I have been reminded once again what happens when a New member comes to the Forum and doesn't do some very simple things that would probably make their Forum experience more rewarding or in the very least better than anywhere else.

What are those simple things that I need to be an effective Forum member? I am so glad you asked that...since that is just what I want to talk about. :-)

When you join any Forum one of the first things you should do is READ THE RULES of that Forum. Here is where you will find out all those nitpicky things that particular Forum is going to be be ...well picky about.

At Gate World Forum we have some very strict rules and then we have some that are more lax and up to the Moderator interpretation.

The ones that we do NOT waver on are;
1) Respect fellow Members. What does that mean? It means that you as a Member NEVER make comments that are belittling, disparaging and/or rude, profane or ridiculing.

In a discussion or even a debate it is completely possible to state your views and opinions even when you are making a point to disagree with another member's opinion in a *respectful* manner. It takes some a little longer to write out a well thought out post in that manner because quite frankly they don't speak that way. Some folks don't even respect the *real people* around them and use profanity as if it was everyday language and not the insulting commentary it is.

It is also a sad day when folks can't make their opinions known without making some snide ridiculous remark about the folks they are disagreeing with. Again it actually takes some thought to ensure you are expressing your disagreement with another's opinion versus just posting something mean and petty so you can feel like "I told him/her".

2) Respect the Cast and Crew of the TV Show.
We at Gate World want all of our members to critique THE WORK, not the actual people. We expect that all of our members are of an age and maturity level that they can tell fact from fiction. The FACT is the real people are just doing their job. The FICTION is the character they are portraying and how they do doing that. The fiction can be up for discussion. How did they do that job? Not well ...then you can say so IN A RESPECTFUL (see respect from above) MANNER. You can't stand a select character...again you can say that. You can even go so far as to say you hate a CHARACTER. The characters are a figment of a writer's mind and have no feelings. But the REAL people behind that character, be it actor or writer are NOT fair game. You can state your opinion about the WORK but not the person.

3) Spoilers
We have a pretty explicit spoiler policy. Yet many folks don't even read it let alone have RESPECT for fellow Forum Members and feel they should just ruin whatever for whomever because they want to say something.

4) NO Pornography or explicit pictures
Even though we state we allow 13 year olds to sign up as members we still find that there is always someone who believes that it is entirely their right to post something that is not for young eyes. Why??? well because apparently they don't feel the rules apply to them. We definitely feel banning applies to them immediately.

5) No Spamming/Advertisements
This is self explanatory and is another banning violation.

So now that you know what we won't budge on, how can you make your time at Gate World Forum fun.
Well the vast majority of our Members already are having fun and not violating the rules. So they have found their way.

For the few of you who are still struggling let me give you some pointers.

FIRST this is NOT a Forum that should be confused with a *public Forum*. Someone actually pays the bills here and it is HIS and his co-owners Forum. HE makes the rules and decides if something has violated one of his rules.

Secondly this forum is not the *United States* in a micro sphere. The Declaration of Independence does not apply here. Nor does the Constitution of the United States. So you can stop with the righteous indignation that YOUR *Freedom of Speech* is being somehow denied.
You want to speak freely and say anything you want in any manner, find a different forum or start your own. There are many outlets for you to post your thoughts in as profane and disrespectful manner as you please. GW is not one of them and never will be.

Third, grow up...take responsibility for what YOU post. We don't hold you accountable for what another member posts. Nor do we don't buy into the argument that it was "his/her" fault you posted what you did. You have a choice to respond to any post on the Forum. So if you violate a rule with your post you only have yourself to blame. YOU are not the defender of all things righteous and must gather all those who have gone astray. Check your ego at the door, everyone IS actually allowed to have their OWN opinions and you aren't going to change their mind with rude and/or insulting posts. You actually may turn a few opinions if your post is well thought out and respectful.....as long as ....

Fourth, you don't think you are the smartest person on the Forum. We are all happy for anyone that has an intelligence level beyond a peanut. Regardless of how smart you are you deserve respect. So if you are a bit slower on the uptake its ok..you are a valued member if you post with decency and respect. I don't care how many big words you know or if you know how to build an entire Star Gate from scratch using just kitchen utensils. Being pompous in your posting manner and condescending as you reply just makes you look petty and mean. You may think you are "educating" folks in some way, but you really aren't. When you spend your time trying to write something that really could be a great post, but interject comments that are placating and border on rude just so you can feel you have shown yourself as superior to that person, all you have done is alert the membership that you seriously won't be all that fun to talk with. Unless of course you gather some "followers" and then you can vindicate yourself by saying "these folks agree with me". Ok so they agree. Have you ever watched a movie where the "idiot bad guy has a bunch of lap dogs" that follow him around and have no real back bone but to do the scut work? Well you just became that bad guy and take a look around...those are your lap dogs. Wow ...gee you're impressive....NOT.

Respect is demanded at GW all the way around and once you actually earn what WE demand for you. It is even more fun to be part of a Forum. Why?? Because folks actually WANT to discuss things with you. they actually listen to what you say, even if it is in direct disagreement with what they think. They RESPECT you for your well thought out musings.

But if all you are in it for is the drama you can create...well then..we will accommodate you with our considerate attention since we will have to review all of your posts before the rest of the membership. Moderators far and wide will live for your prose.

Our Forum is what it is completely because of how the Membership treats each other. The Moderators can only do so much and most of the time the violation has to already have occurred for us to act. So that mean and petty post has already done its damage. We can only hope that whomever it was directed at is mature enough to move on and forget it. So if you aren't happy about "all the negative" on the Forum you are a part of then stop making negative posts geared at your fellow members. If you fell the Forum has lost alot of the respectfulness it once had, then start making more respectful posts. Be part of the actual solution in action rather than whine on the side lines and expect everyone but yourself to change.

and that gaterites...is Enlightenment Tame Style
see ya on the flipside ;-)

A GW Member started a thread to *Interview the Mods*. Its basically a thread to ask us all those questions you were dying to ask but didn't have any place to ask them :-)

Since we are big meanies and delete them from the *Ask the Mods* thread ...that thread is for Forum related stuff and we are sticklers for that in that thread. So it was nice that someone wanted to ask us some stuff about us personally and not just bash the Mods for a change. We did stipulate that if the thread became a place for folks to start in on about *modding them or the like* we would close it and end the whole thing since that was not the purpose of the thread and that sort of thing belongs in PMs.

So why do I like this new little diddy of a thread? Well I am glad you asked that :-)
I like it because it gives Gateworlders a chance to meet us as real people. None of the Mods are ogres that just want to go around deleting or snipping posts. We all began as regular members like anyone else. We came looking for "something on the Internet" to share our love of Star Gate. What we eventually found was this wonderful community called Gate World and joy was had by all (grin)

But the thread gives members a chance to find out about us a real people, we have real lives outside of Gate World. We have other interests and we all are really interesting people that are as diverse as a group can get. Yet the eight of us "main Mods" get along pretty well and actually have some really profound discussions behind the scenes. So it is nice for folks to meet the people I have come to know in a way "outside" of SG1 and SGA discussion. As well as outside of the "Mod Mode".

So if you get a minute stop over in the Announcements folder and ask that burning question you have been wondering about. Is Skydiver really a natural blonde? Does Feli actually wear the shoes she says she does? Does Kiwigater feel that her PhD is a help or a hinderence here on GW? What exactly IS Major Tyler studying that he is overseas? How long did it take Shipperahoy to become an RN? How many times has Gategypsy had to tell her little gaterite NO he can not have the TV remote? How does Mads get the goat in her yard anyway???

Now is the time to ask all those things you never really wanted to know but will make us feel loved ;-)

see ya on the flip side gaterites..........

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