Recently the site team has been called to intervene when threads get heated and tempers rise and we wanted to take a little time to re-affirm the expectations on this board for members who post or PM.
These are the site rules: http://www.skoolie.net/forums/misc.php?do=sknetwork&page=rules
They are long but the gist is: Be Nice. The devil is in the details however as one persons "nice" is anothers nasty. We don't all have the same social expectations so here are the basics:
Thanks for considering - we aim to make the forum an enjoyable place for everyone.
These are the site rules: http://www.skoolie.net/forums/misc.php?do=sknetwork&page=rules
They are long but the gist is: Be Nice. The devil is in the details however as one persons "nice" is anothers nasty. We don't all have the same social expectations so here are the basics:
- Do not call another member or their opinions misguided or dumb or something worse. Every person is entitled to their opinion, however that doesn't mean you can post to insult another. If a thread seems to invite an alternative opinion about a specific issue go ahead and post yours BUT do not argue with those who's opinions differ from yours. Your opinion is not better or right - it's just your opinion. State your opinion once and then move on. One post is enough.
- Arguing for the sake of debate is not appropriate. Folks join this board to learn about Skoolies and to share experiences related to the topic of the board. Be helpful when you post.
- The same standards of behavior apply to all sections of the board including PMs and other messaging paths. If you can't post it on a thread, don't send it via PM.
- We ask members who see problems to hit the report button to get some help from the site team. The site team are volunteers and it sometimes takes a little time to find a resolution to a problem or concern. Moderator actions are typically private between the concerned parties and the moderator. We don't post publicly about this stuff as this sort of drama is a detraction from the topic of the board AND because it may run afoul of our privacy policy. Moderation decisions are made after input from the entire team, we function as a committee of sorts and while one moderator may deliver the message it will be after consultation with others.
- Members set the tone for the community. Please welcome newbies and contribute in a positive way to questions and concerns. We were all clueless newbies once and it's daunting to register on a public forum and post. Many Skoolie owners are especially private and so try to be supportive and positive.
- While the forum allows posts that are critical of a product or process, it's not a free speech zone. It's privately owned and there are rules. You agreed to them when you joined and they are fairly straightforward but we expect that they will be followed.
- Disparaging a product, or vendor especially when you have no direct experience is not helpful. If you had a negative experience with a sales transaction or product it's fine to post about it BUT it must be your personal experience - not random "that product rots/this seller is a slimeball" comments. If you have a dispute with a vendor please settle it with the vendor but don't "litigate' it here on the forum. We aren't associated with businesses and aren't in a position to 1. affect change or 2, determine the veracity of the claims. There is often more than one side to a complaint and taking to the internet to damage the reputation of a vendor is uncool and unfair.
- Politics and religion topics. Not allowed on this board. We have members with widely varying beliefs, values and from several countries. Collectively we will not agree on many of these topics and they are divisive to the community. Let's focus on the things we have in common - Skoolies, travel and fun.
- It's easy to hide behind a mask of anonymity on the internet. Ordinary, reasonable people can somehow believe that it's OK to post aggressively and post misleading information without consequence. Think before you post and consider if you would say the same things if you were face to face with the same person. If you would not, then do not post.
- If a moderator contacts you about a problem post, take the contact seriously. We are patient but repeated issues will result in account restrictions.
Thanks for considering - we aim to make the forum an enjoyable place for everyone.
