The Proverbial Do's & Don'ts of the Boards

Subject: The Proverbial Do's & Don'ts of the Boards Wed 15 Oct 2008, 9:42 pm

Welcome to Sci-Fi Fantasy Fan the Forum of forums. We're delighted to see you here and hope that you will stay and become part of the Sci-Fi and Fantasy lovers world. But, before you get started, we'd like to touch on a few rules to govern yourself by while on these boards.

While in real life we're not too big on rules but we do realize that here on the boards we need to keep everyone happy. This means that we need to watch out for those that are very young and for those that might be a little older and may not be all too happy with some of the things that we all like to do from time to time. So for that reason we've set up a few rules that should keep everyone of all ages and backgrounds relatively happy and comfortable while visiting Sci-Fi Fantasy Fan.

With all that being said, let's get on with "Those Proverbial Rules."

CONDUCT WHILE ON THESE BOARDS -
1. Common Courtesy - Please be respectful of others while on the site. Approach each and every Topic, post, and or comment as if it were your own. The Slamming and Trashing of peoples thoughts, theories, comments, and ideas is just wrong. It's their thoughts out there and on the line and no matter how wrong or right, no matter how foolish or brilliant those thoughts may be they are personal. So if you just whole heartily disagree or find something just tee-totally foolish, by all means disagree but do so in a manner that explains your point of view and in a manner that doesn't slam and embarrass someone. This also helps to keep the thread alive. so please just don't slam it or shut the door on someone. Remember it could be your post that it happens to.
2. Language - The English language is the language of these boards so we ask that you please use English at all times. Now we do understand that English just might be a second or even a third language for some, we ask that if you need help with a word or two or even a sentence... Feel absolutely free to ask a Staff member or a Board member for help and I'm we'd all be glad to help you out.
3. Profanity - Its just not allowed. while we don't condone censorship or advocate censorship in any way. We also realize that we're World wide and because of the vast differences of how things are viewed by peoples of another Country, or how older folks might feel seeing much younger people using profanity, or how a parent might feel having their small children see such things; we ask that you refrain from using profanity at all times. So let's keep the content safe for everyone.
4. Net Speak, Chat Speak, and the Like - Net, Chat, Elite and the others are simply not allowed on these boards. It just doesn't fit into coherent debates and discussions. Words like LoL are universally acknowledged and accepted so we don't really see anything wrong with them on the site. But, stuff like "OMG!!!! LoL, My bff is nOw mY gf cuz her obf ntagl n he AiN't gr8 2," literally needs an interpreter to cipher it out. so, posts that contain net, chat and or elite will be deleted altogether. If you just have to do it, then please take it to private messages and leave it off the boards.
5. SPAM - Short Pointless and Meaningless posts are annoying to say the least. In most cases spam tends to put a halt to excellent conversations, especially your new to a discussion and the post your following is "I agree." Posts like that do nothing to further the topic along so always, always say why you agree or disagree. In the ominous words of Ricky Ricardo in the age old sitcom "I Love Lucy," "Lucy, you better s'plain yourself."
  
  Off topic chatting is also spam so if you need to chat while on the boards open another window and do so via the private Messaging system while carrying on the discussion on the boards.
6. Double Posting -Double postings are when you have posted and then post once again directly behind your original post. These are no-no's. There are a couple of reasons why we do not allow double postings but basically it's because it just doesn't look right. We understand that sometimes a thought just isn't finished once you've re-read your original post so we've added an Edit feature to your posting. Please use this feature if and when you may want to add some additional words or comments instead of Double Posting.
  Now, say no one posts after you but you want to add something new to the discussion. In this case the edit function won't work as only new posts will cause the topic to highlight. In this case, wait 24 hours and then post again.
SIGNATURES -

Signatures are great fun and help to express who we are. They can be images, lines and words of wisdom, poetry and the like. Now what they can't be is Obscene, Threatening, Harassing, Intimidating, Pornographic... well you get the idea. The Guidelines are:
1. No more than one (1) image can be displayed at a time.
2. Images can be no larger than 500 pixels wide and 200 pixels tall (500x200) **Note Staff members Images may be slightly larger than that but still should not exceed 500 pixels in width.
3. Images may not scroll, marquee, flash, or in anyway deter a member from freely viewing the site
4. If using text with an image, you may use only one (1) line of text with a font size no lager than three (3).
5. If using text only you may have up to four (4) lines of text using font size three (3) and up to eight lines of text if using font size one (1). Text may not scroll or Marquee.
6. Off site linking is not allowed without prior Staff approval. Please submit the site you wish to link to, to a Staff member and please allow them at least 24 hours to respond back to you with their decision. if you submit to an Admin, that decision is final. Links to competing sites will not be allowed so don't ask. Links to personal sites will be taken into consideration but if the personal site is a competing site we may use affiliations. Links sourcing information will be allowed immediately but are subject to removal if the source is other than Canon, or News related.
AVATARS -

Avatars are another great way of expressing one's self or identifying with one's unique character. They can be literally anything you want them to be... within reason. Below you will find a short list of the things that we don't want to see in an Avatar, which leaves the rest of it entirely up to you.
1. Avatar sizes are limited in size and can be no larger than 140 pixels wide by 140 pixels tall.
2. Animated Avatars or moving images are okay but if the speed is set to high a member of Staff may ask you to redo the speed and slow it down some. We doubt that that will happen but it might.
3. Flashing Avatars are strictly forbidden and will be removed without notice. Studies have shown that they can inflict and cause epileptic seizures in some people and or other "eye jerking" related symptoms. They also aren't very appropriate for discussion related boards.
4. Positive/Negative Avatars are also not allowed for the very same reasons as above. They also tend to distract readers from posts.
5. Marquee'd and or Scrolling Avatars are not allowed either. While some may argue that they constitute "moving Avatars" they are not. these things are just not appropriate though fun as they may be, they're just not allowed.
6. Avatars of a questionable nature are not allowed. While this rule may sound vague and one may ask in who's opinion constitutes whats questionable, we have provided a small list of what we think is "questionable."
  - Avatars which may suggest sexual innuendos
  - Avatars which may sound/look racial in nature
  - Avatars which advocate or display the use of drugs and or drug paraphernalia
  - Avatars which include profanity of any kind whatsoever
  - And, Avatars which cause more than one member to issue a complaint or question its nature. (A Staff Member will look into this and make a final judgment call and if they say it's ok, then it's ok.)

Images other than Signature and or Avatars -

Many of us in the forum communities often need an image to enhance our posts or give a visual aid to what we're talking about, and we at Sci-Fi Fantasy fan encourage the use of these images too. For this reason we have set up a few guidelines for their use.

Image sizes in threads are limited to 500 pixels wide and 300 pixels Tall. (If a large (taller) image is needed please seek a Staff members approval first. If no Staff member is available you may post the image and then private message the most active Staff member to view the image. Please provide a link to the Topic and or Post where the image can be found. Even under these circumstances the image cannot exceed 500 pixels in width)
All images must be Topic/Thread appropriate. This simply means that if your in a Topic discussing Robert Jordan's "The Wheel of Time" then an image of Harry Potter is not appropriate.
Picture Threads and or Forums are currently unavailable however, if enough members want a forum or thread such as these to show off your personal images, we may include just that in the future. If in the event we do allow such a thing the Image sizes will be set at 500 pixels wide by 600 pixels Tall.

This concludes the Proverbial do's and don'ts of the Boards. The rules as such they are are subject to change without notice. If in the event they do change a site announcement will be made directing everyone's attention to the rule changes.