[SIZE=4][B]The following is an overview of the general rules of this racing message forum.
FLAMING:[/B][/SIZE]
Flaming is the hostile and insulting interaction between Internet users.
Flaming usually occurs in the social context of a discussion board, Internet Relay Chat (IRC) or even through e-mail. An Internet user typically generates a flame response to other posts or users posting on a site, and is usually not constructive, does not clarify a discussion, and does not persuade others.
Sometimes, flamers attempt to assert their authority, or establish a position of superiority over other users. Other times, a flamer is simply an individual who believes he or she carries the only valid opinion. This leads him or her to personally attack those who disagree. Occasionally, flamers wish to upset and offend other members of the forum, in which case they are trolls. Most often however, flames are angry or insulting messages transmitted by people who have strong feelings about a subject.
Some equate flaming with simply letting off steam, though the receiving party may be less than pleased. Similarly, a normal, non-flame message may have elements of a flame – it may be hostile, for example – but it is not a flame if its author seriously intends to advance the discussion. The word flaming is also sometimes used for long, intensive and heated discussions, even though insults do not occur.
Although the trading of insults is as old as human speech, flaming on the Internet, like many other online ‘actions,’ started in the Usenet.
The term “flaming” is believed to be a reference to the Marvel Comic superhero the Human Torch of the Fantastic Four. After the accident which gave Johnny Storm the ability to become a human torch, he was initially unable to control when he would burst into flames. He learned to control his powers by saying “Flame on” which would initiate the transformation into a human torch and he would return to his normal state by saying “Flame off.”
Since early users of the asynchronous text communication wanted to distinguish their angry/insulting/sarcastic portions of their response from their serious statements, they would prefix their angry/insulting/sarcastic text with “Flame on” and indicate the end of such statements with “Flame off”.
[B]FORUM RULES[/B]
PERSONAL DISPUTES
Please do not use these forums for personal disputes, heated debates, flame wars etc. You are expected to treat each other with respect in the forums and take any personal disputes to a private mode of discussion off the forums. If you should find that your discussion is becoming too heated or someone is becoming far too passionate about their argument, please take the discussion to private message or email.
PERSONAL TOPICS
Personal topics are threads that, whilst posted in public forum, are intended for a discussion between only a few members. These kinds of topics are frowned on and will be locked/removed as soon as they are discovered. Public posts should be open and inviting to all members. Personal discussions among a select group of users should take place in private message.
RESPECT OTHER USERS
Sometimes people can write something that you may find offensive. Before launching into a public condemnation though, please consider that the person may not have intended to cause offense. It is very easy to misinterpret a post on forums. There is absolutely no need to resort to insults. Respect others’ views even if you disagree with them.
ADVERTISING/SOLICITATION
Advertising for the sake of advertising is not allowed. Posts of this kind will be locked/deleted.
NO TROLLING
What is a troll? It’s a person who posts something which is bound to stir people up and then sits back and watches as dozens of people jump in and start arguing. Sometimes trolls get their friends to join in or post under different names. Generally they will do anything it takes to get attention. If you see a message like this, please try and refrain from replying to it - it may well be locked/deleted anyway.
Trolling is further considered one of two things. Either continual running a topic into the ground incessantly, or dragging up old arguments against a specific user/group/etc long after they’re appropriate discussion and targeting them specifically in arguments needlessly. Trolling is the first step towards outright harassment of other members. This is the single biggest no-no in the community. Letting every argument drop isn’t always a possibility, but learning when to let things go is a valuable tool, and not just in this community.
POWER-POSTING
Power-posting is when board members post ‘empty’ messages to the board, in order to simply increase their number of posts more quickly. Examples of power-posting are replying to a message with only ‘LOL’ or ‘I agree’, but failing to contribute anything further to the discussion. If you reply to a message, make sure you have something to say. Power posting clutters up the forums, clutters up the ‘new posts’ function, and uses extra bandwidth and server space. While we don’t mind people using bandwidth to chat usefully on the board, we do mind people using it just because they want a more impressive ‘post counter’. If you’re not sure if you’re power-posting, take a moment and think it over before you post. If all your post contains is a ‘LOL’ or an emoticon, it’s a power-post. If it adds something to the discussion, it isn’t.
IGNORE SPAMMERS
Spam is a blight upon the face of the net. Nobody likes it. However, it is hard to avoid. Despite our best efforts, you will very occasionally see spam on the forums. Complaining about spam in public increases noise, but not signal. It may make you feel better, but it doesn’t help. PM a moderator and they will review it for removal.
Repetitive posts by one user, or posting a new thread when one is already easily accessible can be considered spam. It’s hard enough to let community members easily track this forum as days go on, they don’t need to wade through two dozen threads about the same thing every day. Try searching first.
DO NOT FLAME
Flaming, in the most common sense definition, is saying something negative in an attempt to get a more negative response. This is completely and totally unacceptable. It will not be tolerated, and in most cases will be punished severely. Never resort to personal insults, never extend a debate beyond the topic on hand needlessly, and try to avoid patronizing language.
DO NOT FLAME THE STAFF
They have the final say. This forum isn’t a democracy. Your vote doesn’t always count. They try to please everyone they can, but in the end, they’re charged with making this community as enjoyable for as many people as they possibly can. They can not always be right, nor can they please everyone with the decisions made, but they’re doing their “jobs” and hopefully we can all agree that they’re doing their bests to ensure a good community here.
If you feel that an eggregious oversight has been made, then email site admin. Do not post complaints on the forum, they will be deleted.
If you don’t like these rules and /or disagree with adhering to them, that is fine, please go somewhere else as this forum is not really for you in that case. There are plenty of racing message forums that allow that sort of thing.