Version 2.0 - AFP Thread of Rules, Style and Etiquette - a Work in Progress

As in other areas of the site, the creation of this document will be somewhat transparent, with your input welcome. As publisher of the site, I have final call, so don't be offended if your ideas aren't used. Rest assured they were listened to and considered.

• No uncalled for obsenities or vulgarities. (Think George Carlin's seven words or the language you'd hear on primetime television.)
• No sexually explicit or obscene nicks.
• Links to other sites are ok, but don't overdo it. We do have free classifieds.
• PLEASE DO NOT OVERUSE CAPS. Caps are considered as Yelling!!
• If you have a problem with the actions of a moderator, a moderator or even me, PM or email me rather than start a thread in a public forum. You might ask in the email that we discuss it in public, which is doable, with rules.
• No uncalled for rudeness toward others users or obnoxious behavior. If you're in a bad mood, don't take it out on others or try to spoil their fun.
• No degrading remarks about a user's race or religion.
• No remarks about a user's sexual preferences. Keep the sexual innuendos to a minimum and in types of threads they belong.

• Don't Hijack a thread. Much better is to start a new thread (in the appropriate section) and then leave a short comment on the related thread linking to your new side discussion. This is polite and makes the multi-layered aspect of AFP (part of its beauty) easier to use. Now, this isn't to say that all small side branches of a conversation should be whisked away to their own thread. Case in point - from tonight, 12/8/2007, the Scanner News thread. It's a great example of acceptable (and welcome) side chatter. Also, this comes down to the person who starts the thread - they're like a mini-Mayor for that thread, to add (but not substract) from these rules...)
  

• Copyright. Please don't copy and paste entire articles from other websites. As a writer and publisher, I take copyright seriously. Also, what should we say here about using images from other websites? (Alas, yes, the Anna thread and all the implications of her...)

• Respect. Respect others. If you bump heads with someone else on a thread or two, DO NOT go seeking them out on other threads trying to escalate the matter. DO NOT repeatedly PM other members if they do not respond or if they tell you to stop.

• Have fun. These rules aren't to limit the fun, but to make it enjoyable for all our members.

• If you start a thread, especially if you think it's going to become popular (ala TheDawg's Ask Grandma thread), please include your own mini-rules of how you want people to behave on the thread that you've started. And if you want to participate on that thread, please respect the rules put in place. (With a method to track 'revisions' of articles, please DO NOT outline one set of rules then at a later date change them and whine that someone's not following the rules. Not that any of you would do such a thing, but... well, don't.

• It's ok to disagree with someone (even me!), but do so in a civil manner. What is civil? Here's one definition...

not rude; marked by satisfactory (or especially minimal) adherence to social usages and sufficient but not noteworthy consideration for others; "even if he didn't like them he should have been civil"- W.S. Maugham

• As publisher of AFP, I reserve the right to delete any post with or without explanation. I'm going to act as an editor, but a fair editor. In the next few weeks, a few volunteer moderators will spring to life, taking care of the site. They will have the ability to move threads for review to an area on the site only for administrators.

INFRACTIONS:

• 1st - Written warning - PM
• 2nd - Written warning - public
• 3rd - Written warning - public or Sent to Time-Out for X hours/days...  (TIME OUT will be a way to take away posting privileges from a user account...)

MULTIPLE ACCOUNTS:

• It's ok to have a couple accounts as long as it's not done for a spiteful reason, you use two accounts to bolster your own argument (I mean, come on, sitting there typing to yourself? ;) Think of creativity ... like you're an 'actor/actress'... People seen abusing this will be dealt with like other infractions.  

Ok, I know this is going to need a lot of work. Let's get the discussion going whenever you're ready.