Tyroki's AnimeB Code of Conduct

[Tyroki]

Okay, so I got bored and decided the rules needed a major expansion not to mention explainations. So, here it is all! Tyroki's AnimeB Code of Conduct, not to mention a re-write of the general statement, and re-write of that "Post/Topic Making" bit If you think there should be other rules added so we can avoid people using loopholes and tiptoeing around the rules, please tell me and I'll try to write them in ^-^

General Statement

AnimeB is a great place to be, filled to the brim with friendly people from all around the world. There are great staff who try hard to make this a fun place to be, and work hard in doing so. However, to make sure things remain as they should be, and in order to make things easier on everyone, we have certain rules in place. These rules should be kept in mind when posting in the forums, or shouting in the shoutbox, as these rules apply for both.

Post/Topic Making

1) When creating a thread (Also known as a topic) or replying/posting in a thread, you need to think about whether or not its silly. Where you create your thread/post should depend on this. If it is silly, places such as the HFF or the PoC may be more suitable. If not, then the forum is your oyster. Sometimes however, certain topics in other parts of the forum do allow for some deviation, but please try to be considerate.

2) When creating a thread, try to be informative, and post in a way that will spark a discussion. Sometimes when you do this however, the thread won't always take off, but do not despair. You can always post again after yourself in a few days or so. Which leads us on to:

3) Multi-posting is generally frowned upon here. What is Multi-posting? Posting two or more posts, one after the other. If you have something else to say, you can edit your posts to make modifications and add more information or discussion. A good way to do this is to skip a line at the bottom of your post, and type "Edit:" then continue typing from there. This way, people know when you added something new, because sometimes you may add something while they're reading, and they will miss the new information.

4) Try to post in the appropriate sections of the forum. Love Hina posts and threads go in the Love Hina forum, while Negima posts and threads go in the Negima section. So please do not post these outside of those, unless making references to the shows but not actually talking about them in the topics. The other forums are for other discussions and such.

User Conduct

Firstly, lets begin with the three 'warning' system that will be given. This goes as follows:

1) Verbal Warning (Optional): Staff may give you a verbal warning, however, this phase is optional and will depend on the staff members. Some feel that the next step is more noticable by those being warned, and may skip to phase 2.

2) Warning Infraction: A "Warning Infraction" is a 0 point infraction that goes into your profile, and is also PMed to you. This is the most effective kind of warning, and you can not say you didn't get this one, because staff can see these in your profile. You have been 'warned'

3) Infraction: Infractions have a point system which they go along with. When you have 10 points worth of active infractions in your profile, your account will be temporarily banned for one week. Do not, however, make another account to bypass this. This is called "Circumventing" a ban, and will be explained in a later rule. These extra accounts will be banned. You have been warned.

Note: Infractions last for a specific amount of time, and you can check the date that the infraction will become inactive in your profile. Just click your name to get there. Inactive infractions don't count toward the 10 points required for a one week ban, but remain for a while afterwards to serve as an extra warning to be good.

The Rules

1) Flaming, bashing, ridiculing, and baiting other users/members will lead to penalties.

1.a) Flaming, is basically a heated attack on another member, calling them names, etc. Insults and flaming can also be used to bait others.

1.b) Bashing, is constantly being on a members case, constantly attacking, attacking, attacking.

1.c) Ridiculing, is making fun of another member at their expense. A friendly joke is all well and good, but there is a very thin line, and once crossed, you will be in trouble.

1.d) Baiting is saying things in an attempt to bait others into a negative reaction, which usually ends in someone else flaming the baiter. Both will be punished.

This is supposed to be a fun place, even though it does have its serious topics, however, these will not be tolerated. Be considerate.

2) Do not descriminate. Racism, Sexism, and Anti-religious bigotry, etc. is not permitted here. Freedom of speech is supported and endorsed, but there is a limit. Bigotry of other races, religions, ethnicities, etc. are not supported here, and will be infracted upon. You have been warned.

3) Excessive bad language is not permitted here. The occasional minor swear word here and there is tolerated, but continued use will be infracted upon. Cursing in another language in the shoutbox will be judged at a moderators discretion. (Refer to rule 5)

4) Don't ask to be a moderator unless an administrator comes to you or if there is a topic asking for applicants. If you ask to be a Moderator at any given time (unless it is in an application topic) it will not help your chances of becoming a mod. Just be patient and let the admins come to you, not you come to them. Hounding the Administrators will only annoy them and you will soon find you'll never be a mod.

5) Do not be a forum rebel. Do not question every single thing an Administrator or Moderator does, says, or decides on. If you have a problem with something that has been done, said, or decided on, there is a forum for that in the way of Forum Suggestions. Private Messages to the Admins are also a good way to say your piece, but be polite and remember that what the Admins say is final unless left open for discussion. Constant abuse of the rules also counts as being a forum rebel, as does continuing to do as you please even when asked by an Administrator or a Moderator to stop. (Also, if you really want to be banned, just ask the Administrators instead of constantly breaking the rules. Thank you)

6) Please respect all members. Avoid conflicts and avoid letting your emotions get out of control. Otherwise it is likely that you will be infracted. The kinds of infractions you and others will receive will depend on the severity of each case. If you attacked far more than someone else did, do not be surprised if they only get a warning and you are infracted. Moderators will do their best to be fair. If an infraction is not fair, you may petition to an Admin to have it removed via PM. Remember to present you case in full and not say something like "Its unfair! I want it gone!" because this will merely get your PM deleted and ignored.

7) Impersonating another user is strictly forbidden and will be severely punished. Do not change or register your ID so it is similar to someone elses either, as this counts. However, if you wish to have a similar name and have asked that member if you may take it (For example the Misaki brothers Ori Misaki and Ryo Misaki). In this sort of case, try to keep at least one of the names different to each other so you can be told apart.

8) Penalties will range from a mere warning, to as high as a 10 point infraction depending on the severity of your case. A 10 point infraction will cause that account to be banned forever, and is restricted in use to Circumventing a ban by making a seperate account (The secondary accounts will be insta-banned, not the original), and Linkspamming.

9) Spamming: Spamming is most certainly frowned upon, and spammers can and will be infracted. For those of you who don't know what spamming is, spamming is going throughout the forums which have not been created to hold such a thing (The HFF and The Kingdom) and posting completely offtopic in a thread just for the sheer hell of it, as well as posting small one word posts and racing throughout the forums doing this. Do not spam (Except for in the HFF and The Kingdom)

Members who merely 'spam a link' but also post around the forum normally are not Linkspammers, they are spammers.

10) Linkspamming: Linkspammers are those people who join a forum just to create threads filled with links. These kinds of users are instantly banned, IP banned, and Email Domain banned. Don't be one of them. Do not make a thread just to post random links to things without discussion about what the links are, where they go, and what you think. Links to advertising, promotional websites, pornography, and other worthless things like that will net you a one way ticket out. Do not confuse Linkspamming with "spamming a link" however, as members who merely spam a link such as in the shoutbox are classed as "Spammers" not "Linkspammers"

11) Big Signatures: For the sake of those who do not have broadband, and have bandwidth limits per month, please keep your signatures within a reasonable size. 400 pixels high is fine, and no bigger than a maximum of 200kb combined. Those who have excessively large signatures may and most probably will be asked to resize their signatures at a moderators or administrators discretion.

12) Duplicate threads will be locked. This forum has been around for a long time, and the discussion you want to bring up may have already been discussed. We don't mind necromancy if you have something worthwhile to say in such old discussions, but keep it worthwhile. Also, creating a thread just because another thread was locked to continue talking about the locked discussion will net the new thread a new lock, and you an infraction. You have been warned.

13) Multiple accounts are frowned upon here. If you create a new account to get around a ban, that account will be banned. If, for example, you have a sibling or member of your household who uses the same IP address as you we do not mind, but please don't create accounts and pretend to be other people. We don't like it, and you may be penalised for doing as such.

14) Sometimes people like talking about serious discussions, such things being politics, religion, and other deep and meaningful things. For this we have created a Serious Stuff Forum for such discussions, however, in order to gain access there is a thread stickied in Chit Chat. Apply there. The Serious Stuff Forum has extra rules that go ontop of these rules, so be sure to read them before you start your discussions or join others.

Appeals

If you feel an action taken was too harsh, or given outside of the rules, we have an appeals system in place to help.

1) Please send you reasons as to why the decision was unjustified to <insert email address>

2) A thread shall be created for each appeal in the staff forum, which will then be discussed by the Gmods and Admins, as will the reasons given by the issuing staff member.

3) A thread shall be created in the Appeals Summaries subforum of Forum Help so that you may keep an eye on whats going on.

4) When the majority of the active staff have come to a prompt and timely decision, the decision and the reason for that decision will be posted in the thread.

5) This decision is final and cannot be argued.

6) This final decision shall be used in cases with similar facts as guide to how to approach other appeals.

IRC Rules

This applies to the channel #lovehina on irc.rizon.net
1) Rules 1), 2), 3), 5), 6), 9 and 10) apply as well in the IRC Channel.

2) No flooding. The [^_^] bot will automatically kick you out of the room.

3) You agree to follow the rules of rizon.net which are posted here: http://www.rizon.net/rules.php
4) Penalties range from something merciful as a warning or a slap, to kicking and banning. You may even be IP banned if you try to get around the ban.

AnimeB Chain of Command

This chain is to help the Admins work load and allow for faster response times.

1) Seek help from the Moderator who moderators the forum you are having trouble in first. If the problem is in the shoutbox, all white mods, blue mods, and the yellow Admins can help.

2) If the moderator is unable to help, go to a Gmod (Blue). Always go to at least these mods over a large issue so as not to keep the Administrators from their work. That is what Gmods are for (Global Mods. They mod the entire forum)

3) If the Gmod is incapable of helping you, they may create a thread in the staff forum to request assistance for you.

4) If all else fails, go straight to the admins. PM is most likely, but they do sometimes lurk in around the shoutbox. Give them a yell.

So the chain goes like this. Mod -> Gmod -> Admin.

The Green Mods are Brigade Mods, which look after their own brigades which are small subforums. If the problem is in that brigade, go to your Brigade Mod.

[Fuzzy]

Wow, you really were bored. It looks good. *claps*

[Rasberry]

i have to say this amazes me and i fully support it!

[☼Pepe☼]

Sounds too casual...


Otherwise, I've already told you the problems through MSN...
Good job, Ty!

And please differentiate "Linkspamming" from "Spamming a Link"...
The latter would fall under Rule 9, not 10..

[Tyroki]

Fixed so that it differentiates between Linkspamming and Spamming a Link. Also fixed the line you told me on MSN. Thanks Pepe. ^-^

Also, I know it sounds somewhat casual, but casual is alot easier to read for most people than formal Alot less boring too.

[´Silæs]

This is perfect

[Tyroki]

Another thing I think is that the major forums also need the rules copied and pasted into a thread then stickied for each. That way members can't complain that they've never been able to find the rules to follow them

While yes, you could just do a gAnnouncement, once another announcement is made, the new announcement shows on top and then you have to do diving to find stuff -.-; So much easier to just place stickied threads in all of the main forums. This way no one can complain that they never found nore saw the rules. Because in honesty, the FAQ is a massive pain in the ass.

[☼Pepe☼]

I wholeheartedly agree with you Tyroki...

Many times, I had to spend ten minutes just to find the rules...

[Yonathen]

Wow thish ish real!
Nah just joking, i like it.
Nicely done Ty

[Akamatsufan228]

This is a well written, easily understandable revision to the code of conduct. Its no-nonsense language drives home the many needed reforms, if not in practice but the wording, of what everyone has been trying to do in the past few weeks but constantly interrupted by certain anarchistic elements of the drama. Also if you people haven\'t noticed, proxy servers can\'t make me do proper posts.

[Tyroki]

I'm glad you guys like it ^-^

[☼Pepe☼]

So... What do the admins think of this thing?


Is it good enough to replace our current rules?

[Flashman]

Its far too wordy, and other than the irc rules and warning system does nothing new.
Further more there is nothing outlining how the appeals system works, nor does the out lined system allow for fairness in the ruling.

[Tyroki]

Far too wordy? I do believe the flaw to the rules is the lack of description and information. Not to mention the original rules assumed too much that people knew what each term meant already, which is one of the reasons why people find it too easy to find loopholes via interpretation. The rules at current do little to protect either side.

My version of the rules allows both the members AND the staff to be protected. Its sad enough to people abuse holes in the rules merely to get out of trouble, and at the moment "Fairness" merely means giving warning after warning, chance after chance. You want fairness? Then no one should be favoured, despite achievements, niceties and friendships. Treating someone better just because you like them is NOT an option as a moderator, and should NOT be allowed.

At current, there is little fairness drawn from our rules. That is why I have tightened up the rules so that all must been treated equally in the rules. The less loopholes and troublemakers we have, the easier it will be for this forum to heal.

[Tyki Mikk]

Good outline Ty, I'll support you on this one I suppose.