Members Discussion on Rules and Some Tips on Posting

[C. Flower]

As we are a new forum, we have some basic but important rules put in place for our start up stage.
In the next couple of days I'll be putting up full Terms and Conditions of Use of this site for feedback.

To get some first thoughts I'm starting a discussion here on how to maintain a high quality of posting on the site. This doesn't mean you have to be a literary genius, it does mean that posting should be genuine and thoughtful, and that posts should be understandable. Time now to take a look at them and improve and refine them. I think we need to add some tips on how to maintain a good standard of debate and post writing.

These are some "start up" posting rules, up for discussion:

1) Think before you post. Experienced Posters and Moderators should help New Posters with Technical and General advice on posting. All members should contribute to developing the site content - quality not just quantity.

2) No Libellous Posting: people commented on are entitled to their good name unless proven otherwise – check your facts and back up your views with reliable linked sources.

3) No "outing" of poster identities, whether on this or other sites.

4) No Muppetry, Flaming, Picture Spam,Trolling, Abuse or Racism. We can all express opinions with out resorting to any of them. Please be civil, even in heated debate. Play the ball and not the man (or woman).

This site does not allow pms to be used for abuse. Any offending posters will be barred from pmming.

5) No Advertising or Spamming. Contact the admins if you want to publicise something.

6) If you want to act like an idiot, please go somewhere else.

7) No Posting of Copyrighted Material. Please do not post copyrighted material in this forum – if available on line, link it instead. By all means suggest an article is someone asks, but don't post an article. Also, please source or reference anything you do post.

8) We’re Here Because We’re Here!
Other forums are interesting too, but prolonged discussion of other forums should be taken to those sites or to an Indymedia report. Too much chat about other sites will be binned.

9) Give thank where it is due. Show appreciation for good posting and helpfulness.

10) The Moderator and Administrator’s Decision is final. Don’t argue at length with a mod. Take general points to the Dev and Ed forum and open them up for discussion.

Comments please

[C. Flower]

Right, I've added colour, and fairy lights, to make this more interesting.

If you're happy with this, just add your name to the thread and sign it off.
If not, or if you have suggestions, would you please add them.

With appreciation for the time taken looking at this.

Cactus.

[Tony1975]

I would put something in there banning people from posting using several identities.

Outside of that, it looks fine to me.

[Digout]

Also, regarding postings based on newspaper or other media articles, use the headline from the article in your title, this will go some way to preventing duplicate posts.

[Digout]

Search existing topics before creating a new topic. People who repeatedly post new topics that already exist will be sin binned.

[MediaBite]

Please can there be a strategy for dealing with different forms of trolling? Not just the obvious, crude sort?

[C. Flower]

Please can there be a strategy for dealing with different forms of trolling? Not just the obvious, crude sort?

Focus on quality all the time, I think. And a merciless Admin.

Any other ideas ?

[People Korps]

Please can there be a strategy for dealing with different forms of trolling? Not just the obvious, crude sort?

You mean you want to dictate what is discussed?

[MediaBite]

You mean you want to dictate what is discussed?

Do I know you and have I offended you in some way?

Thought the ethos here was going to be different to 't'other place', Cactus Flower?

[C. Flower]

Perhaps we should ask People Korps to clarify. It certainly seems a bit pre-emptive.

Please can there be a strategy for dealing with different forms of trolling? Not just the obvious, crude sort?

What kind of thing did you have in mind ?

Stuck on italics! dammit.

[People Korps]

Do I know you and have I offended you in some way?

Thought the ethos here was going to be different to 't'other place', Cactus Flower?

I think you do know me, but you have not offended me. I worry that the idea that everyone can be construed as being a ***** with your narrow definition. ie you or anyone else can declare people trolls based on the above rational. Too broad and a bit naval gazing, I speak as some3one quilty of the, not obvious crude sort of trolling myself, most of my fans would agree/

[C. Flower]

Right. Italics sorted.

If everyone plays the ball not the man, and posts interesting posts, we won't have a bother.

[MediaBite]

I think you do know me, but you have not offended me. I worry that the idea that everyone can be construed as being a ***** with your narrow definition. ie you or anyone else can declare people trolls based on the above rational. Too broad and a bit naval gazing, I speak as some3one quilty of the, not obvious crude sort of trolling myself, most of my fans would agree/

I can absolutely assure you, I haven't the feintest idea who you are - and I certainly would not pretend otherwise if I did, incidentally. It's a little insulting to be accused of that sort of pretence, btw and Im not sure why you feel entitled to presume to be offensive towards a complete stranger to be frank. I really don't understand where your seeming aggression is coming from. I know you posted under the same name on the MediaBite blog on a thread that we had to take down for legal reasons a while ago and that you used to post on p.ie but that's it.

My earlier post here was made with posters in mind who set out to derail discussion using tactics that are well known and understood by most forum moderators. Eg Long, articulate posts that are designed to derail discussion with straw men/off topic arguments etc. It's not absolute - an organic discussion can take a number of routes and be hugely interesting of course. I'm talking about when the same few posters use the same tactics over and over again and often in relation to the same topics. There are a few who are well known to moderators on Irish political forums though they tend to use different names when posting in different places.

Now, can you put down your gun and shake hands? I've got no issues with you whatsoever, OK?

[C. Flower]

Now, can you put down your gun and shake hands

Hi Mediabite.

An open forum is an open forum, and unless we were to go the very directed route of Boards.ie, there will be posts like the ones you describe.

I think that that only becomes a problem when an internet community becomes too up its own ass and self-regarding. I will be doing everything I can to keep drawing new members from different backgrounds in to discussions on these boards so that things don't get inbred, if you know what I mean.

If we keep the doors open, and treat new posters with consideration, then the odd dreary old straw man post will not set the tone.

[People Korps]

I can absolutely assure you, I haven't the feintest idea who you are - and I certainly would not pretend otherwise if I did, incidentally. It's a little insulting to be accused of that sort of pretence, btw and Im not sure why you feel entitled to presume to be offensive towards a complete stranger to be frank. I really don't understand where your seeming aggression is coming from. I know you posted under the same name on the MediaBite blog on a thread that we had to take down for legal reasons a while ago and that you used to post on p.ie but that's it.

My earlier post here was made with posters in mind who set out to derail discussion using tactics that are well known and understood by most forum moderators. Eg Long, articulate posts that are designed to derail discussion with straw men/off topic arguments etc. It's not absolute - an organic discussion can take a number of routes and be hugely interesting of course. I'm talking about when the same few posters use the same tactics over and over again and often in relation to the same topics. There are a few who are well known to moderators on Irish political forums though they tend to use different names when posting in different places.

Now, can you put down your gun and shake hands? I've got no issues with you whatsoever, OK?

do tell more who was threatening to sue? I thought that was a fine thread on media bites except for your sneaking admiration for Ganley because he was on the NO side.........that aside , the gun is unloaded.

re trolls , really between us here we are aware of most of them and can tell their style a mile off.

militant tolerance can easily be turned to being militant intolerance once that becomes a problems.
Onwards and upwards.