What's the dilly-o with the new policy?

Cruentus

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Profanity & Basic Net Etiquette Policy
Effective 12/1/2007

Please follow common net etiquette when posting on the board. Doing so helps to keep the tone friendly and prevent misunderstandings. Here are the common things to avoid:

- Using unusually large fonts or graphics in your signatures or messages.

- Using all CAPS (shouting) for your entire message, or large sections of your messages.

- Using repeated icons, text, or punctuation (long strings of exclamations, periods and question marks, etc.)

- Profanity of any kind. (including abbreviations or substitutions for profanity).

- Replacing 1 or more letters with other letters, symbols or numbers in an attempt to show which swear word you intend, thereby circumventing the filter.
- Using "l33t speak" and IM style writing.

If you're curious about where these common rules come from, just do a search on the Internet for the terms "net etiquette" or "netiquette"

As for content, it's mostly common sense. You can read the messages titled "General Posting Rules", "Account Policy" and "Basic Rules" to see the actual conduct members agree to when joining the board. In summary, avoid:

- Commercial messages outside of the ProShop.

- Using the member list to send unsolicited mail to multiple members.

- Any message which is openly hostile, defamatory, sexual, vulgar, or harassing. Such messages will not be tolerated and may be in violation of the law.

Please keep in mind the message board is intended to be accessed by teens as well as adults. Again, please read the rules and policies if you'd like additional information. Feel free to contact a board administrator or any of the moderators if you have any question as to acceptable behavior on this message board.


If you violate the filter policies, your posts may be edited to conform with policy, and you may receive warnings and/or infraction points. Chronic abuse may result in account restriction, suspension or termination.

This isn't very clear because I don't understand what's different then before.

Are we not allowed to swear period, or are we supposed to let the profanity filter do it's job (which is the same as before), or is this just simply letting us know that things like swearing, using all caps for messages, etc., could be seen as "rude" and subject to staff action?
 

Bob Hubbard

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It's summed up as:
- We'd prefer it if you didn't swear, but if you must, just swear and let the filter do it's job.
- If you don't let it do it's job, or try to get around it, you'll get a smack.

Also, this isn't AIM, ICQ, MSN or a dozen other IM systems, so speak English or you'll get a smack.

If we have to smack you alot, you'll get the big boot. :hogan:


Just said alot nicer. :D

It consolidates and clarifys some stuff that's been fuzzy for a few folks, on both sides of the screen and makes some minor adjustments in how we conform with established net etiquette .
 

jks9199

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It's summed up as:
- We'd prefer it if you didn't swear, but if you must, just swear and let the filter do it's job.
- If you don't let it do it's job, or try to get around it, you'll get a smack.

Also, this isn't AIM, ICQ, MSN or a dozen other IM systems, so speak English or you'll get a smack.

If we have to smack you alot, you'll get the big boot. :hogan:


Just said alot nicer. :D

It consolidates and clarifys some stuff that's been fuzzy for a few folks, on both sides of the screen and makes some minor adjustments in how we conform with established net etiquette .
Pero, yo quiero hablar y escritar en Espanol!

Actually... On a serious note, I do have one question on these lines.

Sniping. I don't get what is or isn't sniping, here. And I hazard to guess that I'm not the only one.
 

Kreth

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Sniping. I don't get what is or isn't sniping, here. And I hazard to guess that I'm not the only one.
The concept may be a bit beyond your understanding. :p
Basically, sniping is a subtle (or not so subtle) insult, or snide comment; such as the previous sentence (normally minus the smiley).
 

Tez3

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I got quite confused the other day when posting, I used a word and the censor put stars up on it, someone kindly explained that the middle bits of the word were an insult! The censor had taken the first and last three letters off and made it look as if I was using bad language which as I don't even swear in 'real' life was a bit mortifying!
 

BrandiJo

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haha iv seen that before. People will creatively hid the "naughty" words in others to get around filters sometimes, MTs filter is smart enough to catch it i guess.
 

newGuy12

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I got quite confused the other day when posting, I used a word and the censor put stars up on it, someone kindly explained that the middle bits of the word were an insult! The censor had taken the first and last three letters off and made it look as if I was using bad language which as I don't even swear in 'real' life was a bit mortifying!

For goodness sakes, Tez3, clean up that potty mouth!

Hahahahaha!!!
 

Tez3

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For goodness sakes, Tez3, clean up that potty mouth!

Hahahahaha!!!

I wouldn't have minded if it had even been a rude word I was using lol! It was just another word for giggling! The filter however tends to miss some of our more pithier English insults and rude words though!
 

Bob Hubbard

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Email me a list and I'll see what can be worked in. I however refuse to add anything Klingon to the mix on shear principal. (That and I think they take away my head lumps if I do) LOL!
 
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Cruentus

Cruentus

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Pero, yo quiero hablar y escritar en Espanol!

Actually... On a serious note, I do have one question on these lines.

Sniping. I don't get what is or isn't sniping, here. And I hazard to guess that I'm not the only one.

To add to Kreth, baiting is often used in conjunction with sniping.

If I said something like, "I'd really like to hear a cops opinion on this" knowing that your in LE. Then you respond, and I say something like, "Well, I wouldn't expect anything less coming from you, considering that most cops lack the education to understand these complex topics."

Clearly, I would be 'baiting' you into a response, then I would be subtly attacking you. I might as well have called you stupid in the above example, but I try to get around the rules and not directly name call; so I snipe instead.

This rule is really a good one, in my opinion. I have been here for a while, and at various different times I have seen people have vendetta's with others on the forum, and they go around trying to bait their 'enemies' into discussions, in order to take subtle shots at them. Obviously, this doesn't make for a very professional or friendly environment. This rule works to prevent that kind of behavior.
 

kidswarrior

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I got quite confused the other day when posting, I used a word and the censor put stars up on it, someone kindly explained that the middle bits of the word were an insult! The censor had taken the first and last three letters off and made it look as if I was using bad language which as I don't even swear in 'real' life was a bit mortifying!
I only swear around my wife, cos she gets me (we met in 1967). Makes it easier cos I don't have to try to remember where I am before saying anything. Uh, oh. This is OT, isn't it? :lisafault: Just saw the smily page had changed, and couldn't resist using this one. ;) Uhhhh, this isn't sniping, is it?
 

jks9199

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To add to Kreth, baiting is often used in conjunction with sniping.

If I said something like, "I'd really like to hear a cops opinion on this" knowing that your in LE. Then you respond, and I say something like, "Well, I wouldn't expect anything less coming from you, considering that most cops lack the education to understand these complex topics."

Clearly, I would be 'baiting' you into a response, then I would be subtly attacking you. I might as well have called you stupid in the above example, but I try to get around the rules and not directly name call; so I snipe instead.

This rule is really a good one, in my opinion. I have been here for a while, and at various different times I have seen people have vendetta's with others on the forum, and they go around trying to bait their 'enemies' into discussions, in order to take subtle shots at them. Obviously, this doesn't make for a very professional or friendly environment. This rule works to prevent that kind of behavior.
Thanks to both of you for the explanation.

That's definitely one thing I like about MT -- folks here can generally manage to disagree without being disagreeable about it. And there are lots of very knowledgable folks in almost unlimited topics!
 

Xue Sheng

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The concept may be a bit beyond your understanding. :p
Basically, sniping is a subtle (or not so subtle) insult, or snide comment; such as the previous sentence (normally minus the smiley).

This is not directed a Kreth but to MT in general. His post just brought my longtime question to the surface and gave me opportunity to ask.

It appears to me that some of the smiles that are available to add to a post could also be considered sniping, such as anyone that suggest someone is a troll, or suggests something is BS or the violin playing a sad song, the cuss the barf, etc. It all would depend on the POV and interpretation of the reader which may or may not take offense thereby possibly considering something sniping when it may or may not have been.

And if that is the case would it not be then MT supporting said sniping.

Frankly I think they are all pretty funny smiley thingies but some could take offence and MT would then be put in the position of sending a note to the one that posted it telling them to stop sniping when in fact MT made it possible.

And I am not trying to be a wise guy here or snipe I have been truly wondering about this for awhile.
 

Bob Hubbard

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Most of the sniping is easily seen, if you know information about people. Some of it's real subtle stuff that only a few will get, but that's the idea of a "snipe".

The core idea is, its a shot that most will miss, but the target will get it.
 

Bob Hubbard

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This is not directed a Kreth but to MT in general. His post just brought my longtime question to the surface and gave me opportunity to ask.

It appears to me that some of the smiles that are available to add to a post could also be considered sniping, such as anyone that suggest someone is a troll, or suggests something is BS or the violin playing a sad song, the cuss the barf, etc. It all would depend on the POV and interpretation of the reader which may or may not take offense thereby possibly considering something sniping when it may or may not have been.

And if that is the case would it not be then MT supporting said sniping.

Frankly I think they are all pretty funny smiley thingies but some could take offence and MT would then be put in the position of sending a note to the one that posted it telling them to stop sniping when in fact MT made it possible.

And I am not trying to be a wise guy here or snipe I have been truly wondering about this for awhile.
Some of them are borderline, and like most weapons it's all in the use.
 

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