This is the updated terms of use, as of April 19, 2007.


By using this forum, you agree that you, rather than Rum and Monkey, are responsible for the consequences of anything you might say. If you slag off President Bush and he decides you might be a terrorist - we don't want to know. That's between you and him. However, we pride ourselves on not censoring for point of view; you have freedom of speech here.

However, you also agree to conform to the following guidelines:
• Use the English language to the best of your ability. That includes at least trying to use the correct spelling for your region, and using easily understandable punctuation. If we see you speaking in iron man, or writing "hay peeps how r u", we will cry.
• Don't personally insult another forum user, especially not because of their political or social views. This also includes trashing a forum topic they've made; if you feel it's below you, don't contribute. Basically, if you don't have something constructive to say, don't say it at all - if you're too abusive, you might find yourself banned.
• Don't post IN ALL CAPS, or make "me too" postings - i.e., if you're posting, make it legible, and try to further the conversation.
• Avatars or signatures that are larger than 200 pixels high or otherwise excessively annoying or explicit will be removed and we may take away your right to a signature or avatar completely if you persist in being an arse.
• Posting is against the T&C. You have been warned.


Rum and Monkey reserve the right to ban usernames and/or IP ranges responsible for posting illegal material, offensive material, material that doesn't conform to the above, porn or trolls, or links to them. We also reserve the right to delete users, topics, forums and even the entire site if we want to. All of the above is entirely at our discretion.

(For a definition of "troll", see <a href="http://www.encyclopediadramatica.com/index.php/Troll">here</a>)

You should certainly never make a post entirely in caps, but you should avoid entire sentences or phrases as well.

There are bold, italic and underline tags available if you really must add emphasis.

On the problem posters, did you decide against the 3 strikes and then the post is out or am I confused about that?

Have the Rum Monkeys noticed that we have more members than the number of people that have viewed this topic? Especially if it counts multiple viewings?

Re three strikes; for the moment, no (we've yet to decide how best to implement it). However, if we consider a poster to be a problem, they will be banned.

As for the number of people who have read this; I'd imagine the number of people who've read the law is less than the number who fall foul of it. Doesn't mean we won't take action if someone breaks the rules, although obviously the discussion forums would be better if everyone paid attention to them. Unfortunately I don't think more people would read them if they were e-mailed.

Incidentally, I've just had to delete a bunch of posts from here. If you're going to go off-topic, please do it in the General forum.

Just the other day, I had started a forum that was intended to be a debate, but someone went off topic with it. I came back online hours later to find my topic moved, and only one post in it relating to my topic. Personally, I felt offended that my topic was moved simply because people went off topic. Just wanted to let you know of this... moving misplaced topics I can understand. But when the topic itself was valid, and the posters have gone off I don[I AM TOO STUPID TO USE AN APOSTROPHE]t see why the topic needs to be moved.

Do I have one strike? Could it be more of a 'warning strike', a foul ball of sorts? I'm also wondering what would be considered a personal attack.

I think anything which makes a presumption about that persons' personality, (such as "weed smoking liberal scum".)

Generalisations (such as "bloody inbred Southerner", or "damn lazy nigger".)

Or any derogatory term. (such as "wanker", "arsehole", "git", "twat", "spunk bucket", that kind of meaningless insult.)

I think basically any negative comment aimed directly at a debater or a group of debaters.

And yes, I did have fun writing the insults.

This is just a note to let everyone know I changed the T&C again.

Change is good.


Usually.


Like here.

Yeah, but now you're not allowing any saixing or snogging at all, apparantly. And I didn't know so I got cained heaps.
General is for off topic-ness. But now it's serious. Can't we start a random thread or something?

Here's an idea... can we stop making it common theory that if someone takes an opposite stance that automatically makes them stupid?

Agreed, only people who disagree with me are stupid.

Or misinformed

Or mentally impaired

[moderated]



LB

As far as I know, that's supposed to be the common practice in the Serious Debate forum. Anywhere else however, and you're intelligence is fair game for rude comments.

But maybe that's just my opinion.

SD has been lax of late. I think it needs to be moderated <i>much</i> more strictly ... the other forums, on the other hand, seem just about right.

Can you make a thread specifically for flaming?

there are entire boards devoted to that elsewhere... why do you want to do it here?

I didn't say I wanted to.

then why ask?

Curiosity. For instance, I wonder if the rules don't apply for threads specifically made for something that they prohibit. Obviously porn and similar things wouldn't apply here, but there are further applications depending on the answer to the question.

So?

the rules are enforced.

don[I AM TOO STUPID TO USE AN APOSTROPHE]t even ask if you will be shown special consideration.

the rules are just that, and are not to be taken lightly.

yeah... you probably could (but don't take my word as gospel...you'll need to check with the 'real' moderators), but it'd have to be in the random spleen area I think.

I'm not a mod or an admin (obviously), but I don't really see how having a thread especially for flaming would accomplish anything. Sometimes things get a little intense in SD and whatnot, but it usually calms down. Seems to me that a flame thread would just have a habit of spreading, and would go against the whole 'community atmosphere' thingy we've got going.

There's also problems associated with it. Since it's against T&C in itself, it's hard to justify moderating it if you allow it. But even if it's started in the spirit of fun, it has the potential to piss people off and insult people who aren't even participating it.

I'd also guess that R+M is always trying to attract new users, and someone looking around who stumbles on a thread full of insults might not come back. Just stuff to think about.

If I got any of it wrong, feel free to correct me.

We (we being me) try to scare off as many newbies as possible.

[s]