So 11 said yes, 4 said no. Sucks for you 4, eh?
ANYWHO, post your suggestions here.

If there are any questions that you think should be in the FAQ, post those here, too.

If you don't want anyone to know what you suggest, for whatever reason, use the button to report this thread and I'll check it that way.

One other option is to come into chat in the evening and tell me there. I'm usually in there by 10pm (central) and sometimes during the day, though not often.

No idiots allowed!

The term "Schweddy Balls" results in an instant ban! =)

No flaming.
No band ownership(they are grown men, if they care enough to be pissed about something, they can say so... They ALL have accounts(I Believe)...)
No acting like an asshole, just because someone is a noob does not mean they are stupid.

All I can think of atm...

quote:

Originally posted by A|kaLiNE:
No band ownership(they are grown men, if they care enough to be pissed about something, they can say so... They ALL have accounts(I Believe)...)
No acting like an asshole, just because someone is a noob does not mean they are stupid.

All I can think of atm...

AGREED!

So that's it? No one else has suggestions? If you don't offer anything, you can't complain. And trust me, I can come up with some really jacked up guidelines....

Everything I say results to stupidity, so I guess I'm out! lol

Ralph, we said we would give the scheddy balls a rest.
Mia, I am right there with you on the stupidity thing.
Mel, I think all the assholes who come here just to say the guys suck should be banned, just cuz they get on my nerves and obviously don't have sense enough to go to a band's site that they like. And they piss me off. Anyone who pisses me off should be banned just cuz I said so. lol And also, the just to the people who come up here just for the sole purpose of starting shit, expect vengence. If you can't take the heat get out of the damn kitchen, because we will light your ass up, you stupid fuckers! Resistance is futile it'll only make it worse. So play nice or be gone. Good day to you! And I will try to be nice and play well with others and not post jack as much. This may take some time as sometimes I don't even realise how random I can be but my promise to fellow bourdies is to atleast try to be more mindful of it. And will we ever get our pm's back?

I'm glad I'm not alone. Thank you Dinkerz!

how about not posting nude/partially nude pictures of ourselves or others? THANX!

for once, Leesa, I can honestly say, wasn't me! lol Not even in a baithing suit, my lack of a tan would burn your retna's until you were blind, similar to an eclipse. You'd have to wear shades. I glow.

quote:

Originally posted by Dinky1:
for once, Leesa, I can honestly say, wasn't me! lol

i know. i saw the pic... i THINK we're all good now.

quote:

Originally posted by Dinky1:
Not even in a baithing suit, my lack of a tan would burn your retna's until you were blind, similar to an eclipse. You'd have to wear shades. I glow.

and if what you say is true than i would like to thank you on behalf of my precious eyesight

very welcome, I would do that to a nice person like yourself. There are some lines not even I would cross.

-keep caps to a minimum, how hard is it to push the caps lock button one more time

-use the search button if you dont know if something has been answered, thats what its there for.

-dont spam the boards!

-flame others without a cause.

-joining to say shinedown sucks is a lifetime ban

-dont swear excessively, theres no reason to

regarding the other bands/general

- dont just say something sucks, its an opinion, if you dont like a band, explain why not just OMg!!1 they suck ass

- keep topics to one per band, we dont need thirty about one band

i realize some of these arent a problem, but there good guidelines, why let it start when the rules can stop it first

Okay, so after a lot of searching, I've adapted the guidelines from a forum that I'm on. At this point, I'm still open to suggestions.


Moderators And How (and Who?) to Contact Them

Moderators are active members who have been chosen to aid in the administration of the board and keep everything well organized. They can also be called upon for help/advice in cases of confusion or difficulty. They're here to help and are happy to do so, so don't hesitate to send one a message if you are in need of guidance. Moderators have lives outside of the board though, and may not get back to you immediately. It is not necessary to send more than one message unless it goes unanswered for more than a week. Current mods are Mel, Leesa, and occasionally Cheer (though she's not as active right now)

All reward points related questions/requests are to be directed to Mel.

If your query/request is in regard to a specific topic or post, please make use of the report button (which can be found in the right hand corner of every post) rather than just writing a pm! Using the report button has the advantage of sending your message to all mods so that it can be addressed to whoever has the chance first. It also automatically attaches a link to the post/topic in question, which eliminates confusion on our end as to which post or thread is being referred to and keeps us from having to hunt for it. I think you'll also find that this is a quicker, more convenient means of correspondence for you too once you start using it. Please DO NOT send emails to people because they said something that you don't approve of. All you have to do is report the post, and let us know what's up, and we'll take care of it.

Lastly on this topic, because of the work moderators are expected to do, members are not permitted to block their PMs. If a moderator cannot contact you, they cannot do their job, and so to block a mod is to subvert their duties. Any member caught blocking a moderator may face a temporary suspension as a penalty at the discretion of the administrator, and if a suspension is not given a warning will be.

Posting Guidelines

We're pretty laid-back here in terms of what our members can post, but there a few things to keep in mind. To avoid duplicate threads, it's important to use the search feature to check for an existing thread on the topic. If a duplicate thread *is* started, it'll be merged into the existing one by a mod or admin, and the user will receive a warning. Also, try to find the most appropriate place for your posts, though if you post in the wrong spot, a moderator will move it without penalty. It's also advised that you try to stay on topic, as threads that diverge too much from the original subject will have to be split.

We're extremely open when it comes to subject matter, but there are some guidelines. Please refrain from posting nudity, of any sort, openly. If you must do it, link it with a proper warning. People could be viewing this from work and we don't want to get them fired. We also don't want anyone getting into trouble because someone found their underage child looking at nudity. Besides that, what kind of message does that send about the band, really? We also ask you to be careful when disclosing personal information that could be used to identify you as this is a public forum. If a moderator finds an instance where unsafe information is posted in a topic (like an address or phone number), they may choose to edit it out of the post.

On the topic of pictures, while you are allowed to post them, we do ask that you do not post large pictures inside your post. Large pictures slow the load of the thread and not everyone has the luxury of high-speed internet! Pictures that are too wide can also bloat the set width of the table which greatly annoys one of the administrators. Pictures wider than 480 pixels should be either resized or posted as a link rather than an image. With pictures thinner than that, use your best judgment and do be considerate of members who are still stuck with dial-up!

This forum doesn't have any policies concerning foul language. It is all right for use, though as it is offensive to some people we do ask that it's not used extensively (i.e. if you can't go without using at least 3 expletives in every paragraph, it's too much).



Concerning Good Manners....

With a few exceptions here and there, we're a polite forum. Our members are by and large fairly considerate to each other's feelings. There are times though, during heated discussions, when members seem to feel put out when reminded to be polite and complain about feeling like they're being forced to "walk on eggshells." To this we have to say that manners isn't an ugly word, and to ask you to use them from time to time is not out of line. This forum is not your home, you can't just come in and track mud all over the floor because you feel comfortable here. Obviously we're thrilled that so many people enjoy this place, and are happy to keep you comfortable, but sometimes we do have to step in and do our job to keep things running smoothly in the long run. So asking you to help us out by using the good manners we hope you were raised with and taking self-imposed time outs during periods of stress isn't asking you to "walk on eggshells," it's asking you to help us keep the forum you enjoy.



Single Username Rule

Each member is allowed only one forum handle. If you want to change your user name, do not register another one, rather PM Mel and request a change of name. If anyone is found to have two accounts, the member will be contacted and asked to choose between the two and the extra account will be deleted. If you have a valid reason for needing two accounts, let us know and we'll make a note of it.



Warnings

Warnings can only be issued by admins and moderators and cannot be done sending a message to the member with a reason. If a member feels the warning was given unfairly, they do have the right to take it up with the mod who gave it to appeal it. If after discussing it with the mod the member is still dissatisfied with how the manner was handled, they may contact an admin. If a member is unsuccessful in getting the warning overturned, we ask them not to take it personally. Warnings are not permanent. Each warning will be taken off after 3 months. We do operate on a three strikes, you're out policy though. To clarify, if you get three warnings in three months, your account will be suspended for a period of time to be determined by the degree offenses.

The infractions members may be warned for include: repeated disruptive conduct (more warnings will be issued if the bad behavior continues after the member is first warned); member harassment; obvious trolling by a new member, starting duplicate threads, or repeatedly breaking a normally nonwarn-worthy guideline after a moderator has asked you to stop. We also ask that you don't participate in any excessive label bashing. I know that, at times, they may do something that you don't like, but the fact is, this is their board. They're the people that make it possible for us to have Shinedown CDs. You don't have to love them, but please don't bash them constantly. Extra punitive actions may be taken if a member has reached a high warning level, but what that may be will depend on the reasons for each of the warnings received. The consequence of suspension from the entire forum will only occur in cases of member harassment or trolling. If someone's trolling (saying the band sucks, or whatever), report the post. Please don't reply to it. All that does is give them the attention that they're looking for. Just report it and we'll get to it as soon as we can.
Please, and I can not stress this enough, DO NOT try to get involved in the band's personal life. If a band member posts something, that's fine. Don't take it upon yourself to make announcements though. On that note, if you don't have "Band Member" under your name, don't speak for the band. They have accounts. If they want us to know something, they'll tell us. You don't have to stick up for them, that's why we have mods.

Warnings themselves should not be viewed as punishments. There is no sentence to carry out or fine to pay attached to them unless you receive them frequently, it is simply a firm reminder to be more careful in the future and be mindful of board policies. Keeping the forum organized is a difficult job, even with a good team of moderators. The warning system was designed to be as gentle as we could possibly make it while still being both effective and useful to the moderators. We do not hold the warning against you and we don't restrict your privileges after a few minor slip ups (major things are another story), and we ask you to keep that all in mind if you should ever receive one.

Member Abuse

We're a pretty friendly board, and instances of member abuse are fairly rare. Nonetheless it is an issue the mod team takes very seriously and if you find yourself the victim of such a thing, it is very important that you contact a moderator so that the issue can be addressed and prevented from happening again.

In cases of verbal abuse, please contact a mod (whomever you feel most comfortable with is fine) if you feel you are being harassed by another member in a way that is beyond what may be expected from a debate or personal disagreement. If the attacks are going via PM, do not delete them. Use the report option first! Then, if you wish, forward them on to the mod you are taking the case to, with a copy of the message. The mod will then do her best (with the advice of her teammates) to settle the issue and force the harassment to cease.

This applies to new people, too. Welcome them. Don't abuse them for the way they type, or their message content, or anything else that you may find wrong with it. In the past, some people have been very rude to new members. That will no longer be tolerated.


Duplicate Threads

In an effort to enforce our search-before-starting policy, we have adopted a strike policy when it comes to duplicate threads. Members who start a duplicate thread will be warned, and 10 warnings for this reason in a three month period will result in that member losing their ability to start new threads for a month. After the month passes, their privilege will be reinstated and their warning level will be cleared of duplicate-thread related warnings.

While we enforce this policy fairly heavy-handedly, there are a few cases in which the moderator will not warn the member. If the offending member PMs a member of the mod team to ask if there's an existing thread and the moderator can't find one at the time and tells the member to go ahead, the member will not be warned if one is later found. If the member catches their own mistake and reports their own thread before it's merged, the member will not be warned.

It should be reiterated here, that these warnings are not personal. You should not feel offended if you are warned for this reason. Each warning expires after three months, so this isn't something that becomes part of a permanent record.



Missing Posts or Threads

In the event that you think a post or thread you made goes missing, do not repost. Instead contact a moderator or admin to alert them of the situation. In most cases, the post/thread is not missing, but has been moved to a more appropriate area or merged into an existing thread and so reposting will cause real irritation for the mod team. There are also certain words that, as of right now, are moderated. If you post something that doesn't show up, this is probably why. If it doesn't show up within the next day or so, it probably won't be. Reposting it daily will do nothing but irritate the mods.


Rewards System

Because I believe that for every punishment there should also be a reward, we have a reward system to go along side our warning one. The reward system is designed to reward helpful, positive behavior that helps the forums run more smoothly. For positive behavior, members are awarded points which they can use to "buy" certain privileges. Right now the list of items/privileges you can buy is small, but I'm working on finding more things you can get. The list of "rewarded actions" may also grow as well. If you have any suggestions for either column, feel free to PM them to Mel.


Rewarded Actions:

- Reporting posts or threads that are in the wrong spot or could be merged. 5 points per report (assuming it's an appropriate report, and not just someone being click happy).
- "Cthulhu love you" mod points: These points would be awarded at the mod teams' discretion whenever a member does something that we really think they should be rewarded for. Like a member directing a newer member to a policy (in a nice way!) when they're unaware of it or have forgotten. Or when a member behaves really sensibly in an argument. Really just any time a member does something that makes our job easier, we can award some. Think of it as a gold star. This is generally worth 5 points, but is ultimately up to the discretion of the moderator.
- Reporting anything that's against the guidelines. This board isn't really busy, but getting a message that something needs attention helps us get to it that much faster. (this applies to everyone. Don't be afraid to report fellow boardies if they've done something that violates the guidelines!) 5 points.
-Reporting trolls and not feeding them. Don't give them the attention that they desire! 5 points per report.
-Sharing show/band photos (preferrably new ones). Not everyone can make it to shows, so sharing photos is awesome! This will be rewarded by 1 point per show.
-Sharing audio/video finds- Just like the photos. 1 point.
(Bonus points if you send any photos/audio/video to shinedown-online.com!)


Rewards:
- Change of member display name: The first display name change is free. After that, there are two options: unlimited changing completely controlled by you (Price: 100 points), or individual changes (Price: 25 points).
- Custom avatars: You can have the avatar of your choice (within reason). Much like the display name, there are two options. Unlimited changing controlled by you (100 points), or individual changes (25 points).
- Custom member title: i.e. you can have the title of your choice (within reason). You have to stick with it once you've changed it though, at least until you earn enough points to buy another title change. Titles are restricted to approximately 30 characters (including spaces). Price: 50 points.
- Warning reduction card: our version of Monopoly's get out of jail free card. And no you don't have to use it as soon as you get it. Price: 75 points.
- Ability to receive PMs from anyone- I know everyone wants the PM function, but it's a bit more difficult than just clicking a button. Everyone will be able to send PMs (so that you can PM the mods), but not everyone can receive them. 175 points

Cashing in Reward Points:
- Once you have enough points for your chosen reward, you can cash them in by sending a pm to Mel who will fill the request soon afterward.

Sorry, but how do we know how many points we have?

Thanx 4 the guidelines, by the way.