Forum Etiquette
- FiringSquad
- Sergeant
- Posts: 849
- Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2006 5:53 pm
- Location: Ireland
Forum Etiquette
I understand the need to police a forum that is frequented by minors.
In this seemingly anonymous setting, many feel emboldened to say things that they would never say face-to-face.
As such, someone could be subjected to defamation or bullying and we should definitely do what we can to avoid such situations.
There have been some recent posts however, that were removed or locked, which were very useful to the BZFlag community, all because of one or two words in some offending post.
I was wondering therefore, if it was possible to post a list or rules regarding what should be avoided when posting, so as not to rankle the forum admins.
Also, wouldn't it be better to just remove the offending sentence and add a note that it was edited by an admin because it <whatever rule was broken>?
If it's too much work, then we probably need to appoint more moderators.
Say for example a player wanted to stop playing BZFlag and wanted to say goodbye to all the players that they met and say thanks for all the fun they had etc.
Would that be a problem? What if they named particular players that they wouldn't miss?
What if they were caught using a cheat client and wanted to apologise to the whole BZFlag community?
This forum really is the best place for such announcements and yet for some reason it's not possible to do it here.
Or maybe it is possible, but it just needs to be worded carefully in accordance with some unknown rule that's subject to the weather at the moderators location.
Can we please have a list of rules regarding forum etiquette and can we also have an open discussion about what we expect from this forum and how we can achieve it?
For my part, I would be willing to moderate a section and I'm sure there are many other trusted individuals that would also be willing to help with this.
Here's a good example of what I mean: Mozilla Forum Etiquette.
In this seemingly anonymous setting, many feel emboldened to say things that they would never say face-to-face.
As such, someone could be subjected to defamation or bullying and we should definitely do what we can to avoid such situations.
There have been some recent posts however, that were removed or locked, which were very useful to the BZFlag community, all because of one or two words in some offending post.
I was wondering therefore, if it was possible to post a list or rules regarding what should be avoided when posting, so as not to rankle the forum admins.
Also, wouldn't it be better to just remove the offending sentence and add a note that it was edited by an admin because it <whatever rule was broken>?
If it's too much work, then we probably need to appoint more moderators.
Say for example a player wanted to stop playing BZFlag and wanted to say goodbye to all the players that they met and say thanks for all the fun they had etc.
Would that be a problem? What if they named particular players that they wouldn't miss?
What if they were caught using a cheat client and wanted to apologise to the whole BZFlag community?
This forum really is the best place for such announcements and yet for some reason it's not possible to do it here.
Or maybe it is possible, but it just needs to be worded carefully in accordance with some unknown rule that's subject to the weather at the moderators location.
Can we please have a list of rules regarding forum etiquette and can we also have an open discussion about what we expect from this forum and how we can achieve it?
For my part, I would be willing to moderate a section and I'm sure there are many other trusted individuals that would also be willing to help with this.
Here's a good example of what I mean: Mozilla Forum Etiquette.
Re: Forum Etiquette
umm... there is a list of rules, and a faq.
http://my.bzflag.org/bb/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=890
http://my.bzflag.org/bb/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=891
If you feel they need to be expand sure, but hey at least READ them first. After that talk to me and we can refine the wording if you feel we have to.
The case you mention is specifically mentioned in the FAQ.
BZBB is not a social networking site, and exists more for the project then the player's social community. That is not to say I don't think we need some type of social system for the player community, it's just that BZBB is not it. There has been discussion of what we can do to provide such a social site, that is separate from the project forums.
In general it is not that there is a offending sentence, but the entire topic if the post or thread is not what bzbb is for. If it was a single sentence we'd just edit the post. We do this ALL the time. Posts are never read for specific wording, but for intent. Posts that deal with bans, cheats, accusations, and personal things, simply do not belong on BZBB.
This management style has been going on for over 5 years with out much indecent. I think the reason for what is happening now is GU specific. BZBB may not be the best place for GU's public discussion, and we are talking that over with the GU admins to try to find the best solution that works for all of us.
The problem is not that we need more moderators, but that some of the players don't seem to understand what the moderation style of this board is.
http://my.bzflag.org/bb/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=890
http://my.bzflag.org/bb/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=891
If you feel they need to be expand sure, but hey at least READ them first. After that talk to me and we can refine the wording if you feel we have to.
The case you mention is specifically mentioned in the FAQ.
BZBB is not a social networking site, and exists more for the project then the player's social community. That is not to say I don't think we need some type of social system for the player community, it's just that BZBB is not it. There has been discussion of what we can do to provide such a social site, that is separate from the project forums.
In general it is not that there is a offending sentence, but the entire topic if the post or thread is not what bzbb is for. If it was a single sentence we'd just edit the post. We do this ALL the time. Posts are never read for specific wording, but for intent. Posts that deal with bans, cheats, accusations, and personal things, simply do not belong on BZBB.
This management style has been going on for over 5 years with out much indecent. I think the reason for what is happening now is GU specific. BZBB may not be the best place for GU's public discussion, and we are talking that over with the GU admins to try to find the best solution that works for all of us.
The problem is not that we need more moderators, but that some of the players don't seem to understand what the moderation style of this board is.
JeffM
- FiringSquad
- Sergeant
- Posts: 849
- Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2006 5:53 pm
- Location: Ireland
Re: Forum Etiquette
Thanks JeffM.
I didn't see them.
Any chance those could be moved out of News and Announcements to somewhere more prominent on the main board index?
It's definitely something everyone should be reminded of on a regular basis.
I didn't see them.
Any chance those could be moved out of News and Announcements to somewhere more prominent on the main board index?
It's definitely something everyone should be reminded of on a regular basis.
Re: Forum Etiquette
This is not possible with phpbb3, the top level categories can only have forums, not threads. We can look into seeing if there are mods that could help us out but I can't promise anything.
I have found that no matter where they are, people ignore them. We used to have a big link in the header to them, but it didn't help.
I have found that no matter where they are, people ignore them. We used to have a big link in the header to them, but it didn't help.
JeffM
- FiringSquad
- Sergeant
- Posts: 849
- Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2006 5:53 pm
- Location: Ireland
Re: Forum Etiquette
I just noticed that the forum rules are also available during posting and at the top of each page.
Might I suggest that it be made more noticeable by replacingwith something like
That's the way they have it here and there are instructions about how to alter the stylesheets etc.
Not that you need instructions, just trying to make life easier for you.
I noticed the addition of the announcements to the GU League Forum. I guess we've been causing too much trouble lately to be singled out in this way. Seriously though, thanks for your efforts on this. We all have the best interests of BZFlag at heart.
Might I suggest that it be made more noticeable by replacing
Code: Select all
<a href="http://my.bzflag.org/bb/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=890">Forum Rules & Regulations</a>
Code: Select all
<strong>Forum rules</strong><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold">READ: <a href="http://my.bzflag.org/bb/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=890" class="postlink">Forum Rules</a></span>
Not that you need instructions, just trying to make life easier for you.
I noticed the addition of the announcements to the GU League Forum. I guess we've been causing too much trouble lately to be singled out in this way. Seriously though, thanks for your efforts on this. We all have the best interests of BZFlag at heart.
Re: Forum Etiquette
Actually if you look close, the rules are now show in two places at the top of each forum. Once above the topic list, and once inside the Announcements section. Both of them show up on every forum, so don't try to make it sound like the GU League forum is being singled out.
Re: Forum Etiquette
They are even in at least one of the forums that are only accessible to the Forum Admins. GU is definitely not being singled out...
/me wonders if they put them in there for my sake
/me wonders if they put them in there for my sake
There is nothing worse than aggressive stupidity. -- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
"How many legs does a dog have if you call his tail a leg? Four. Calling a tail a leg doesn't make it a leg." -- Abraham Lincoln
"How many legs does a dog have if you call his tail a leg? Four. Calling a tail a leg doesn't make it a leg." -- Abraham Lincoln
- clarahobbs
- Private First Class
- Posts: 272
- Joined: Thu Jan 10, 2008 1:45 am
- Location: The Fourth Dimension
Re: Forum Etiquette
Whatwhatwhat? There is a secret admin forum? Wow, this is getting scary...joevano wrote:They are even in at least one of the forums that are only accessible to the Forum Admins.
FKA Ratfink
- Spazzy McGee
- Sergeant Major
- Posts: 1405
- Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2005 4:59 pm
- Location: Planet MoFo, Sheffield Division; United Kingdom
Re: Forum Etiquette
As far as I know, there are several 'secret' forums. But they are only relevant to the closed groups that they serve, for example server administration.Ratfink wrote:Whatwhatwhat? There is a secret admin forum? Wow, this is getting scary...
"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." - John Lennon
Re: Forum Etiquette
Thus proving that you guys have not even read the FAQSpazzy McGee wrote:As far as I know, there are several 'secret' forums. But they are only relevant to the closed groups that they serve, for example server administration.Ratfink wrote:Whatwhatwhat? There is a secret admin forum? Wow, this is getting scary...
Q) Are there any hidden secret forums?
A) Yes they are hidden and secret.
JeffM
- clarahobbs
- Private First Class
- Posts: 272
- Joined: Thu Jan 10, 2008 1:45 am
- Location: The Fourth Dimension
Re: Forum Etiquette
I have read that, but it's been about a year or so. After that time, I start to forget about things that don't involve me in any way sometimes.
FKA Ratfink