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Rules and Announcements thread v3 (updated 13 March 2012)
NOTE: This thread has been superseded by the current rules thread.
Welcome to the It Just Bugs Me! forum!
Just take a quick read of these rules so you know them when posting. We'd like to maintain a generally inviting, friendly, and informal atmosphere, but some rules have to be laid down just in case stupid things happen. Here they are:
Oh, before we begin: The applicant approval system is there to keep out spammers. New users are welcome; you just don't know how many times we've had to decline spammers.
0. The basic rule: Don't be a jerk or an idiot. Keep an open mind. This website is for discussing things.
1. Content and categories: You can talk about (almost) anything, just do it appropriately.
1a. When creating new discussion threads, please put them in an appropriate category depending on their content.
1b. Threads going off-topic happens naturally sometimes, and this is okay. However, do not derail them intentionally, even if you do not like the topic. Natural derails are fine, though don't complain if the topic is intentionally re-railed.
1c. Discussing, debating, arguing, and disagreeing are all allowed. However, when doing these things, target the opinions and arguments, NOT the people you're talking to. Insults, mockery, needlessly rude or inflammatory posts, or other irrelevant material may be edited/blanked/locked/deleted.
1d. Generally, wonderposting (a.k.a. shitposting) is allowed but discouraged. Moderators reserve the right to edit posts to make them more readable/accessible. The "Wonderful Posts" category is exempt from these rules.
1e. Snowclones (mutating titles of threads to start new threads, generally for humor) is permitted, but to a small degree. Snowclones should contain substantial content for a thread in their own right. If you can't think of an actual topic of discussion, you're allowed to make one silly snowclone thread to post cool snowclone ideas, if such a thread doesn't yet exist. Post other silly (i.e. insubstantial) ideas in that thread; if any other threads are made out of these ideas with insufficient content in the opening post (in other words, just to make a joke), they will be deleted on sight.
1f. No spamming, and no advertising. Unless you are a respected member of the community, you may not use this website to advertise things like business interests. This may warrant up to an instant ban depending on the circumstances.
1g. Do not do anything illegal. If you have to ask whether it's legal, chances are it isn't. This includes linking to illegal stuff or linking to searches for it. You may be banned or even perma-banned depending on the situation and content.
1h. Do not post pornographic content (images, text, videos, etc.) or NSFW images in general on the forum. You may discuss "not safe for work" (NSFW) topics and link to NSFW material, but it must be CLEARLY marked.
1i. Mods reserve the right to reformat or outright remove any images or other content deemed unacceptable, even if the thread containing them is already marked 'NSFW'.
2. Drama and other problems: Don't create or continue problems.
2a. Do not import or export wars or drama from/to other websites. Users who do so will be warned if not banned instantly.
2b. Do not start or continue dramafests. If you have problems with other users, talk to moderators or to the users in question privately. Abuse, harrassment, and trolling (intentionally posting stuff to annoy people) are not allowed.
2c. If you are using a user-ignoring extension, you use it at your own risk, and you may not talk about the contents of your ignore list. You will still be subject to the same rules as if you were able to see the posts of users you ignore.
2d. If you don't like a thread, and have nothing meaningful to add to it, don't post in it. (Unless it's a wonderposting thread.)
3. User accounts: Just don't abuse them.
3a. Do not impersonate any other users. Impersonating a user may result in instant banning. (If you truly have a username or avatar issue, talk to the moderators.)
3b. Having more than one account is allowed, but discouraged. When creating alt accounts or sockpuppets, let the moderators know.
4. What the mods do
4a. Moderators (including administrators) reserve the right to make changes to the rules, and to take actions and make decisions applying the rules to situations. Actions and decisions--including but not limited to warnings, bans, post editing and deleting posts, and locking and sinking and deleting threads--are final unless stated otherwise. Moderators may ask for community input, but are not obligated to do so.
4b. Just because the mods haven't gotten to something yet does not mean it's okay.
- Warning: Mods may post in a thread or send private messages asking people to calm down or stop doing certain things.
- Probation: A user may be "probated", this means that the user may comment on threads but may not create new threads. May sometimes occur after a user is unbanned.
- Tempban: A user may be banned temporarily. Typical tempban lengths are a week and a month. Used for more serious problems or problems where people had already been warned or probated.
- Permaban: A user may be banned permanently. For severe repeat offenders, as well as certain very serious offenses, which may in some cases result in instant permaban.
4e. If you post illegal content in an effort to get yourself banned, we may follow up your ban by sending notification to the proper authorities. This is not a joke. This isn't something we should even have to ask you not to do.
5. How to contact us
5a. If you believe a forum post breaks a rule or otherwise is a problem, click the "flag" link to report it.
5b. If you are sent a private message that you think the moderation team should address, add any of the moderators to the private conversation. A list of moderators is available in the next post, below.
5c. Issues concerning website functions/features should be directed to the webmaster, whose name is also in the post below. Or post them in the bug reporting thread.
5d. If you have been banned and would like to discuss it, or if it was a temporary ban and you have not been unbanned after the specified date, please e-mail us at ijbmbans at gmail dot com .
5e. For all other issues, sending us private messages should suffice.
6. For the lawyers (and you too)
6a. This website shall not be construed to be fit for any particular purpose. You will not depend on this website for anything, including (but not limited to) your personal well-being; this website and the people who run it disclaim liability (including liability for user-generated content) to the greatest extent allowed by applicable laws. You are advised to avoid using this website in places like schools and offices (due to the possibility of NSFW content) or anytime you need to focus on anything.
6b. This board may contain material (including language and/or content) not suitable for minors. If you are a minor, you understand that this board may contain material not suitable for minors, and that you view the material at your own risk.
7. And last but not least: This is just an internet message board; you should really relax.
These rules may be updated occasionally.
Unlike the previous rules thread, this one will be closed; if you have rules questions you may make threads about it or send private messages to the mods. Remember that you can have more than two people in a private conversation.
Comments
IJBM forum staff
The moderators of this forum are:
Longfellow (founder and admin) (currently on leave)
glennmagusharvey (admin)
INUH (admin)
Everest (moderator)
ninjaclown (moderator)
Other staff and former staff members of this forum are:
Unknown_Entity (webmaster)
funnyguts (moderator emeritus)
IanExMachina (moderator emeritus)
Cygan (former moderator)
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Categories
The categories on this board are like subforums, but more fluid. The current categories are:
General: stuff that doesn't fit elsewhere.
Media: gripes about music, movies, video games, anime, etc.
Philosophy: gripes about philosophies and religions. Threads in this category are expected to be more serious and derailing is less acceptable here.
Politics: gripes about politics. Threads in this category are expected to be more serious and derailing is less acceptable here.
Meatspace: gripes about things in your outside-computer life. "My boyfriend broke up with me" is a meatspace thread. "Christopher Columbus was a douchebag" belongs in General as it does not pertain to your life specifically, though it's no biggie if you mix up these two categories.
Webspace: gripes about things in your computer life. "This guy from SomethingAwful doesn't like me" is a webspace thread.
IJBM meta: threads about IJBM. They can be complaints or they can be useful threads like the sandbox or the rules.
Wonderful posts: joke threads, snowclones, and shitposts go here. Threads in this category are expected to be less serious and derailing is more acceptable here.
There is also a "back room" category for mod use only. (FYI it's where your post flaggings go.)
Finally, if you see a "dismiss" feature, don't use it 'cause it's buggy.
4d. If you really want to leave but can't bring yourself to, you can contact a mod and request a ban.
4e. If you post illegal content in an effort to get yourself banned, we may follow up your ban by sending notification to the proper authorities. This is not a joke. This isn't something we should even have to ask you not to do.
* organizing any campaign to bring drama to, bring trouble to, or otherwise intentionally create trouble for the users or moderators on another site.
* making a thread just to rag on another site, or its policies or people. This is a site for discussion. We understand that people have feelings, but this forum is not your personal bitching pad. Even if other people agree with you. If you want to talk about why another website or its policy or administration or membership is flawed, discuss it with substantive, meaningful arguments. You may use colorful language, but DO NOT post just to snipe at and insult people on another website.
* using this site to aid in ban evasion, such as by distributing proxies. You may discuss the use of proxies, but you may not give them out, or tell people how to use a proxy or other IP-affecting thing to ban-evade on another site. (Or here.)
In short, and since we all know what website the recent drama was about: Yes, you can talk about TV Tropes and how it's run. But do it intelligently, and in a drama-free manner. Do not bring shit from there to here. Do not use this place to start shit to bring over there. We'd like to advise you that two people have already been given tempbans due to recent events.
Thank you.
The recent spate of snowclones, as well as the recent spate of groaning and eye-rolling among our members (including but not limited to the mods), has indicated that we need to keep snowclones from interfering with actual content on the site. Snowcloning is fun, and I am greatly amused by it myself, but we gotta have a guideline to prevent it from going overboard.
1. Changed 4c from the "mod map" to a simpler statement of what sorts of actions mods can take. It used to be this:
I say we just deal with things on a case-by-case basis...as we have already pretty much been doing anyway.
2. Changed rule 1e to eliminate the thing about posting more than two images/videos. Again, we'll deal with this on a case by case basis.
3. Added a line up top to indicate why we have that user approval system.
Removed rule 1b:
This isn't really a rule, and it's in the About Us page anyway.
(I also re-lettered everything else below it in rule 1.)