Bill of Rights

[BobD]

There were some questions about what is OK to post and what is not, so I've written a Bill of Rights for the message board. It's set up as an announcement, so you will be able to see it in every thread, but here is a link as well.
http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.co...ement.php?f=59

Bob Duncan
Technical Editor

EDIT...sorry posted a new link!

Wood Carving Illustrated Bill of Rights

This is a wood carving related forum, so most topics should relate to wood carving or woodworking. It's not a place to tout one tool (blades, sanders). Feel free to offer your preference, but understand that others are also entitled to their own opinion.

Respect Other Members
Right: You have the right to read the information about carving projects, techniques, and woodworking. You also have the right to share your ideas and opinions about carving and woodworking without fear of personal attacks. You have the right to a friendly forum where members respect each other regardless of skill level, opinions, or personal feelings. That means no name calling, questioning a person's integrity, or openly trashing a person's reputation online. For your first warning, you will be banned for a day, Second warning, banned for a month, Third warning, banned permanently.

Discussion: Act like an adult, plain and simple. The Internet is a funny place, easy to type out a comment, click and sit back and let the fur fly. There are plenty of other places on the Internet where you can do this but it won't be tolerated on the Wood Carving Illustrated Message Board. When you are posting something, ask yourself if you would say that to a person if you were standing next to them and looking in their face, or better yet, would you like someone to say that to you? If you have a problem with someone, send a personal message (PM) to BobD, Admin or one of the Moderators!

Give New Members A Break
Right: New members have the right to post specific questions. They may have little or no experience about carving, or posting on message boards, and it may be easier for them to just post their question rather than try to find the answer to their question in earlier posts.

Discussion: New members need a way to break the ice, introduce themselves, and get a feel for the other members. They also usually have legitimate questions remember, we were all newbies once! Cut them a little slack if they ask a question that has been asked over and over. If you don't feel like posting the same reply you just posted last week, post a link to your last thread. Everyone has something to add to our discussions because everyone brings different life experience to the forum; we wouldn't want to stifle the next Desiree Hajny or Chris Pye, would we?

Off Topic s
Right: You have the right to post whatever you want in the Off-Topic area as long as it isn't offensive to someone else. If you think it might be offensive, check with BobD, Admin, or one of the moderators.

Discussion: A general question about something happening in the world is one thing, but don't write a doctoral dissertation on why one political party or race or religion is better than another. As long as you are not evangelizing or promoting your religion over someone else's, I have no problem with people talking about God, Goddess, Budda, Shiva, Isis, Astarte, Athena, (and any other major diety I may have left out).

A debate about a person's beliefs--political or spiritual--isn't acceptable, though. Conversations like that lead to hurt feelings.


Advertising On The Forum
Right: All members have a right to post their opinion, but no member has the right to use the site to promote their own business.

Discussion: People will always post about their favorite tools, how else will people decide to try something new. But don't post a thread about a sale or special you are having. If you have regular customers, PM them, or buy an ad in the magazine.


Links to other sites
Right: You have the right to post links to other related sites. If it is your site, we would appreciate a reciprocal link back to our site. Please don't post a site that is in direct competition to our site, that's not fair! Directing people to a totally unrelated website (commonly known as SPAM) is not allowed. Spammers will be banned without warning.

Discussion: The forum is a great place to bring together a variety of information and resources. There should he a relatively free exchange of information. But don't post a link to a magazine or website that is in direct competition to Wood Carving Illustrated. If you have a question about a link you'd like to post, PM BobD, Admin, or one of the Moderators.


Handling Complaints
Right: You have the right to complain to the Admins or Moderators if you have a problem with a post. If you have a problem with a person, use the Private Message function. You do not have the right to post a complaint about someone in an open forum.

Discussion: Please don't take things into your own hands. Trust the Admins and Moderators. If you have a problem with a post, PM BobD, Admin, or one of the Moderators, we'll ask the person to edit his or her post, or delete it outright.

[Anthony Filetti]

Bob,
I get a permissions error when trying to access the link...

[Just Carving]

I got a permissions error too.

I got to it. Thanks.

[Anthony Filetti]

I was able to read it from the 'sticky' post located in the forums. Thanks.

[BobD]

Let me know what you think...it's a work in progress.

Bob

[Skulli]

Looks fine and fair to me!

[Anthony Filetti]

Looks fine to me Bob.

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

Bad title, has nothing to do with "Rights" It is a list of don'ts! We had this discussion once before about attempting to control people..this business about all posts are to pertain to woodcarving are about as off base as you can get....read the posts! There is more personal contact, jokes, humor, prayer, personal contact than any of the woodcarving posts! To continue the helpfulness of this site, this must not change...otherwise everyone will be "off topic"!

[Mitchell]

The "Bill" does cover the method to post non-wood related subjects. It also provides a means to keep "touchy" subjects in control.

A lot of people use this forum and it IS a Woodworking forum. The problem is that we've built a relationship amoungst the membership that has gone beyond carving....hopefully we can continue that aspect within the confides of this board.

We have MANY spam posts/posters that are not even seen because of the work of BobD and the moderators. There are usually 2 or 3 banned daily that attempt to post "ads" on drugs, investments, vacations, sex, etc. This "Bill" is one way to try to reduce those types of posts.

[BobD]

The intent of the Bill of Rights is NOT to stifle converstation. As Mitchell said, it sets a framework for the discussions on the board and underlines our stance that Spam won't be tolerated.

How often do we talk about the old spitting and whittling...where people jawed more than carved. I think of this forum as that...and the jawing is fine. In fact, I encourage it!

We've talked before about being a family, but I'm not sure that is the right word; maybe community is a better word. We need to work together to keep things smooth.

You can talk about most things in the Off Topic area, but we all know there is a hotly-contested election coming up in a few days...please...lets keep this forum out of that fray!

i understand that I've bruised some feelings; I'm sorry that I hurt your feelings, but I'm not sorry for removing the posts that initiated all of this. It was nothing personal. I've got a responsibility to the entire forum...those that speak up and those that remain silent.

Bob