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Head Moderator
Joined: 04 Jan 2005
Posts: 116
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With the recent release of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and the flurry of comments, reader reaction, and the like, it has come to my attention that some have not been following the board rules properly. I've listed two links below for you to all review if you have forgotten or maybe just haven't seen the board rules up until this point.
Forum Rules
Reminder Regarding the Forum Rules
I want to stress that I am not, at this point, calling out anyone personally. So before anyone gets upset, let me just say that this is a blanket statement. In fact, I take most of the blame in the first place. I've simply been too busy this past weekend/week to properly monitor the forums in a productive way. However, that has now changed. I will be here and visible more to ensure that we are all on the same page.
I would like to take a moment to go over a few additional rules that I feel are necessary at the moment. Again, please note that this is nothing personal with any of you; rather, it is a way to enable me to better do my job.
1. When you wish to start a new topic about something, please check and see if someone else has already started a topic on the same issue before you. In addition, unless your topic is something completely new and original, please place your comments and thoughts in an already started appropriate thread. For example, we have plenty of Snape topics at this point, so instead of starting a new one (unless you have something truly groundbreaking to share) please place your comments in an ongoing thread.
Please note that I will not be deleting any of the current topics, so you may all continue to post in those threads. Also note that I'm not suggesting that you cease starting new topics. If you feel that your topic is something that has yet to be covered, then by all means create a thread and share your thoughts. If you are unsure, you can PM me and I will let you know. If you absolutely must create the new topic, go ahead and do so. When I look over the forum and see that it is already covered somewhere else, I will simply ask you to move your post to the appropriate thread, or I will do so for you. I just want to repeat that I will NOT be deleting any post so long as they are appropriate.
2. This is covered in the forum rules, but I want to mention it again. No netspeak. This doesn't mean 'LOL', 'OMG', 'WTF', etc... but other things which I've mentioned below. We ask that you attempt proper English when posting on these forums. That isn't to say that we expect perfect grammar, but we do expect you to spell out words (i.e. no '2' for 'to/too', no 'n' for 'in', etc...) and use proper capitalisation. (i.e. 'I' is capitalised, as is the first word of each new sentence)
We didn't make this rule to be mean or exclude anyone, but you are much more likely to get a response to your post if other posters can understand your comments. And we completely understand that not all of your are native English speakers, and we do make allowances for that. There is a vastly large difference between laziness and real effort, and more importantly, I can tell the difference.
3. This should go without saying, but respect one another. If you cannot respect a fellow poster enough to keep negative comments out of your reply to them: Do not reply. It is really as simple as that.
I am well aware that many of you took this recent book very hard, and I do understand. However, that does not give any of us the right to be snippy with one another. Make allowances for the fact that your fellow posters may be just as upset as you are. Make allowances for the fact that you may not all agree. And make allowances that someone may reply with a conflicting opinion to your post.
I will delete, without notice, any rude, offensive, or negative comments about your fellow posters. Please do not test this, because I will not hesitate.
That is basically all we ask of each of you. We are all adults here, and for the most part, have all played together quite nicely. I really do not want to start deleting anyone's comments or start calling any individual posters down; however, I will if I feel I need to.
I've let a lot of things slide that normally would be automatically deleted (refer to the forum rules handed down by the Sycophant Hex webmistress herself) for the sake of discussion and excitement over a new book. It has been almost a week now, and I believe that we have all had the chance to settle down enough from the excitement to start adhering to the rules properly.
Just for a quick review:
1. If it is in the forum rules, it is mandatory and I will remove the post without notice.
2. No netspeak. (see the forum rules)
3. Play nice. Please do not test me here.
4. Check for current topics before starting a new one. I will not delete your comments, but I will ask that they be moved.
And finally, I want to take a quick moment and say a huge THANK YOU to each and every one of you for following the spoiler policy on these forums. I'm sure that many of you are aware, but up until the recent book launch, and for some time after, there was hardly a safe place to be had on the internet for those wishing to avoid spoilers. All of you have been great about this with keeping your comments on the recent book where we asked. I think it is safe to say that I speak for not only myself but for all of the Sycophant Hex staff when I say thank you. I cannot begin to tell you all how much it is appreciated.
If you have any questions or comments feel free to PM me and I will get back to you as soon as possible. You can also email me at dbryant0001@hotmail.com if you cannot, for whatever reason, send me a private message.
Thank you.
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24 July 2005:
I want to make something perfectly clear to everyone that post here: If you express an opinion that differs from another poster's (be it a member of the Sycophant Hex staff or common poster) it does not mean that anyone will look down upon you. We DO NOT expect each and every one of you to conform to the opinions that are held by the administration staff of Sycophant Hex. However, we DO expect you to be respectful to the administrators AND ALL of your fellow posters.
When an admin post on these forums they are NOT acting in their capacity as a staff member of Sycophant Hex. Yes, they will from time to time answer questions if one of the moderators or the webmistress is not available to do so; however, they are still just regular, common posters. They have just as much right to post their thoughts and opinions as everyone else. And this rule applies to all of our regular users as well. Each of you have just as much right to post your thoughts and opinions, as well, and without fear of 'retribution'.
The moderators on this forum are:
Liquidscissors
Aphrodeia
Diana
And that is it. Just the three of us. Every other member of the Sycophant Hex staff, if they choose to post here, does so as a regular poster. They have the same rights as you and vice versa. The webmistress also post here. Of course, she pays for this place, out of her own pocket, by the way, so if she wants to tell you all to go piss off then that is her right. I expect, however, that you will find that she would NEVER do that as she happens to be one of the nicest and most decent people in this fandom. Nice and decent to the point that she pays, again from her own pocket, for us to have a place to come together and discuss, debate, and just chat with one another. Nice and decent to the point that I've witnessed her, repeatedly, drop whatever may be on her plate at the moment (and trust me, she is a busy lady) to help anyone and everyone with their issues regarding Sycophant Hex, be they small or large. I would like to hope that you will all agree with me when I say that I do not believe it is a very nice way to repay her for everything she does for us by bickering with one another or accusing the administration staff of Sycophant Hex of favouritism regarding opinions, or whatever it may be.
So please, before you hit reply, think of what you are saying. If it is something that believe you could not say to one of the moderators, or the webmistress, of this forum without running the risk of getting your post deleted, then you SHOULD NOT say it at all. Not to the moderators, the webmistress, any member of the Sycophant Hex staff, and not to any of your fellow posters. Each of you has the right to post here and express your beliefs; however, each of you also has the right to come here and not fear that you are going to be called down and treated so offensively simply because you hold an opinion that does not mesh with the masses. If someone is replying to your opinion with a conflicting opinion this does not mean that they are trying to call you out personally, or say your opinion holds no merit, they are simply stating that they believe something different.
We are all adults here: Act like it.
And with that, I'm done with the warnings. Anymore bickering or rude and offensive post and I will delete your post. If you have read this, as you are expected to do, then you will know this. If you post something that goes against the rules don't be surprised when you log back in to see your post gone.
If you have a problem with anyone: SEND ME A PRIVATE MESSAGE AND I WILL LOOK INTO THE MATTER. I have no favourites here; many of you are new posters, and I've enjoyed reading a lot of your theories (yes, even the ones I have disagreed with) so I think that I, as well as the other moderators, have the capacity to be completely fair about the issue.
Again, as I said before you can email me if, for whatever reason, you cannot reach me by PM. The email address is dbryant0001@hotmail.com. If you have YIM you can send me a IM at dbryant0001. AOL IM is the same. Please, if there are any problems, do not hesitate to contact me. This is what I'm here for.
Thank you. |
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Diana
Head Forum Moderator |
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