The Rules

Fraser · #1 (**permalink**) 08-November-2003, 04:02 PM

Welcome to the Universe Today Forums, we hope you have a great time in the community we've built. Like any well-run community, we have some rules. They're generally common sense, but please take a moment to look through them so you understand.

The moderators and I will strictly enforce these rules. We reserve the right to edit topics and posts, delete stuff, move it around, split off or merge topics together. We will also warn and eventually ban users who violate these simple rules.

This isn't a public place, and the laws of freedom of speech in whatever country you come from don't apply here (I'm Canadian, if that matters). You're my guest, in my house, and I expect you act accordingly.

Thanks!

Fraser Cain
Publisher
Universe Today

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1. Stay on Topic... Space and Astronomy

This is a space-oriented dicussion forum. That's what we're talking about here, so if you're going to start a topic or participate in a conversation, please stay within this area. Obviously this can be open to interpretation, but please use your common sense.

We've got an area called "Totally Off Topic", where you can talk about anything else you like. That section still falls under the rest of the rules, though, so we expect you to be polite, respectful of copyright, etc.

2. No Swearing or Adult Topics

We encourage all ages to read this discussion board, so there are going to be children present. Please watch your language. Same goes with adult topics - talk about it somewhere else. If you do need to say something... racy... I expect to see the most scientific terminology used.

3. Be Nice

Attack the ideas, not the person. If you've got concerns with what someone is saying, feel free dismantle their arguments, but don't make personal attacks. You might think you're making a joke, but it could really hurt someone else's feelings, so steer on the side of caution. If you feel that someone has crossed the line and insulted you, please email one of the moderators. Don't write some scathing post in the forum to try and humilate people publicly - we probably won't listen to you then.

4. Don't Quote Emails

Please don't post a copy of something that somebody emailed to you. There are legal and copyright reasons for this. I'll post emails from time to time in the forum, but I'll be getting the proper permission to do this from the source.

5. No Copyright Material

Don't quote articles available on other websites, it's a copyright violation. If you want to reference material somewhere else on the web, just link to it. People can go take a look at what you're talking about and then come back to talk about it.

6. No Advertising

Don't use the Universe Today forums as a way to promote your own website, product, or forum. And don't use the forum as a platform for your ideas or theories. We'll give you a little leeway if you're an active contributor to the forum. And don't think we won't notice.

This also goes for the promotion of alternative theories. If you use the forum as a place to promote your theories of the Universe, we will delete your posts on sight and probably ban you from the forum. I don't mind when people question established scientific thinking, and we even have a special "Alternative Theories" section to hammer out ideas, but don't use the entire forum to promote your agenda.

7. No Politics or Religion

Discussions about politics and religion nearly always turn ugly, and frankly, I don't have the time or interest in policing conversations that do little but make people angry at each other. So, don't start or contribute to a topic that's going to just start people yelling at each other. The moderators and I will shut down or delete any thread that has obviously taken an overtly political/religious direction.

8. DON'T MAKE ALL-CAPITAL TITLES

That's generally perceived to be yelling on the Internet. If you make an all-capital title in the forum, we're more than likely to rewrite it.

9. Only one account per person

Don't get a second or third forum username so you can have different personalities and have conversations with yourself. This is not helpful to the forum.

10. We'll Add New Rules on a Whim

The moderators reserve the right to moderate postings and users on the board for any reason whatsoever. Obviously with great power comes great responsibility, but if we see something that needs to be fixed, we'll fix it.

jimmy · #2 (**permalink**) 08-November-2003, 09:55 PM

Good call frasier. Those topics were interesting,but clearly not for this place.

rahuldandekar · #3 (**permalink**) 09-November-2003, 09:24 AM

Thanks Fraser.
Great job !

DippyHippy · #4 (**permalink**) 13-November-2003, 01:36 AM

I think the rules speak for themselves and are pretty much common sense.

At the end of the day, there's a very simple rule you only have to remember to make your experiences much more enjoyable:

Play nice :P

#5 (**permalink**) 15-November-2003, 12:08 PM

Ditto for me. I think they are fair.

deltaangel · #6 (**permalink**) 16-November-2003, 05:25 AM

I completely agree with everything everyone here has said

ariestalk · #7 (**permalink**) 27-November-2003, 04:14 PM

Hi all,
I've been looking at the "Universe Today" for a few weeks and think it is great.
Then this Astrology!!! link gets added. Surely must be a mistake.
Bob

Fraser · #8 (**permalink**) 27-November-2003, 07:03 PM

Which astrology link?

DippyHippy · #9 (**permalink**) 28-November-2003, 10:13 PM

I think ariestalk might be referring to the VisibleSky site, where's there's a link to an astrology website...

Matthew · #10 (**permalink**) 01-December-2003, 01:48 AM

You can search for astrology, and there is only 3 results.

Fraser · #11 (**permalink**) 01-December-2003, 03:46 AM

I think I understand, he didn't like the ad for VisibleSky, but from what I can tell it has nothing to do with astrology. It just shows the position of the stars at a specific place and time. It's not like they're interpreting your personality or anything.

Matthew · #12 (**permalink**) 06-December-2003, 06:08 AM

Well now there are 4 references to astrology on this site. This thread is the newest addition.

major_eh · #13 (**permalink**) 06-December-2003, 10:42 AM

astrology reference #5.
sorry.

Matthew · #14 (**permalink**) 07-December-2003, 12:24 AM

No, this thread counts as ONE astology reference on the Universe Today Search.

Fraser · #15 (**permalink**) 26-December-2003, 11:35 AM

I just added a new rule... NO ALL-CAPS TITLES. There's no need to yell.

#16 (**permalink**) 27-December-2003, 08:54 AM

Just a suggestion...

Why NOT have a post where we can discuss religion? If it becomes ridiculous = censor it. No swear words, etc. Just friendly debate etc... I would LOVE to see where some of these people are coming from? And debating deep issues like this is GREAT! After all, where DID the "Big Bang" come from? Ha...What do you think? Not appropriate? (I really think it would GO OFF!!)

This is the "Universe Today", after all!!! B)

kashi · #17 (**permalink**) 27-December-2003, 09:04 AM

We had that sort of thing before, and frankly, there's always somebody who takes it too far. Some forums have an unmoderated "soapbox" section where you can get this stuff out of your system, but this generally only makes users angry with each other.

There are plenty of forums out there that discuss religion. When you're visiting the Universe Today, let's stick to Astronomy and Space Exploration.

#18 (**permalink**) 27-December-2003, 09:15 AM

You got me all wrong, Kashi. I'm not suggesting a "religion" forum at all. What I AM suggesting is COSMOLOGY...different approaches to it...etc...I've seen posts by people who are christians, hindus, atheists....Let's add to it! (Just one single post thread, is all I'm suggesting!)...I, myself, am a BUDDHIST...I think one post given over to this cosmological topic is more than warranted! After all, isn't western scientific physics a religion in itself? Wasn't it the ancient Sumerians who believed the "Big Bang" was a wave fluctuation (like a squirming dragon)?

Fraser · #19 (**permalink**) 27-December-2003, 10:24 AM

Cosmology topics are totally fine - origin of the Univere, large scale structure, multiple Universes, early moments of the Big Bang, alternative theories to the Big Bang, etc. What we don't want are religious discussions, where it's essentially a matter of faith and therefore pretty much impossible to discuss without someone taking it personally. This decision was made after watching thread after thread descend into fights.

kashi · #20 (**permalink**) 28-December-2003, 12:34 AM

Quote:

Why NOT have a post where we can discuss religion?

Forgive me for getting you all wrong!

Cosmology is fine.

Dan Luna · #21 (**permalink**) 29-December-2003, 04:58 PM

I can't say I spent much time on the following forum, but if you want to discuss religion it may appeal:

http://www.astronomy.net/forums/god/

Chook · #22 (**permalink**) 29-December-2003, 06:04 PM

The problem with discussing religion, Faulkner, is that Rule No. 3 cannot be maintained by some contributors.

Shame!