Forum Etiquette

These
guidelines have been developed over time based on the extensive
experience of forum moderation teams with input by the various
communities.

Personal Topics/Rants

On
many forums, rants and complaints are frowned on and may be closed as
they are discovered. Posts of this type are much better suited for a
blog or other personal web space and are unwanted on many forums.
Public posts should be open and inviting to all members. Discussions
among a select group of users should take place in private message.

Ineffective Discussion

Threads
stating the equivalent of "there is a problem, we need to discuss it"
have been repeatedly proven ineffective and inflammatory and will
usually be locked after a warning from the moderation team. If you have
a problem, find a solution that works for you, implement it, then post.

If you have a question regarding airsoft, please ensure that your
topic poses a specific question, and be open-minded to responses. If
possible, provide a solution or partial solution.

Respect Other Users

Simply put, respect other users and their views; even if you disagree with them.

Respect Other Forums and Groups

These
forums are not provided for the purpose of bashing other forums,
sports, etc. The entire admin/moderation team is happy to volunteer
their time and energy to provide you with the forums. Kindly show
respect toward the volunteers, users and communities of other forums.
Views, experiences and opinions are always welcome, but unproductive
slander is not.

Old Threads/'Necro-Bumping'

Do
your part to keep the forums tidy. Do not post in threads that are 3 or
more months old unless you are the topic starter and have relevant
information pertaining to the topic. Resurrecting old threads generally
creates disjointed zombie information for the community and can also
make forum moderation unnecessarily complicated. If necessary, you may
link to the older thread in your new thread. Forums are always moving
forward. Don't dig up the past.

No Trolling

What
is a troll? A troll is a person who intentionally attempts to disrupt,
cause controversy, incite an argument, and/or receive negative
attention by deliberately posting provocative content.
Trolls are
generally deceitful and often use ambivalence as a method of covertly
insulting, intimidating, or inciting a person or persons for their own
sadistic pleasure. They often pick their words very carefully and are
therefore able to defend their masked attempts at creating unrest,
often redirecting the blame onto the community and its 'failure to
understand them properly'.

Avoid Controversy/Controversial Topics

There
is no explicit list of topics considered to be 'trollish',
controversial or provocative, but in the past, threads with posts
pertaining to Religion, Sports, Race, Nationalism and Politics have
invariably been closed on many forums. This is a forum, and is not
intended to facilitate such commentary nor the resulting unrest.

No Power-Posting/Empty Posts

Power-posting
is best described as posting empty and worthless messages. It is not
tolerated in most forums. People may have two reasons to do this: to
increase their post count meaninglessly, or to lend support to an idea
(as if it were a vote). Examples of power-posting include, but are not
limited to, replying with '+1', 'lol', 'me too', 'I agree', or ''.
When
you reply to messages, make sure you have something to say. These empty
posts clutter up threads and discussion, invalidates the 'Show New
Posts' function, and wastes bandwidth and server space.
Threads
that degenerate into a series of '+1/-1' or 'me too/I agree/I disagree'
with no content will be locked in most cases on most forums. Individual
power posts may also be deleted.

Life is a Two-way Street

A
simple, yet profound and undeniable truth. Ensure your thread includes
details and information that others will find useful. Share your
findings with the community. Share your failures as well. Posting the
equivalent of 'Nevermind, I fixed it.' in your thread is not only
selfish and useless to the community, but a complete waste of resources
and everyone's time. Also, demanding help or showing an obvious
impatience toward getting it is unwanted here. Arch is provided by a
community of volunteers. Get involved. Contribute to the community.
Don't be a 'taker'.

Bumping

Posting
a single word or useless message (bumping) to attract attention to your
thread is generally not allowed. The only acceptable instance is in
commerce threads. In those cases it is generally acceptable to “bump”
no more than once per 24 hour period. Be patient with the community. If
people are reading your thread without answering or offering help, you
may try supplying more details, or ask to be pointed in the right
direction. Often, the reason for posts remaining unanswered is due in
large part to the sparse details in the original post itself, or, the
obvious availability of solutions in the wiki, on the forum (by using
the search function) or on the web, and the community's unwillingness
to point out the obvious.

Cross-Posting

Cross-posting
is posting the same question to multiple Arch Linux forums (for
example, posting in both General Discussion and Events). This is a
waste of resources and is not permitted on most forums. Any
cross-posted topic will most likely be immediately locked or deleted.
Misplaced Posts
Try
to place your posts in the correct forum for the topic. Our forums have
been carefully categorized so that most topics fit in one logical
location. Any post that is deemed by the staff to be in the wrong forum
will be moved to the correct location without warning. Most users can
find these on your own but if you lose your thread, it is acceptable to
contact one of the forum advisers asking where it has been moved.

Thread Hijacking

Thread
hijacking is the process of replying to an existing thread with a
different topic. This is tolerated in some places but generally
discouraged. It is better to start a new thread if you have a problem
that is related to an existing posted issue but clearly different. On
the other hand, it is better to respond to the existing thread with
additional information if you have what appears to be the same problem.

Posts that hijack a serious thread with off-topic discussion are
strongly discouraged and will often be deleted or edited by forum
staff.

Spam

Spam is not
allowed. Spam is a blight upon the face of the net. Please report the
offending post with the forum report function and a moderator will
review it for removal. Offending spam accounts and associated IP
addresses will probably be banned.

Do Not Flame

Flaming,
in the most common sense definition, is directing negative and/or
insulting comments toward someone. An equally or more negative response
is often a consequence, further resulting in a cycling exchange of
insults. Flaming is not allowed, and will not be tolerated by most
moderation teams. Never resort to personal insults and please avoid
sarcastic and patronizing language. Discussions can be productive, but
arguments are always destructive.

Respect The Staff

Members
of The Forum Team have been chosen for their ability to exercise
consistently good judgment and shall have the final say. Note that this
forum is not run as a democracy. The forum staff shall always attempt
to implement universally peaceful solutions, but in the end, are
charged with the responsibility of maintaining peaceful, civil order
for the forum majority. Therefore, they cannot always please everyone
with the decisions made. Please do your part to contribute to a healthy
community and environment.
• If you feel that an egregious
oversight has been made, use the forum report function or pm the
moderator group. Please do not post complaints on the forum.

Warnings, User Locking, Banning

If
the Forum Moderation Team feels that a member's forum behavior is
unacceptable and warrants intervention, a private warning will
typically be issued (unless the occurrence is judged to be especially
flagrant, in which case a ban may become imminent). Warnings will not
be discussed on many Forums, IRC channels, or mailing lists by the
Moderation Team. If the warning goes unheeded, further action will be
taken. This may range from locking the offending user account, to
deletion or banning of the user. Action is generally on a case-by-case
basis.
If a user is apologetic, interested in a peaceful solution
and wishes to have their account reinstated, a general consensus will
be formed by the moderation team for, or against, such a request.

How to Post

•
Choose clear, informative subjects. This is more likely to elicit
response from experienced users who have knowledge about that
particular topic. It also makes the topic easy to reference and find in
forum searches by future users with similar problems.
• When
asking questions, provide as much information as possible, including
what you have previously tried, what documentation and searches you
have attempted, and other related information.
• Choose one topic
per thread. Long many-paged threads are typically discouraged except in
Off Topic/Try This sections on many forums. Try not to post multiple
questions in a single topic -- this makes it difficult to search for
specific problems.
• Post your question in only one forum; pick the most relevant forum and post there.
• When responding to an existing thread, attempt to focus on the original topic.
•
'Bumping' a thread is generally not allowed (see above). Use time
wisely and update the thread by providing details of other steps you
have taken to resolve the issue, rather than calling further attention
to the thread without adding any further useful information.
• Finally, mark your commerce threads as [SOLD] by editing the original post title when the item(s) has been sold.

Legality

Criminal
solicitation is strictly forbidden on most websites. In this context,
'criminal solicitation' shall mean, "To actively or passively inform
about, or facilitate, incite, move, or persuade others to some act of,
lawlessness or illegal activity."
Therefore, do not post
discussions about, or link to, criminal solicitation in any form. This
includes, but is not limited to, information or links to facilitate
illegal drug use, theft, or sites which provide information or links to
such content. Illegal content will be removed swiftly and dealt with in
full accordance with known applicable law.

Freedom of Speech

The
free and open exchange of assistance, ideas, and opinions is highly
regarded and encouraged on the forums, but it must be noted that the
freedom granted to forum members is relative freedom. It exists within
the boundaries and constraints of the above guidelines and principles.
Complaints of 'censorship' are therefore baseless and unfounded, since
this necessary framework must simultaneously provide reasonable
limitations.