Can we have some forum rules please?

[GuerrillaIM]

I just spent 20 minutes writing out a long reply to a thread. Next thing it is deleted. A lot of threads get deleted and quite often I cannot understand why.

If there was public forum rules then we would know which ones were in breach of it. I have read the stickies and the FAQ but they do not cover a fraction of the threads that get deleted.

If at all possible could someone make a list of things that you're not allowed to post about and sticky it?

[Amenda Jessera]

Ya, I too had faced this, when I had written some replies under "CopyWrite" category, some of my replies have got deleted. I don't know Y?
I had checked the Terms & rules, I did not violate it, but those got deleted. May be some automated process or etc...

[GuerrillaIM]

I am talking about whole threads dissapearing. I know many of the topics that are not allowed just from seing them being consistently deleted, but it would be nice to have a list of topics not allowed for discussion in plain sight.

[Michael Oksa]

I know this won't make you feel better, but there are a lot of unwritten "rules". The reason is that, like it or not, some of them are sujective.

Also, it would really be impossible to post every "rule". On top of that, the wording would have to be prohibitively precise to keep people from finding loopholes - even then, their would be some loopholes.

The interpretation would get complex.

Do you go by the letter of the law, or use some common sense and go by the spirit of the rules?

All in all, the system we have now works pretty well. There are glitches from time to time, but making a post of ALL the rules would be an exercise in futility.

Besides, the VAST majority would never read it.

All that being said, even if every rule were written, the same thing that happened to you could happen again. If you post in a thread that gets deleted for breaking the rules - it could happen.

The best thing to do before posting any lengthy post is to copy and paste it to a text file, just in case. That way you can always send a PM to the person who would benefit from it.

EDIT: I think a list of forbidden topics isn't practical, because it comes down to context. Religion and politics are the two forbidden topics, but even politics can be discussed at some level if it is done the right way, and in the right context.

All the best,
Michael

[GuerrillaIM]

OK, no one ever claimed WF was a democracy

* Starts timer counting down to moment this thread dissapears *

[Willie Crawford]

What Michael said.

Even the oldest forum members here have messages
deleted from time to time. When we look deep enough,
it is often due to a subjective interpretation of a rule,
but the rule was posted somewhere.

I spent several years as a moderator, and will tell
you that the more rules you post, the more people
nit-pick and look for ways to skirt on the edge of
those rules, knowingly violating the intention of the
rule.

It's one of those things that you eventually get a
feel for. I figure that by the time I have 15,000 posts,
I'll have it down pat.

Willie

[George Wright]

Once in a while someone comes up with a nice idea for a thread. For instance "Follow me while I do whatever." Or "Look over my shoulder while I ....."

Not a bad thing in it's self but then others see it stay on page one forever and say. "Hey I can start a follow me while I ?....? and I'll have a popular thread." WRONG.

If left unchecked page one would be full of "Follow me while I...." threads.
That's just one example.

There are others but that gives the idea.

Almost any thread that could possibly stick on the front page for ever is "in danger." If Mods/Admin want a sticky they will make it sticky. IMHO Other wise "naturally sticky" threads are usually either locked or bye byed. Again IMO which is Wright.

George Wright

[GuerrillaIM]

So try not to make popular threads?? The system obviously works as this is a great forum, just can be a little frustrating sometimes.

[George Wright]

No not exactly. Try TO make good, informative, helpful threads. Don't copy popular threads for the sake of marketing and be surprised when it's deleted. Not saying you or anyone else in this thread has. I'm just saying this IMO is why some threads get locked or disappear sometimes.

George Wright

Originally Posted by GuerrillaIM

So try not to make popular threads?? The system obviously works as this is a great forum, just can be a little frustrating sometimes.

[Steven Wagenheim]

A few days ago I started a thread simply asking members if they felt that
they were approachable by their customers.

It was deleted. I have no idea why.

Guess what?

That's life...it happens.

I used to get all bent out of shape over it. Now I just head over to OT and
post another music video, or go into my recording studio to write another
song, or play another video game (I have 16 now to choose from)

It is physically impossible to know why any one topic will get deleted.

There are 2 things that will get them deleted, ultimately.

1. The members in general feel the thread is inappropriate and report it.

2. A mod sees it first, feels it's inappropriate and deletes it outright.

Since members are moderators and, in a sense, have a say over what
stays and doesn't stay on the forum, no way in heck are you going to
post any kind of rule that is going to keep members from reporting posts
they don't like.

In other words, this is one thing that is a total waste of energy worrying
about.

I am speaking from much experience here.

[TheWealthSquad]

Being fairly new to the Forum but having participated on other forums. Things happen. Unless you run the forum you don't get to make the rules

If you want to run a forum, feel free to go start one

Maybe they could start a banned category. Where forum threads go to die. You cannot add to them but could still puruse them ...maybe when I start my own forum I will do that.. in about 50 years hahahaha

Sorry. I am tired and this struck me as funny