General Overview
These are the MDS Forum rules. If you don't agree with them, please do not register for a new account. You are welcome to "lurk" without registering, but you will be unable to comment.
Upon breaking a rule you might receive a warning via PM, but this is not mandatory. You can be banned for your first offense of breaking these rules.
Why are there rules?
Without rules, trolls and spammers would run wild on the forum. This would make visiting the forum an unpleasant experience for normal contributing members.
THE BIG ONES
If you break these rules, you might just earn an instant temporary ban (temp ban) regardless of which moderator sees the post(s).
- Using racist, sexist, homophobic or overly hateful language will get you a warning and then a ban.
- Harassing, nagging, picking at, bugging, insulting, or annoying Mods and Admins. Mods are not paid to be here. Don't mess with them. You will receive a warning and then you're gone.
- No bumping articles.; If you want it to appear at the top, contribute something to the conversation.
- No cliffhanger topics. Topics like "Do you think that..."; or "Is it true that..." are annoying and you will receive negative forum reputation and/or the topics will be removed. We should be able to see what a topic is about before we click it.
- No Posts like "Farts, discuss." If you want to talk about farts, talk about it. Don't create a worthless post, it decreases the usefulness of the forum and will make guests not want to join.
- Do not be an asshole. Simple rule, but some people can't seem to follow this.
- nO aNnOyInG tYpE. Do NoT tYpE iN ALL CAPS. Do nOt PuT 100 lines of spacing in your posts. Do not type in txt spk 4 your reply.
- No annoying sigs, if your sig is flashing or 1000 pixels high, we'll nuke it.
- Do not link to pornographic or NSFW material without a clear warning. Keep all content regarded as 18+ or Not Safe For Work in the NSFW section.
- Posting 8 replies in a row rather than using multi-quote.
- Chasing / harassing / flaming other users, regardless of who instigated it. This is a bannable offense!
- Harassing other users by having a continuous negative or bitter attitude towards them.
- No instigating or discussing malicious attacks on other websites.
- No posting with an alternate account whilst banned. Both accounts may be deleted.
- No signing on as another member. Do not give your password out. 1 week ban if we find out.
- One account per person only - members found to have multiple accounts will be banned.
- Enough with the drama. We're all sick of the drama, take it some where else.
- No posting any member's real life information without permission.
- MDS users luring family or friends of deceased or alleged murderers to the site will be banned. No warnings. Go be detectives elsewhere.
- Do not attempt to smartass your way around these rules.
THE OTHER RULES
These rules are also important. Just because they are listed as "other rules" does not make them less meaningful. You are running the risk of being banned by breaking these rules. Please think before you post.
- Remaking or complaining about a locked or deleted thread by creating a new thread.
- Complaining or boasting about any ban, including comments in signature text.
- Backseat modding: pointing out what needs to be deleted, banned, locked or destroyed. Report a post or PM a mod if something bugs you.
- Posting flashing or strobing images, or picture spamming: repeatedly posting the same picture or posting irrelevant / overused images such as the FAIL picture.
- Trolling: cruising the boards looking for a fight.
- Repeatedly advertising your website. MDS is the only website you should care about.
- Making "Hi, I'm new", "I'm back", or "I'm leaving MDS" threads without significant content pertinent to your situation. If you're leaving, just go.
- Creating parody threads or posting with gimmick accounts.
- Posting "Use the search", "Use Google" or similar messages without providing relevant links.
- Do not attempt to smartass your way around these rules.
Some simple guidelines:
Keep it simple, stupid!
- Use proper punctuation and grammar.
- Ignorance of the rules is not an excuse not to follow them.
- Lurk first, post second. Read the entirety of every thread you post in before you post.
- If you're about to make a post that you're not sure is OK, whether covered by the rules or not, don't.
- If you can't make a positive contribution to a topic, don't post.
- Read, re-read, and respect these rules.
I've been banned! Now what?
You have broken the rules of MDS and you've been banned! What should you do?
- Step away from the computer. It's the internet. You should not be upset if given a 2 day ban. Go to the park, go to the beach, go to the gym, pay attention to your kid(s) for once. Your temp ban will be over before you know it!
- Do not come back onto the forum after a temp ban asking, "Why was I banned?!!!" PM a Mod/Admin about it or email [email protected] with your username and I will attempt to have a productive discussion with you.
- Requests for further explanation of your ban will not be answered on the forum or through any 3rd party.
- Don't hold a grudge! Even perma-bands are sometimes lifted!