Topic: A Note About Forum Guidelines

[Antares]

As you may or may not know,  I am the technical owner of this webspace.  As you also may or may not know, I am pursuing a career in law enforcement someday.

A the background investigation that is conducted whenever I apply for one of these jobs includes a review of any web site that I own.  Which means I am responsible for what gets posted here.  That considered I won't be able to tolerate anything illegal here. For reference, I don't think anything that ever went on at TME would have crossed the line.

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Things that are OK:

Bad Language
References and discussion about file sharing programs
Most anything else.

Things that are NOT OK:

Links to pirated or copyrighted material
Direct references to  "I illegally downloaded XYZ"

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I just ask that everyone keep this stuff in mind, use your head, and if you want to directly discuss anything you think is crossing the line.  If you really need to reference some kind of borderline file sharing just go back to the old I "got" quotation system we used to use.  I don't want anyone here to feel like I am censoring them here, but it is a necessary condition if I am going to be the legal owner of this webspace.  I don't want to be an ass, but I'd hate to miss out on a job over this.


I honestly don't think this will be a problem, but I wanted to go on record with the official policy here up front.  I'm sure eventually, we'll just have some kind of posting agreement that everyone can agree to without really ever reading 

[Quemaqua]

Once the main site goes live those caveats should be in place anyway for any new users we get.  I don't think you have to worry.  And if you ever do for some reason, I know I'm available to take over "ownership", and there are probably others here that would do it as well.

[Antares]

True Que, 

I trust any current user to use good judgement.  I really don't think it will be a problem.

[scottws]

I'll have to change the registration agreement.  The current agreement is rather lax in terms of piracy discussion.

[Raisa]

Thank you!  I'm a law-abiding citizen.

 

[Antares]

I'll have to change the registration agreement.  The current agreement is rather lax in terms of piracy discussion.

Looks fine to me Scott, unless you've already changed it.

[idolminds]

So like...the kiddie porn links are still ok, right?



PS, THIS IS A JOKE YOU STUPID PIG-COPS!

[PyroMenace]

psssh, next thing you know your gonna hinder us from making anti-Bush discussions... Im leaving this place, whose with me?

[Quemaqua]

Rebel against the oppressor!  Come join my new animal & gay rights naked all-night game site!  There will never be an exodus!  It will stand forever!

[PyroMenace]

Yes, it will have a no tolerance policy for people who tolerate everything.

[scottws]

Looks fine to me Scott, unless you've already changed it.

I changed it immediately following my post.  It used to say basically that talking about piracy was fine so long as you didn't post links and didn't tell people where to get stuff.  Now it is much less forgiving.

[Cobra951]

OK, so let me see if I have the new restrictions straight.

I'm allowed to talk about piracy, as long as I don't post links to pirated software, or point-blank say "I pirated X software from Y site".  I could instead say "X software is 'out there' and I 'got' it."  Is that right?  Can I link to less restricted discussions on other sites, like, oh, say, TME?  Does the policy extend to "unofficial releases" of movies?

[Ghandi]

Ahhh, a cop! Hide the drugs  What kind of law enforcement are you going into?

As far as the rules, we were always pretty safe about using words like "aquired", even when we didn't have to. Hopefully it won't be much of a problem.

[scottws]

OK, so let me see if I have the new restrictions straight.

I'm allowed to talk about piracy, as long as I don't post links to pirated software, or point-blank say "I pirated X software from Y site".  I could instead say "X software is 'out there' and I 'got' it."  Is that right?  Can I link to less restricted discussions on other sites, like, oh, say, TME?  Does the policy extend to "unofficial releases" of movies?

I would say that it's ok to talk about piracy as a topic, but you shouldn't ever allude to the fact that you acquired something illegally.  Act how we did at AOG.  If you "got" the game, just say you got it.  Whether you bought it or pirated it, you have it, so you got it either way.

Do not link to other sites that tell you how to get something illegally either, just to skirt the discussion restrictions here.

And yes, the policy extends to movies and music. 

[idolminds]

Correct: So I bought Company of Heroes at the store last night.

Wrong: So I "bought" Company of Heores at the "store" last night lol wink nudge warez

[Cobra951]

Well I'm not going to lie.  The idea it seems is to walk on egg shells, revealing what without discussing how.  So I wouldn't say "bought" (with or without quotes).  I'd say "got" (without quotes).  But I guess the topic of piracy itself is off limits if it includes examples.  Whatever.  Maybe the best thing is to avoid it altogether.  I'm used to being restricted on most sites anyway.  Just not in this group.

[scottws]

Right.  My plan originally was for us to simply be honest, just not abuse it by making OW become some warez haven.  But obviously since this is Ant's website, we have to take his needs and desires into consideration.

Just think of it this way:  Does anyone truly need to know how you got something?  No.

[Antares]

Actually, I'm fine with the whole "got" quotation system.

discussion about piracy is fine
discussion about file sharing programs is fine.

What isn't ok is posting links to copywritten material or instructions on how to get it.  Use PMs or IM instead.

[MysterD]

Actually, I'm fine with the whole "got" quotation system.

discussion about piracy is fine
discussion about file sharing programs is fine.

What isn't ok is posting links to copywritten material or instructions on how to get it.  Use PMs or IM instead.

I always thought it was wrong of that StarForce guy who posted the Torrent link to Galac Civ 2 b/c they wouldn't use SF's Copyright Protection directly on SF's own boards.

[Pugnate]

I don't know, I am fine with strict rules ala IGN being forced.

[scottws]

In terms of piracy, I agree.

[Pugnate]

Yup.

If and when we get the front page going, I will try and pimp out reviewer copies of games for us. That is only possible if we have a zero tolerance policy on piracy.

[Cools]

Seems reasonable; though considering our good history so far, a bit unnecessary.

[scottws]

I don't know.  Towards the end there at TME, people were pretty open regarding their piracy habits.  I personally didn't have a problem with that, but it's a practice we can no longer continue.

[Quemaqua]

I agree.  It's always a good policy to keep people at least attempting to be quiet about it.  If you want to do that shit, you can do it in PMs.  Nobody's going to stop you, just don't air it out in public.

[Pugnate]

I don't know.  Towards the end there at TME, people were pretty open regarding their piracy habits.  I personally didn't have a problem with that, but it's a practice we can no longer continue.

Plus the target is to get new people to join, and it will be easier to keep them in line if we set a good example.