The Inn's Rules

Subject: The Inn's Rules Mon Jan 28, 2008 12:03 am

The Red Inn is a forum like all the others. It hasn't been created either for giving answers, nor to ask difficult questions, but for the people to meet and talk, laugh, exchange impressions, without refusing serious discussions.

The Inn's Hosts are:

a) Moderators, that watch the forums they were named over. They make the rules for their forums, post new topics, delete or edit posts and threads, inform and warn those who don't respect the rules.

b) Supermoderators, that have more powers and responsibilities: they guard the entire forum, ban/unban members, etc.

c) The admin (in our case the Innkeeper) sets the rules, makes all the decisions, can oppose to the decisions taken by mods and supermods (has the veto right). His decisions can be changed only by public vote.

Rules are simple: we discuss and treat each other like friends, or like people that ca become friends. That's why you are kindly asked to avoid insults and any aggressive language.

a) Registering - everyone is free to join us. Please do not choose a nickname, avatar or signature similar to another user's, to avoid confusion.
b) Joining a discussion, posting - everyone is free to take part to a discussion, if he/she knows the domain; if not, he/she asks questions; no one has born all knowing, so please avoid acting superior.
No arguments are allowed - by arguments meaning insults, discrimination, bad words. For personal problems, there are private messages.
c) Posting a new topic - everyone can start any discussion, if:

there is no other similar or identical topic
the topic is placed on the right forum
the title is clear about the topic's subject
the first post indicates the direction of the discussion.

If these conditions are not respected, the moderator will solve the problem by editing, moving or deleting the topic or the posts; if the moderator is missing, a supermoderator or the admin will do it.

Warnings are given for:

repeated off-topic messages
consecutive messages - do not post a new message after your own, if there is still the possibility to edit the first one. Exception: when the two posts have a very different subject. It is forbidden to make major editing once there are answers to the post, so that the discussion doesn't turn to nonsense.
posts containing less than 20 characters or only smilies on serious topics
copying someone's signature, avatar, nickname without the person's approval
aggressive language and behavior, using annoying fonts and colors in the posts or signature

Bans are given for:

cumulating 3 warnings
spam
discriminations (addressed to an user, to a nation, to a race, to a social category, to a sports club or to its members, to a sexual minority)
creating and posting with clones, when the main account is banned. It is accepted only if the banned user considers his ban was unjustified and wants to clear up something; after that, the clone must cease the activity forever
making a private message public, without the author's written agreement. Any exception must have very serious reasons.

Any other misconduct that isn't included in these rules will be solved by moderators/ supermoderators/ admin, then will be included in this list. Any user can report a misconduct, but only the moderator can propose/ demand a punishment.

Recommendations:
a) for everyone: use proper English (grammar, spelling, synthax) and avoid the chat spelling; avoid using unnecesary capitalized letters, special fonts, annoying colors;
b) for the moderators and supermoderators: do not haste to punish, but show yourself tolerant and try to understand why the error has been made (especially in the case of new users, that can be simply new to forums, and did not infringe the rules on purpose). Editing another user's post will be made with a different color and will include the reason for editing. If a ban is needed, please consult the other colleagues.

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