RULES & GUIDELINES - Let's agree to disagree!
 

Okay, let's create a new rulebook for the forums. You can help! Here's what we need to consider:

• We need to revise our rules & guidelines for the forum redesign

• We need to make the rules WAY more concise so that idiots will read them

• We need to make them specific enough to show idiots the error of their ways

• We need to make them flexible enough so that idiots don't try to 'throw the book at us'

• 

The old rules are here: http://www.i-mockery.com/forum/showthread.php?t=19902


Let's get down what's most important and try to capture the HEART of what goes on here.

I think it would help if we had examples of legitimate and not-legitimate complaints so we don't have retarded threads made by people who think the internet is out to get them.

We force a page for new signups where they read the rules and then do a quiz, and if they fail their IP adress is banned forever.

That would be pretty sweet, but even without that there doesn't seem to be a lot of incentive to actually join the forums instead of just lurking (Notice that we have 100+ viewers at any given time, but usually less than 20 registered members online at the same.) I know that if I had to take a quiz I'd probably just as soon say fuck it.

I was actually looking for suggestions on rules that would make it quicker and more to-the-point for new people, guys.

In that case we should have a page that says in really big letters "YOU AREN'T FUNNY, YOU FAGGOT, SHUT THE FUCK UP."

Well one thing is for sure, I want the forums to be less harsh on the new users. Yes it is I-Mockery, but that doesn't mean it needs to be I-Asshole. I think too many current users are so opposed to having new people join the ranks that they tend to scare them off. We've had some really great people join the forums in the past year, but plenty of them left simply because they were tired of dealing with some of the people on here.

It's one thing if you're doing some lighthearted joking around with a person, but if you literally stalk them in almost every thread just so you can reply to them to more or less tell them how unfunny/stupid you think they are, that's not productive. It's simply being a dick and it's derailing threads.

The new site is really going to bring in a lot of new users, so to those of you who don't like new people, you'd better warm up to the idea pronto.

I'm not saying all new users are great, because there are always bad seeds, but there are also current users on here who I think often do more damage than good. If you really don't like somebody, you have two simple choices: 1) ignore them or 2) challenge them to a mock war. Just stop shitting in all of the other threads that the person posts in. If a person is causing problems, don't harass them, simply send a PM to one of the mods. If we mods see that person as a problem, we'll deal with him/her ourselves... no need for you to intervene.

I'm also not going to tolerate any more of this bullshit of people harassing each other via PMs and/or emails.

To put it in simpler terms: I've been extremely lenient in the past when it came to banning, and I think it's ended up hurting these forums in some ways. So with that in mind, I'm going to be keeping a much closer watch over the forums and what's going on and there will be bannings if people break the rules. The forums are gonna be far more compact now and they should be a lot easier for us mods to maintain a sense of order.

I'm seriously excited about how much we're gonna make the main I-Mockery site and the forums grow in a relatively short amount of time. It'd definitely be cool to have everybody on board instead of fighting with any new user that decides to join our ranks.

:imock

actually, it's kinda hard to judge someone here, most of us are good guys in threads we like, and suckers in thread we don't like...

Okay, so I've been mulling a response to this over in my head since I first saw it posted, and to be completely honest I'm stumped as to how I feel the rules should be changed because it seems that Rog and Chojin haven't really decided on what the overall tone of the redesign is going to be. Chojin seems to be assuming that things really aren't going to change too much and simply wants the major change to come in the form of new people who have at the same time read the rules but who understand that most of the items in there (specifically those currently labeled "bannable offences,") are really more or less the guidelines of the site so that they don't run to him every time they're made fun of. However, Rog's vision is more or less a mass culture change that includes the forum rules, whatever they end up being, being just that and are to be enforced much more often when broken. Rog also wants older users to not harass newer users as much if ever. Please correct me if I've gotten any of this wrong.

If Chojin's view is "right" (for lack of a better word), then the best answers I can think of is that we get rid of the term "bannable offence" when it is used to describe things that really aren't. Explain that they're more or less guidelines (because it is the "rules and guidelines") and also supply a brief explaination of how things really work in the day-to-day (think a concise version of Chojin's responses in Blue Gularis's thread). Also, as much as it didn't work before in getting new people to read the rules back then, I need to suggest that the big, yellow link to the rules on every page makes a comeback, if only so that there's less of an excuse for not reading them.

For Rog's point of view, I'm sorry to say that I haven't really thought about exactly how the rules should change besides the fact that they should actually be enforced. An added guideline regarding "the correct ways" or "incorrect ways" to make fun of someone, perhaps? Also, will Mock Wars be reopened so that they can be used for the purpose of not hijacking other threads when a pissy-fight invariably arises?

i think the rules are fine. even if everyone read them, it's unlikely they're going to 'get it' right away. just like most people who came to this board guns ablazing only to realize later they were actually stupid boring jerks barfing up the same tired crap as every other identical internet wad.

if some noob comes on here with their damn retarded threads and instantly gets into a shouting match with someone thats been around a while, they're gonna think that going around and posting stupid insults in random threads is HOW ITS DONE ROUND THESE PARTS. don't be a dickbag. unless its funny. 5 pages of you suck isnt funny.

rule for vetz: try leading by example

In my view, the biggest problem is that you guys want more people and a lot of the regulars want way more of the RIGHT kind of people, which we aren't going to get flooding in.


No idea what the actual solution is, that's up to you guys, but it seems like being nicer to greenhorns will probably be on a volunteer basis.

Mew is wise in the ways of the world.

We're not gonna tell people not to mock each other at all, we're just saying to do it with tact instead of the same tired shit that constantly goes on here. It doesn't make for an entertaining read, and it's certainly not bringing in new people. Part of the new site is that it's going to integrate the forums just about everywhere, so I'm expecting a bunch o' new people to join up.

Hmmm. I havn't been the most active guy on these here forums (at least in posting, I do check the site almost every day I can though) yet I have an idea.


As part of the registration process (if it isnt already like this) have a page where all of the rules are listed and at the bottom is a checkmark saying "yes, I read the damn rules". Hopefully this will at least give new people a better chance at seeing the rules.

As for other things, perhaps the conflicts that tend to arrive with new people could be better redirected if the mock-wars forum is more prominently advertised. Maybe even as a warning system (perhaps for first time offenders) an offending flame war thread (or one that degenerates into one) will be moved INTO said mock-war thread and the people responsible for the move would be given an e-mail and/or a pm saying "you fucked up, heres why, you do it again and you're in deep shit"

Thats all, for now.

If there were checkboxes like that in the rules, they should be thrown all over the place or some should have to be checked while others should have to be unchecked. The phrases "check box four" or "uncheck box eight" should be mixed with the rules. This would at the very least force people to read words that are remotely near the rules instead of simply scrolling down to the bottom and ignoring the rues' text like you all know you do.

Don't be too much of an ass.
Don't overreact to hazing.
Use grammar.

"Idiots"? Is that how how you regard all your potential members? That's a fine example for a moderator to set. :lol

That sounds right to me. It definitely isn't bringing in new people, something the people talking all that shit have plainly stated they don't want anyway. I'd like to see you take your forum back and make it the place you intended it to be.

The rules you have are good it's just that no one is paying any attention to them, including the moderators. That's what's allowing this place to look like "I-Asshole" which is driving away your business. People see the fun features, then join the forum thinking they are 'joining IN the fun' only to find the little boy bitch club doesn't want them here- off they go to somewhere more welcoming.

I will add that if people want to play critic in 'make stuff' topics they should be required to make something themselves or shut the fuck up.

Just by virtue of being idiots, they won't read whatever rules and guidelines are posted. Plain and simple. I've been a forum admin/moderator for way too many years to even hold a shred of hope that any set of rules we come up with will be adhered to by those the rules were designed to "enlighten".

Your best bet is to word whatever rules and guidelines you have in such a way as to be reactive to situations in general. Those of us who aren't idiots pretty much already know how to conduct ourselves on message forums so a proactive set of rules is kind of a waste.

Oh and they will always think you're out to get them, no matter what you say. This isn't a governmental forum so freedom of speech doesn't apply. It's a privately owned website and as such can be moderated in any way the owner chooses. By virtue of this being a privately owned site, it *can* be run in a dictatorial manner and there's not one damn thing anyone can say. Get used to being called a forum nazi because it'll never go away.

These are the kinds of things people seldom realize and it's not your job to constantly tell them. Screw the ones who don't adhere or abide by the rules. No matter where they go, they will do the same things.

PS: After re-reading my post I realize how much of an asshole I sound. I assure you I really am not, it's just my vast years of experience trying to do what you're trying to do that led me to post what I did. I can be happy and upbeat, honest :D

Please, Blue, let me know what I can do to get back in your good graces. No man can deliver a rimmer like you.
I could ban all your internet enemies, you know. Twice!

also plz don't report me to mockery oh god oh god oh god wait wait wait what if I made you a present?



ONE PART CAPTAIN PLANET AND



ONE PART CLIFFORD...

BY YOUR POWERS COMBINED, I AM



HORRIFYING

This is true, but I am really just looking for a way to boil down our community's rules to a bulleted list or something. Something that the 5% of idiots who actually try to read the rules can grasp in a few seconds.

Seriously, a lot of spam has been passing into various threads. Of note, there is a spam post in the "Movies" thread that actually has pics. Normally, I wouldn't complain but, it's a kinda boring for porn.

Shit man, Chojin is a funny guy! Nice.

MY TWO CENTS:
I think the rules should be concise to begin with, and have a more detailed list under a link or cut. I have included in this post an example of what these rules could be.



Admins have the right to ban anyone. Most have to do with the following:

• Don't be a jerk just to be a jerk.
• No posting porn (except in Art Shit, and only then when tagged as NSFW and is artistic.)
• No Spamming (we have a classifieds section for a reason)
• No circumventing a ban. If you're banned, you were banned for a reason.

Other guidelines:

• Post worthwhile topics and make sure it's in the right forum.
• No "Hi, I'm new" threads.
• Don't reply to everything.
• Don't actively try to be funny. If you're funny it'll come out naturally.
• Don't respond to it if you haven't read it.
• If a thread is not on the first page, it's better to make a new thread for the topic.
• Learn to take a joke.
• Keep images a reasonable size and use your common sense.

If you have any other questions, the full rules and guidelines can be found (link here).

When Seven Force is not present in the forum, all other users have to go "Where's Seven Force? :("

Murders can't be described as "grizzly" unless there's a bear involved, otherwise it's just silly.

When buying an oven you have to fill out a mandatory questionare. One of the questions will be "will you use this oven to incinerate the Jews?". I feel if we had guidelines like that back then the holocaust wouldn't have happened.

god dammit seven force

no blacks

you know this