XBMC Forum Rules: A Draft
#1
For those of you unaware, we have forum rules.

http://wiki.xbmc.org/index.php?title=XBM...orum_rules

The problem we've been running into lately is that there is also a fairly extensive list of rules that our moderators are working under that nobody actually knows about. For example, given our non-profit status, we can't really allow solicitation in the forum, which is why we've been fairly hostile to donation links, which is unfortunate, because some people really do deserve a beer or two for their efforts. So in an effort to clarify the XBMC forum policy, we've decided to try to make a more clear, official set of rules that allows users to do as much as possible without endangering our non-profit status or being overly spammy.

Below, you will find those rules that we think fulfill those goals. While Team XBMC is the ultimate arbiter of what rules do and do not get included on the official list, we'd like the community's opinions on where we could improve. So... have at it. Tell us what you like and don't like. And please be respectful of everyone while doing so. There's a big difference between reasoned discussion and a flame war.

General Forum Rules

Violation of any of the following General Forum rules will result in a preliminary warning. If violations continue, the forum user will be banned for one week with a note explaining the reason for the ban. If violations continue, the user will suffer a permanent ban. Additionally, if necessary, a Forum Moderator or Administrator may delete or edit posts or signatures at will and without warning. These enforcement policies are slightly different than the Piracy rules, so you are encouraged to read both policies thoroughly before posting.

General Conduct
  • Be civil.
  • Polite language is required.
  • Respect the coding efforts of XBMC devs and other coders. Calling a program or addon “worthless” will be automatically deemed as disrespect.
  • Respect the efforts of the forum moderators and those answering questions or writing guides. They are working for free in a fairly thankless job.
  • Make an effort to read any sticky threads in the forum you're posting in, along with FAQs and Online Manuals.
  • Be patient. XBMC's user base is global and there are many more forum users asking questions than writing answers. Please wait at least 24 hours before bumping your own post unless you have new information to add.

No Solicitation
  • No donation links directly to Paypal or any other donation collections website. Note: you may post links to other websites, even if those websites have links to donation sites (for example, Wikipedia requests donations regularly, but you are still welcome to post links to Wikipedia. Alternatively, if you’ve written a guide or created an XBMC addon on your site that’s applicable to a discussion, and your site includes a donation option, you are still welcome to post a link to your website.)
  • The only exception to the above rule is in the original post of an original work relating to XBMC created by the author of the work. For example, if the post author was the primary author/designer of an XBMC addon, skin, or useful guide, that author may include a donation link. The link must be written with this exact wording: “Donations for this [addon/skin/guide/etc] gratefully accepted.
  • Users may not use company names or websites as usernames, unless those companies or websites are legal non-profits or XBMC sponsors, and then the user must include a personal identifier (e.g. XBMCSponser-Nate or Nonprofit-Nate).

Posting
  • One topic per thread for ease of management.
  • Choose a descriptive thread title. Descriptive thread titles are not only far more likely to be read, but will rank higher in searches and be more helpful to others with the same problem in the future. Use some of the terms you used in your search queries as a base for the thread title.
  • Be as descriptive and detailed as possible. Assume nothing, there are no mind readers on the XBMC Community Forum.
  • Post all the the information requested in forum stickies, everything you've tried so far, any suspicions you have. Show that you've made an effort on your own. And remember “the latest release” can mean many different things, so be descriptive in what version of XBMC you are using.
  • When posting a problem you are encouraged to post a debug log from when the problem occurred. When posting a log or other lengthy code in the forum, please use a paste site, as described in the debug log wiki. Do not post log snippets on the forum, if you want to point out a specific part refer to the line number.
  • No cross-posting. Do not cross-post or double-post.
  • Don't misrepresent the work of others as your own.

Signatures
  • Don’t try to draw excessive attention to your signature through use of large characters, unusual fonts, or colors.
  • Signatures are to be limited to 4 lines of text plus 1 image with a max-height of 40px.
  • Images and links advertising addons that violate XBMC's piracy policy will be removed.
  • Links in signatures are to be limited to XBMC.org domains and sites related to XBMC (For example, a site dedicated to a dev’s XBMC addon).
  • Forum moderators may, at any time, delete or alter your signature to be less distracting and spammy without warning.

Forums are not static entities. As need arises, these rules may be altered or added to. Exemptions to any of these rules may be granted by forum moderators.

Edit: Added pastebin stuff. Previously added piracy stuff. Added software-enforced max height for images in signature
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#2
Thanks, Nate. These rules are helpful to moderators as well to help ensure more uniformity in the handling of various situations that arise.
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#3
Posting
  • Do not paste the contents of logs or other lengthy files directly in your posts. Instead, upload them to a public paste site and post just the assigned URL links.

Signatures
  • Images and links advertising addons that violate XBMC's piracy policy will be removed.
What about such links on a member's profile page? For that matter, should there be rules on what may or may not be included on member profiles?
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#4
Does anyone bother going there? I think the main thing we're concerned about is eliminating annoyance and eliminating profiteering or misrepresentation.

Good idea on the pastebin suggestion.
Always read the XBMC online-manual, FAQ and search the forum before posting.
Do not e-mail XBMC-Team members directly asking for support. Read/follow the forum rules.
For troubleshooting and bug reporting please make sure you read this first.


Image
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#5
If it's violating piracy policy then then it's a no go anyway.

I know some users like to list their hardware setups with links to the specs. I think this could be done in their biography section. As long as they are not linking to their own site or blatantly trying to promote or profit. That way if someone wants to see what you are using they can, but it's not always in your face.
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#6
Mention the Debug Log wiki in case of pastebin. This also should be for code and mediainfo
Read/follow the forum rules.
For troubleshooting and bug reporting, read this first
Interested in seeing some YouTube videos about Kodi? Go here and subscribe
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#7
I think the argument could be made that links to the hardware in a person's XBMC setup could be considered "sites related to XBMC."
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#8
In terms of member identity, should there be any position taken with "bugmenot" and similar "anonymous" accounts? It's difficult to support someone if you don't know whether the member-name who posted today is the same person as the member-name who posted yesterday or last week or last month. Are the various problem reports/responses posted under that member-name from the same individual or from different individuals and thus unrelated?
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#9
user john Doe is "bugmenot" account, jmarshall marked him as that.. I think that is enough
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#10
the main language is english can be added to the first section. And hopefully something about freedom of speech. It would be better to host the forum in a country with more freedom of speech and less change of getting sued

MOD EDIT: lol, censorship
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#11
freedom of speech? you are a perfect example that people can say almost anything on our forums and still be around. lets just keep it at that.
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#12
(2013-01-25, 08:48)amet Wrote: freedom of speech? you are a perfect example that people can say almost anything on our forums and still be around. lets just keep it at that.

agree
Read/follow the forum rules.
For troubleshooting and bug reporting, read this first
Interested in seeing some YouTube videos about Kodi? Go here and subscribe
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#13
Freedom of speech does not apply to a private forum. If it did, half these rules (and all forum rules) would be illegal. In forums, users are granted exactly as many speech rights as the forum owner/administrator feels is appropriate.
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#14
(2013-01-25, 08:35)Robotica Wrote: ...whatever Robotica said before I censored him...

http://lifehacker.com/5953755/what-exact...e-internet
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#15
I know I am to blame... sorry....

** back to Forum rules
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XBMC Forum Rules: A Draft1