Post by mirium on Dec 28, 2008 16:37:16 GMT -5
Welcome! These FAQs are in two sections: the Basics if you just want to dive in and start posting, and the Details that explain more about who we are and what’s available here. You should read both when you have time.
THE BASICS:
This is a discussion board that’s mostly about TV crime shows – but also about other things that interest the members. The board fits us, not the other way around.
Anyone can read the threads. Any registered member can post messages, post stories and start threads. Read the Fan Fic Forum FAQs thread (in the Writers’ Corner) before posting stories – it explains how the place is organized. Proboards (the folks who host this board) requires that you be at least 18 years old, or at least 13 and have your parents’ permission, to read or post; their Terms Of Service can be found at www.proboards.com/Information-Terms_of_Service.html and you should read them at some point. The only other general rule here is:
The administrator is mirium (that’s me). Sarryb is the Editor In Chief, in charge of all things Fan Fiction here.
THE DETAILS:
I started this board because there were a bunch of folks I’d met in cyberspace who, like me, hadn’t found a comfortable place where they could relax and natter to each other. It’s mostly about TV shows I like, but also about shows other members like and some random stuff – whatever we feel like talking about. So feel free to start threads on whatever floats your boat! There will be many posts that just say “I love it!” or “he’s hot!” and it’s always nice to have someone agree with you. But do keep in mind that the conversation bogs down if that’s all anyone says. So it will be more interesting for everyone if each of you also posts comments that add something new to the conversation. It doesn’t have to be anything profound – just something to keep the conversational ball rolling.
The most important thing is that this board remains a safe, comfortable place to come and play. The one thing I will NOT tolerate is fighting – spats, feuds, donnybrooks, brou-ha-has, sniping and other infantile hostility.
No one (except a troll) wants to get involved in a flame war. But it does happen, and usually the combatants are as perplexed as everyone else about how they got there. So if someone says something that makes your hackles rise, stop and think before you snipe back. Maybe wait a day to reply, and spend that time thinking of all the other ways they might have meant it, not the way it sounded at first – how would you take the same words if your best friend had said them? If it still sounds nasty, don’t assume that interpretation is the right one – ask if they meant it that way and make a sincere effort to believe their explanation. Before you get all excited and start throwing things, please remember that the rest of us don’t enjoy watching fights (if that’s what you like, this is NOT the place for you!), and your little spat is going to make others uncomfortable. A lot of little spats will put everyone on edge, and then this place wouldn’t be fun anymore. So please keep that in mind before you take offense (or offence, depending on where you’re from). (End of sermon. ;D )
You will see some mock fighting here, and that’s fine as long as the participants know each other well enough to realize the “insults” are just playful banter. Spirited discussion is encouraged – it would be boring if we all agreed on everything. But every member is expected to disagree without being disagreeable. And please, be nice to newbies – you were one once.
Multiple screen names can really mess up a board (especially if they're used as "sockpuppets"), so we strongly discourage multiple screen names/accounts/identities for one person here. We will, however, allow multiples IF the person using them posts in the "Introduce Yourself" thread and tells everyone what all their screen names are, and why they feel the need to have more than one (as I did with RuffledPuppy). If you don't want the reason to be posted publicly (say, if it's part of an undercover sting for the FBI, or you have multiple personalities in real life), then PM me at "admin" and explain it to me privately; if I agree, I'll add an edit to your post that lists your online identities here and say that it's okay.
This way, we won't have to worry about Sneaky Evildoers in our midst, because it will all be public. Anyone who appears to the staff to have multiple accounts and hasn't publicly identified them as such will be PMed and given a chance to comply. Anyone who doesn't comply pretty dang fast after that PM will have all but one "identity" banned and I'll post that fact in the "Introduce Yourself" thread. I hate to be harsh about this, but those babies can cause serious problems, and there's no reason for a well-meaning person to get in trouble if they just let everyone know what they're up to.
Sarryb is my ace Editor In Chief. I figure she knows more than I do about fan fiction, and she has to implement the policies there, so she should set them – even when she does things differently than I would. You can always contact me if you’re unhappy with one of her policies or decisions, and she might change her mind after we discuss the situation further; but it’s very unlikely that I’ll overturn her. As I said, she’s ace. (And this isn't the Fan Fic Forum, so I'm going to leave that in even though it will make her blush and mutter. ;D )
One nifty feature Proboards put in is that you get to choose the colors you like here – go to your Profile and pick the “skin” you want to use. There’s a list of sorts in the Interior Decorating thread in Fred (that will make more sense after you look around a bit). If none of them suits your fancy, let me know what you want and I’ll make a new one for you. I can also add smileys, if you've got one that you're used to using a lot. (It should be one you actually use, not just one that makes you giggle -- worth taking up space on the screen every time someone goes to post a message.)
We also have two chatrooms -- you can get to one by clicking the button at the far right of the "Home/Help/Search/etc." line of buttons under the Title banner at the top of the forum. There's a list on the forum Main Page that says who's there (or if it's empty). The other chatroom is at www.chatzy.com/554242754956 -- the room password is "delkotime" (without the quotation marks).
Let’s see, what else? Trolls will be shot on sight and skinned. The person they attacked most gets the skin for a rug; if the attack was general, the skin will be nailed to the door as a warning to others. Favoritism drives me nuts (except towards furrymom, who is officially ALWAYS on topic, no matter what or where she posts), and sarry and I set the rules, so we dang well better follow them ourselves! But we are human, so let us know if you ever think we’re out of line. And when you're posting pictures, please try to size them so they don't make the thread expand sideways; the piccies are great, but scrolling back and forth to read messages is a pain in the patookus.
If you have any questions, comments, requests, etc. about the board, there’s an “Ask The Admin!” thread in Fred where you can post them; if you don’t want to say it in public, PM me (“admin”) about the board or “sarryb” about fan fiction or both of us, if you’re not sure. If you’re still reading, I’m very impressed at your diligence – chores are over, go play!
THE BASICS:
This is a discussion board that’s mostly about TV crime shows – but also about other things that interest the members. The board fits us, not the other way around.
Anyone can read the threads. Any registered member can post messages, post stories and start threads. Read the Fan Fic Forum FAQs thread (in the Writers’ Corner) before posting stories – it explains how the place is organized. Proboards (the folks who host this board) requires that you be at least 18 years old, or at least 13 and have your parents’ permission, to read or post; their Terms Of Service can be found at www.proboards.com/Information-Terms_of_Service.html and you should read them at some point. The only other general rule here is:
Play nice.
The administrator is mirium (that’s me). Sarryb is the Editor In Chief, in charge of all things Fan Fiction here.
THE DETAILS:
I started this board because there were a bunch of folks I’d met in cyberspace who, like me, hadn’t found a comfortable place where they could relax and natter to each other. It’s mostly about TV shows I like, but also about shows other members like and some random stuff – whatever we feel like talking about. So feel free to start threads on whatever floats your boat! There will be many posts that just say “I love it!” or “he’s hot!” and it’s always nice to have someone agree with you. But do keep in mind that the conversation bogs down if that’s all anyone says. So it will be more interesting for everyone if each of you also posts comments that add something new to the conversation. It doesn’t have to be anything profound – just something to keep the conversational ball rolling.
The most important thing is that this board remains a safe, comfortable place to come and play. The one thing I will NOT tolerate is fighting – spats, feuds, donnybrooks, brou-ha-has, sniping and other infantile hostility.
No one (except a troll) wants to get involved in a flame war. But it does happen, and usually the combatants are as perplexed as everyone else about how they got there. So if someone says something that makes your hackles rise, stop and think before you snipe back. Maybe wait a day to reply, and spend that time thinking of all the other ways they might have meant it, not the way it sounded at first – how would you take the same words if your best friend had said them? If it still sounds nasty, don’t assume that interpretation is the right one – ask if they meant it that way and make a sincere effort to believe their explanation. Before you get all excited and start throwing things, please remember that the rest of us don’t enjoy watching fights (if that’s what you like, this is NOT the place for you!), and your little spat is going to make others uncomfortable. A lot of little spats will put everyone on edge, and then this place wouldn’t be fun anymore. So please keep that in mind before you take offense (or offence, depending on where you’re from). (End of sermon. ;D )
You will see some mock fighting here, and that’s fine as long as the participants know each other well enough to realize the “insults” are just playful banter. Spirited discussion is encouraged – it would be boring if we all agreed on everything. But every member is expected to disagree without being disagreeable. And please, be nice to newbies – you were one once.
Multiple screen names can really mess up a board (especially if they're used as "sockpuppets"), so we strongly discourage multiple screen names/accounts/identities for one person here. We will, however, allow multiples IF the person using them posts in the "Introduce Yourself" thread and tells everyone what all their screen names are, and why they feel the need to have more than one (as I did with RuffledPuppy). If you don't want the reason to be posted publicly (say, if it's part of an undercover sting for the FBI, or you have multiple personalities in real life), then PM me at "admin" and explain it to me privately; if I agree, I'll add an edit to your post that lists your online identities here and say that it's okay.
This way, we won't have to worry about Sneaky Evildoers in our midst, because it will all be public. Anyone who appears to the staff to have multiple accounts and hasn't publicly identified them as such will be PMed and given a chance to comply. Anyone who doesn't comply pretty dang fast after that PM will have all but one "identity" banned and I'll post that fact in the "Introduce Yourself" thread. I hate to be harsh about this, but those babies can cause serious problems, and there's no reason for a well-meaning person to get in trouble if they just let everyone know what they're up to.
Sarryb is my ace Editor In Chief. I figure she knows more than I do about fan fiction, and she has to implement the policies there, so she should set them – even when she does things differently than I would. You can always contact me if you’re unhappy with one of her policies or decisions, and she might change her mind after we discuss the situation further; but it’s very unlikely that I’ll overturn her. As I said, she’s ace. (And this isn't the Fan Fic Forum, so I'm going to leave that in even though it will make her blush and mutter. ;D )
One nifty feature Proboards put in is that you get to choose the colors you like here – go to your Profile and pick the “skin” you want to use. There’s a list of sorts in the Interior Decorating thread in Fred (that will make more sense after you look around a bit). If none of them suits your fancy, let me know what you want and I’ll make a new one for you. I can also add smileys, if you've got one that you're used to using a lot. (It should be one you actually use, not just one that makes you giggle -- worth taking up space on the screen every time someone goes to post a message.)
We also have two chatrooms -- you can get to one by clicking the button at the far right of the "Home/Help/Search/etc." line of buttons under the Title banner at the top of the forum. There's a list on the forum Main Page that says who's there (or if it's empty). The other chatroom is at www.chatzy.com/554242754956 -- the room password is "delkotime" (without the quotation marks).
Let’s see, what else? Trolls will be shot on sight and skinned. The person they attacked most gets the skin for a rug; if the attack was general, the skin will be nailed to the door as a warning to others. Favoritism drives me nuts (except towards furrymom, who is officially ALWAYS on topic, no matter what or where she posts), and sarry and I set the rules, so we dang well better follow them ourselves! But we are human, so let us know if you ever think we’re out of line. And when you're posting pictures, please try to size them so they don't make the thread expand sideways; the piccies are great, but scrolling back and forth to read messages is a pain in the patookus.
If you have any questions, comments, requests, etc. about the board, there’s an “Ask The Admin!” thread in Fred where you can post them; if you don’t want to say it in public, PM me (“admin”) about the board or “sarryb” about fan fiction or both of us, if you’re not sure. If you’re still reading, I’m very impressed at your diligence – chores are over, go play!