Hello,
I want to start by saying this is not about posts being removed, or bans I have received, or complaints about specific things done to others. If I talked about any of that, that would be a violation of the Code of Conduct.
Instead, I want to talk about how easily anything you say here can result in disciplinary action, so you can be better informed. As far as I know, talking about the Code of Conduct is not an offense. It is so easy to violate the Code of Conduct, that I expect this post to be banned under one of the categories that are so general, anything can be listed as an offense.
For instance, just with what I have typed so far, let me list some of the categories I could have violated if they choose to do so.
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Trolling. If it is perceived that this is not a legitimate attempt at dialogue, it can result in a ban for any of the following subcategories of trolling.
A) Creating threads for the sole purpose of causing
unrest on the forums
B) Causing disturbances in forum threads
C) Making non-constructive posts -
Creating duplicate threads. If there is another thread that is determined to be too similar to this one, regardless of how old that thread is, it is an offense.
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Inappropriate language. There is no list of words to go by, just an all encompassing āAre otherwise considered objectionableā. This means any word found to meet this vague standard is an offense.
Finally, the listed punishments arenāt even useful guides, because of this statement near the top:
āWe reserve the right to evaluate each incident on a case by case basis. The action we take may be more lenient or more severe than those listed under each category:ā
I would like to talk about how the implementation of these rules is negatively affecting the forums, but I cannot do that without citing examples, or discussing how the moderators are enforcing these rules. If I were to do that, I would be in violation of the Code of Conduct.
Instead, I will leave you with what I have already stated about what to be wary of if you wish to continue posting here. Personally, I plan to cease participating in these discussions if this post is found to have violated the Code of Conduct.
And that is a shame really. Most of my posts have multiple likes, and I feel my contributions are speaking to the feelings of many who read them.
Unfortunately, I feel many people may have left the discussion already. I would give examples, but again, Code of Conduct.
In most forums, I would end this with the acronym for Too Long, Didnāt Read, and then summarize this post for the less patient. That acronym is also against the Code of Conduct, so you will just have to read all of this if you want to understand what I am talking about.
Will I be posting here next week? I guess time will tell.