not become the 'law' of that forum?  |
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