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Coloring inside the lines- the TR Terms and Conditions

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by tig2

Closed to new repliesThis discussion is closed. It stays readable, but it takes no new replies.

Last week I heard several people saying that it seemed to them that the posting rules on TechRepublic had changed. So I got curious and looked them up. I would agree that there are a few points that might want a bit more explanation so I took a whack at interpreting them as I have always understood them.

Before going any further, I will start by saying that Tammy is a different moderator than Beth was or Jay before her. She moderates across several sites and applies the rules across them all. This is not a bad thing but IS somewhat different for the herd of cats that hangs out here.

I will send the link to this discussion to both Sonja and Tammy. Hopefully, they will be available to (a) tell me if I have it wrong- it could happen- and (b) to help us out if there is something that is not understood.

This is NOT intended to be an attack on any peer. This is not intended to be a flame fest. This IS intended to address those who feel that the rules have changed and no notice given. I don't believe that TR intended anyone to feel that way at all.

From the T&C: Without limiting the foregoing, you agree that you will not use our sites to take any of the following actions:

1. Defame, abuse, harass, stalk, threaten, or otherwise violate the legal right of others;

If it would get you arrested in the real world, it is not going to be tolerated here. No tall tales about other peers (XYZ was caught with child porn), no ad hominem attacks (address the issue, not the person), no threats (publishing Google street view of someone's house, death threats). We are adults and need to act like adults, regardless of what section of the board we are in.

2. Publish, post, upload, e-mail, distribute, or disseminate (collectively, "Transmit") any inappropriate, profane, defamatory, infringing, obscene, indecent, or unlawful content;

If you want to post inappropriate links, do it somewhere else. This includes flatly disgusting pictures, pictures of children or protected adults, pornography, gratuitous violence, etc. No, we aren't talking about a picture of your child or grandchild. We are talking about pictures that law enforcement would have a field day with.

3. Transmit files that contain viruses, corrupted files, or any other similar software or programs that may damage or adversely affect the operation of another person's computer, our sites, any software or hardware, or telecommunications equipment;

We all get viruses. This refers to the deliberate sending of viral material. Know that your computer is clean before you send.

4. Advertise or offer to sell any goods or services for any commercial purpose unless you have our written consent to do so;

If you have moving services, cell phones, gaming systems, or software and you expect and intend to garner a personal profit from their sale, don't post about it here. We can, and will, use the spam button to request that your idiocy be flushed to the magical bit bucket in the sky.

5. Transmit surveys, contests, pyramid schemes, spam, unsolicited advertising or promotional materials, or chain letters;

To clarify- we get the occasional college student doing a survey for a thesis or paper and will post asking for participation either through posting a link to an external site or by posting questions in a discussion. That is generally acceptable. We also get the odd survey in the Friday Yuk- What South Park Character are you? What is your Star Trek IQ? Those are also fine. They are generally posted as links to an external site. But surveys that harvest information, promote a particular product, redirect to a malformed website, promote a Ponzi or pyramid scheme or direct a person to a Nigerian banking scheme are not acceptable. The caveat is that we have had good discussion arise from a peer posting the whole of an unsolicited email that was received. This has been done for informational purposes, generally to advise and inform the community of a new scam or a new approach to an old one. Chain letters are never welcome unless they are posted in their entirety to provide information only (see above).

6. Download any file that you know or reasonably should know cannot be legally obtained in such manner;

If you are pirating software, go somewhere else to do it.

7. Falsify or delete any author attributions, legal or other proper notices or proprietary designations or labels of the origin or the source of software or other material;

I guess this means that I can no longer steal Sonja's old articles and claim that I wrote them. If you want to use a Fair Use excerpt of copyrighted material, you must provide all attributions. You should also provide a link to the original material. We all know that you did not write 100% of the Vista source code.

8. Restrict or inhibit any other user from using and enjoying any public area within our sites;

This one is the toughie because there is no objective measurement. Certainly, if you are barring someone from using TR by stealing their password or doing something equally obnoxious, your login will be toast. But what about the subjective measurement?

The forums exist for everyone. If you are posting in a way that puts off a new peer, that could be considered unacceptable by this rule. There is a difference between heated debate about a subject and a full on flame war. Ad hominem attacks are not a good choice.

"What about trolls?" That's amazingly simple. Don't feed them. If you think that someone's behavior is trolling, simply find another discussion or sub-thread or choose to reply to the people who are not trolling. This is the internet for heaven's sake, not your front yard. We had a whole lot less troll feeding when Palmetto still got a slap for every feed.

Off topic does not mean that the rules of the board are suspended. Please keep in mind that TR is a business. If, by our actions, the community drives people away, TR could end up on the cutting room floor. Then we ALL lose.

The short form of all of the above is this: be adult in your interactions please.

9. Collect or store personal information about other end users;

Not much clarification required here. Grant your peers their privacy.

10. Interfere with or disrupt our sites, servers, or networks;

Another no-brainer. Sending malicious code to the CNET/CBS infrastructure will get you banned. It could also invite legal repercussions. Don't do that.

11. Impersonate any person or entity, including, but not limited to, a CNET Networks representative, or falsely state or otherwise misrepresent your affiliation with a person or entity;

I guess this means that I can't call myself Tammy or even Beth any more. Seriously, we are users of the site, not employees. Although if JD refers to Sonja as his "big" sister again, I will not be held responsible...

12. Forge headers or manipulate identifiers or other data in order to disguise the origin of any content transmitted through our sites or to manipulate your presence on our sites;

If this is not self explanatory, ask.

13. Take any action that imposes an unreasonably or disproportionately large load on our infrastructure;

Uploading huge files to the server will get your login toasted. Links to external resources are fine.

14. Engage in any illegal activities.

Your local and federal laws pertain. We don't need you running a call girl operation over the site.

The discussion is open to all peers. What you are reading is MY interpretation. If you have another interpretation, post it. If your interpretation is not accurate according to the PTB, you'll be let know.

Everyone starts with a clean slate. Any one flaming, posting inappropriate content or otherwise violating the rules above will likely be given an enforced vacation from the site. No one wants that. Debate is good and healthy but flame wars defeat the purpose. If you have opinions, voice them. As I understand the profanity rules, you can use an acronym as long as it isn't in the subject line and is not directed to a person. So "WTF was Apple thinking" used in a post is okay. "WTF is your problem?" is not okay. Context is everything. If you are unsure, consider another way to get your point across.

What are your thoughts?

123 replies

by Tammy.Cavadias

Your interpretations are accurate.

Now this isn't to say that there isn't any leeway given as there is. BNet for example is geared toward the business end, so for them the TOS tends to be a lot stricter. ZDNet is more news related with highly intense posters so there is some leeway given. TR is more community geared for the IT Pro's and being a community based web site allows the most leeway of them all.

I enjoy TR for its versatility; the exchanging of thoughts, ideas, discussions, sharing, debating, etc... After all that is what a community is all about.

Sometimes we agree, sometimes we don't... How boring it would be if we all agreed everytime - "I agree, me too, me three, me four - how sickening" (then you all would be loving my sappy music taste - hmmm.. maybe thats not a bad idea after all) :p ;)

-Tammy :-)

by sleepin'dawg

You drink diet coke. All that aspartane can rot the brain and make you ride Harleys.

[b]Dawg[/b] ]:)

by sleepin'dawg

You drink diet coke. All that aspartane can rot the brain and make you ride Harleys.

[b]Dawg[/b] ]:)

by locrian_lyric

That's not a threat to disrupt this place. I just know that I often cross the line without knowing it....

Oh well, I'll learn a bit at a time.

by tig2

You are always open to feedback and you have thus far blended well with the standard bunch of crazies. I don't think that you have a thing in the world to worry about, personally.

by tink!

Clarification is always good around here. :)

Hopefully the colorful ones won't curb themselves TOO much. Just enough to keep from having flame wars erupt into bonfires.

(Nice too see that someone has their feet on the ground and their wits about them)

by Sonja Thompson

In a recent discussion thread, I mentioned that I was holding off on commenting about the "rules" of posting on TR, because I wanted to be sure that I - 1) could find the rules (the ever elusive Moderator Guide handbook) and 2) understood the rules correctly.

The Terms of Use link is on the footer of each page on the site:
http://www.cnetnetworks.com/editorial/terms.html

Not only did you outline these rules, Tig, but you also interpreted the legalese by defining what the rules mean for the TR community. I think you did a great job, and we truly appreciate how much time, energy, and thought that you put into this.

Sure, there still may be some shady areas, but the lines of communication are wide open. I hope that everyone on the boards feels comfortable enough to drop me peer mail if they have any questions or concerns. Tammy and I will also try to resolve issues via peer mail when we see trouble brewing... before taking more severe measures.

One last thing - did JD really call me "big"??

by tig2

But that is information closely held among the peers. And JD wouldn't appreciate me blowing his covers. It's bad enough that we all know about the show tunes!

Besides, I think he was using it in more of an "elder" context rather than referring to size...

:D

by nicknielsen

It's been a while since I reviewed the TOS; I was probably due.

Great job. Even JD and the Scummy One can probably understand them now! ;)

by jiminpa

Seriously though I'm gonna bookmark that one and read it again from time to time. It is good to have some calming insight from time to time and while I don't think (at least I hope) none of my posts have ever been completely out of line I will admit that the tone of my posts in discussions from time to time do reflect my mood of the day.

As my wife will attest there are occassions I do pop off without first thnking... I know shocking. ;)

Thanks Tig. Well put.

by tig2

You say that like it is a new thing!

Bout time someone stepped in and ended JD's "reign of terror". And the whole Streisand thing has been long out of hand!

JD dear- you know we love you!
:x

by jellimonsta

I would say you are bang on. I know some complain of the 'gang mentality' of the regulars, but I think that is generally in response to a troll, or flame. Otherwise, I think they are all a bunch of big happy care bears. Especially Scummy. :p

by tig2

Are we reading the same board?

Scummy was a good part of the reason for the exercise. He made a valid point that he didn't feel that the rules had been communicated. Since some of them are open to interpretation, I agreed and took this step.

I suppose he can be a care bear if he wants to.

by gadgetgirl

does that mean he's a mix between a gummy bear and a care bear?

like to see the 'moticon for THAT one!

:p :p :D :D

GG

by hal 9000

The next time either Scummy or Boxy insist that I come in for service I will feel perfectly happy to hit the Spam Button and send complaining E-Mails to anyone in my address book. :^0

By By you Scummy One. :D

Col ]:)

by Sonja Thompson

Calling a woman "big" in any context is about as bad as calling a man "little" -- so, if I'm his "big" sister... that makes him my "little" brother.

by bizzo

May I refer you to item 2 of the TR T&Cs.

2. Publish, post, upload, e-mail, distribute, or disseminate (collectively, "Transmit") any inappropriate, profane, defamatory, infringing, obscene, indecent, or unlawful content;

Surely, calling anyone "little" may be classed as "defamatory"?

(And the imagery, more than "obscene"!)

by jdclyde

http://www.newcelebritystudios.com/poohsrainforest/blackraincloud.wav

I'm just a little black rain cloud
Hovering under the honey tree
I'm only a little black rain cloud
Pay no attention to little me
Ev'ryone knows that a rain cloud
Never eats honey, no, not a nip
I'm just floating around over the ground
Wondering where I will drip

Oh, ev'ryone knows that a rain cloud
Never eats honey, no, not a nip
I'm just floating around over the ground
Wondering where I will drip

by hal 9000

Just how wrong can you be Sonja?

Calling a Woman Big Busted is perfectly acceptable particularly in the US where the Worship of Mammary Glands seems to have reached new heights/sizes. :p

However calling them [b]"Small"[/b] may very well fall outside of the Fair Use Guidelines. :D

Col ]:)

by oz_media

I thought that was always the scene here.

Though TR has REALLY REALLY lossened up on what is acceptable since I first started coming here last century.

"no ad hominem attacks"

That IS the entire basis of some of the TR off topic discussions, I think that one has been set aside by peers and staff sicne day one. And what is with this [b]"MODERATOR"[/b] stuff anyway? TR has NEVER had a moderator.

They have only ever had staff that review and address user complaints; moderators scour forums and critique each post, seeking out undesireable comments to correct, edit or delete.

That CERTAINLY can't be the level that TR has come down to now; TR has always boasted letting adults police themselves and not having someone censor and moderate what is said.

I sense female control issues afoot.

THAT is the part that people are getting upset about, nobody has ever MODERATED the forums before, Jay was not a moderator he was merely a referee when needed. Beth got a little more involved with making TR what SHE expected it to be, but it is just getting too police like now, its just not the same.

I think that as long as people act like adults, (and adults do verbally attack each other on a daily basis, they use ad hominem attacks also) then there should be no need for a list of rules, other than to protect legal interests.

There should be [b]"NO MODERATOR"[/b] as much as someone who will simply respond to requests for removal and review posts that are shown to be really over the line of what is acceptable bahaviour. TR has never had nor needed a "moderator" though, why now?

The rules haven't changed, just the people enforcing them and now how they are enforced.

If we went on what the police would consider appropriate, then we would need to stoop to the repressive level of US police, I would assume US police anyway, and then NOBODY has any fun and nobody enjoys TR anymore.

I know it's a deep, inbred, American need to have control and police others, but that's not freedom as most others see it.

I am not suggesting TR be left as a free for all, but it is a private site and shouldn't be forced under the government thumb of acceptable and overly restrictive bahvaviour.

Let adults be adults, [i]by their own description[/i], and all is fine; has been for the 8 or 9 years I've been around here.

by tig2

In this sense, the term Moderator is used for the person with the ability to pull stuff that should not be posted based on the T&C. So Tammy is stuck with the unlovely job of trying to enforce the T&C by deleting posts that violate the rules and providing an avenue for two way communication.

When you post, your post goes up to the board without anyone checking it for content. I think that is what you mean by moderation in a general sense. But there has been someone insuring that we stay within the very few rules after the fact.

I don't think that this has anything to do with government restriction. It has more to do with the rules that CNET/CBS uses to govern content. I also don't think that anyone wants to see the flavor of the community change. It will to a small extent as the goals that TR has for the community have changed somewhat over the years. But I don't think that it is anything that any of us can't live with.

You and I can still argue gun control and still get a good discussion from it. We just can't call each other names. But then, we don't do that anyway.

by the scummy one

I can say -- your comments on %whatever topic% suck, and you really should .....
but I cannot say -- You are full of Cr@p

Is this correct?
If not, if both are acceptable then "you ar a dumba$$" would not be tolerated, right!

I use remarks like this often. If they are now not allowed, then the 'rules' did change and we should be told of it!
I dont even care if it comes in peer mail, like Tammy stating "you cannot do/say/type %this statement% for this reason, please be advised and do not do it again. I am editing your post
In fairness, when the posts are edited (the last couple I say) it explained it well in the edited post itself (Thanks Tammy), but what about thread removals?
I am sure that most thread removals are warranted, however a recent example, as I have stated a few times now, is a question that was answered properly. This question was months old, and had good answers in it. Some jerkoff decided s/he/it was po'd at Hal and others for not helping to s/he/its liking, so s/he/it started posting cr@p to it (2 posts). I commented on one, and then the entire thread was removed.

by oz_media

Tig, I moderate a few sites myself for the bands i work with, and have done for quite a few years now. My system is to simply browse through once a day or every other day and simply remove anything that I don't feel is justified, correct or harms the bands image, and most other bands do the same, it is propaganda time, we control what is said and what isn't. Gotta like private websites.

But nobody complains about it, we have a right to censor what is displayed and that is also clearly defined for everyone.

"enforce the T&C by deleting posts that violate the rules and providing an avenue for two way communication."

That is called MODERATING. And it has NEVER been done here before, unless someone complained (usually repeatedly)and it would FINALLY get pulled. For the most part it was left be and nobody complained.

Today, we have a 'moderator' of the real sort, with all due respect to Tammy of course, this is not an issue of whether she does her job well or not.

Today, it seems that with or without reason, if the spam button is hit the post is deleted. Tammy has ditched a couple for me, by my request, but I am confident that everyone else would agree they were inappropriate posts too.

But to read through posts and start deciding what is and what isn't acceptable is policing and babysitting, we don't need baby sitters here.

"rules that CNET/CBS uses to govern content"

I don't buy it, CNET changed the rules and hired a new person to enforce them?

The rules on the site look exactly the same as they did 8 years ago.

We don't need nor have wanted a baby sitter, this was one of eth key reasons peope use dot say they preferred TR to other sites, it isn't heavily censored.

If I want to call JD a show tune singing homo and a loser then I should be able to, he's all growded up now.

Sorry JD, you were right in the way.

by oz_media

Tig, I moderate a few sites myself for the bands i work with, and have done for quite a few years now. My system is to simply browse through once a day or every other day and simply remove anything that I don't feel is (Sorry JD, you were right in the way and I forgot to yell DUCK!).

[i]EDIT: Didn't I finish that sentence?hmmmmmm.[/i]

TR forums today= Same rules, different actions

by maxwell edison

They don't make flame wars like they (we) used to. What I see around here now pales in comparison to some of our battles!

I agree - people (not just Americans) seem to have a desire or a [i]need to control and police others.[/i] (Although you, yourself, support some of the government programs that do just that, at least in some form!)

I also understand, however, that TechRepublic has grown and has a new or expanded focus. Maybe it's kinda' like a once rowdy bar that's found itself, over the years, becoming more refined and respectable. (We just don't break chairs over people's heads anymore!)

P.S. Don't tell anyone to go back and look at some of our old discussions - they'd probably ALL get the axe!

by oz_media

Damn 404's are driving me insane. I wouldn't mind if the site was down and that's it, but when it lets you read a post, choose to reply and then it doesn't post your reply, it gets a wee bit irritating.

I think TR is a lot looser than it was when we were at war. We had to toe a very careful line, it was all about cutting and insulting remarks without simple snot nosed comments.

It used to be entertaining sometimes, just how colourful and creative we had to be to eloquently smack each other around everyday. I almost miss it, sniff, sniff. :(

But today it is just anythin with an asterisk or number inserted in it can be posted, not quite as creative as we needed to be.

You remember when a whole thread got pulled when Mike (GOD) was posting about receiving Viagra spam mail, it was as innocent as all hell but still got the yank, today it wouldn't have made it to three posts.

I think people could learn from our old discussions, they were an exercise in futility at least, and one in creative and colourful oneupmanship.

But I enjoy getting along with you much better than being an enemy, its funny how you grow to respect people after hanging around so long.

Cheers!

by locrian_lyric

But I think that the rows in here were more of us just venting.

It's gotten hot, but at the end of the day, we've always been friends.

by tig2

Scum- it sounds like you have the long and short of it. Name calling is something that we should all be old enough to resist and there are certainly some wonderfully creative ways to say the same thing. In fact, Max and Oz have told people to GTFO in some of the most imaginative ways I have ever seen!

The thing with that thread was simple- someone hit the spam button and the thread was deleted. Beth did that a few times by accident. I can't speak for Tammy but I will bet that the notification hit her while she was doing a bunch of other stuff and she didn't have a chance to read each post carefully. As I said, it has happened. With people systems, there will always be some level of fallibility.

If I understood Beth correctly, once a thread has been flushed, it can't be revived. I believe that is accurate.

I'm guessing here but I would bet that if someone sees a flame war in the kindling stage an effort will be made to contain it. That may also have been in Tammy's rationale for pulling the thread, I don't know.

Either way, as Sonja stated above, if you have a specific question or want clarification, peer Sonja or Tammy. They may take a day to respond but what they both want is two way communication.

by jdclyde

It would be a real shame if TR was destroyed by political correctness.

I thought Jay had the right idea, if it was "too hot" he pulled it from the main page. This meant that the noobies and lurkers would likely never see the more colorful ones.

To day "adult" is also BS, because as we all know, adults do sh1tty things all the time, and our prisons are full of adults. There is also adult content that Jaqui could show us that would challenge the "adult" word to control people.

What is next, the digital maypole we all have to dance around?

Obscene material and spam I can see instantly pulling, like the VERY young girl that Julian had posted. No place for that.

If someone is being an a$$bag, we would be doing them a disservice to not inform them of it. :D

by Tammy.Cavadias

... if that option is still available and if so - how do Sonja and I go about doing it (hiding threads that is - not you know) :)

-Tammy :-)

by the scummy one

it is Stupid as heck, but I laugh throughout it.

Oops, I spelled it wrong before.
Club Dread (broken Lizard production).

Have you ever seen Super Troopers? If you liked it, this show is for you!

by Tammy.Cavadias

:D

Can you say - your full of crap? But of course (just please remember to use the air freshener afterwards - we keep it next to the toilet paper :p ) - on the other hand "your full of Fing crap you jackass" - would need a tad cleaning up (we keep a mop next to the air freshener and toilet paper right by the plunger for when its too full of crap)

Does that help? :D

-Tammy :-)

by oz_media

THere was a time, not too long ago, (come children sit around now, there's room for everyone)where was I, Oh yess, there was a time, not too long ago, when such name callign was a reason to have your account kicked off TR. I couldn't tell Maxc he was a moron, I could say "That is moronic" but I couldn't call HIM a moron, that was simply out of line.

Today, as you have said yourself, I CAN call Max a moron (why now, now that we get along?)but I don't want to or feel a need to, he's actually pretty bloody bright, especially compared to some of the riff raff we've had stumble by here lately.

Talking of stumbke, STUMBLE UPON rates its sites by popularity (doesn't it?). If bored morons with no life hit stumble upon, is it at all likely that they are finding TR and then a reason to register and post BS? It's a thinker anyway.

by Tammy.Cavadias

I was thinking more in a tongue in cheek thing (amongst friends), but I can see how it can be read as something totally different and that can lead to confusion.

-Tammy :-)

PS: Scummy, no telling folks they are full of crap - but you can say thats a crappy thing to say :p

By the way - who ever stole... wait let me rephrase, who ever "borrowed" the plunger please put it back ;) :p

by oz_media

I have often said "That is a retarded mindset". I am not callign someone a retard or anything, and I wouldn't as I have people in my family tree with such disabilities, and most of the time they are far sharper than the person I am sayign has a retarded mindset.

But people often construe it as me callign tehm a retard and reciprocate with name calling, not recognizin gthe difference.

I once came THAT close to doing time over a similar comment to someone who had misunderstood what I had said exactly (face to face) and took it out of context so it sounded pretty bad. A bit of legal fighting by my ever faithful bro (my true hero, next to mom) and all was okay again though, bitch still cleaned me out though.

So form what I haveknown for the last 9 years you are absolutely correct.

"I can say -- your comments on %whatever topic% suck, and you really should .....
but I cannot say -- You are full of Cr@p"

They didn't change, it has ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS been that way.

Believe me, Max and I learned the rules long ago and we pushed them to the limits almost every day (just back and forth between ourselves), but aside from a few peer mail 'cues' from Smorty or Jay to get it back in line, there were no posts pulled or edited.

Ahhh, the good ole days.

by Tammy.Cavadias

of how it is used has a big play...

Say for example you and I are debating "Music" and our conversation is just a back and forth fun type - I think Sappy Music is the best - and you respond with "your full of crap" (meant in a non offensive way) well in how we are conversing I don't see that as being insulting.

Now for someone new who is not familiar with someone, they could very well take it that way and in response get all defensive and respond back in a much more heated way.

Does that make sense?

-Tammy :-)

by oz_media

If I say it to someone new, I MEAN it, there's no tongue in cheek needed.

And if I say "Dude, you're full of crap! Elvis was FAT as hell when he died." Then it is also different than saying "Dude your full of crap!"

One explains why I have arrived at my conclusion, the other is just an insult.

So will you be preparing a full dictionary of terms and teh appropriate use, or do we just wait and see how you are feeling that day and find out that some days you are more accepting than others, much to the posters dismay and confusion?

I am not trying to be snotty, but if you begin adding finite rules and guidelines, then they must be defined.

I can either say, "Tammy, you are stupid" or I can't say it.

In the past that was not acceptable, but saying "That's a stupid idea" was.

As for people like JD and Neil, well I'll call them fanatical tossers if I want to and they can just deal with it. (hey, how did neil get dragged into this?((oh yeah, "tosser")).

So lets keep it clear, as ALWAYS, you cannot personally attack someone, you CAN attack an opinion or comment but not the person for offering it.

Just as always, nothing changes but the newer folks may find they need to be more creative in their vocabulary, which is always a good thing.

As for exceptions, again, we are all adults and I think if I call Max a prick he knows very well that I am possibly, perhaps, maybe joking. ;)

Otherwise it is up to a per post/peer system, which will be argued over and over again by people who's posts are deleted and it leaves it open to personal emotion.

People will cry discrimination, some will even try and say its a free speech issue (those guys still crack me up almost every time).

If you have a good day, you'll see no harm in what you may see as being harmful on a bad day, we are all human afterall.

So why do we need ot change anything? Just enforce what has always been in place and its nothing new for anyone, except people who have usually slipped under the radar.

by Tammy.Cavadias

..don't it? When is an insult an insult - when the intended means it that way? but not when its a tongue in cheek thing? or when the receiver takes it that way? even if meant in a tongue in cheek way?

:::::rubs her head - my eyeballs are cross sided now::::

Yeah why you dragging poor Neil in here anyway? I done tormented him last night :p

To err is Human but to be... well shoot now I forgot what I was saying.. ignore me :D

-Tammy :-)

by jdclyde

but damnitallanyways, I am taking a lot of abuse in this "discussion"..... :0

If I pretend to be offended, will the whole discussion disappear? B-)

by av .

To be honest with you, I never thought about what the rules on TR were. I never saw any moderation, except with a really bad situation. I think that worked for TR for a long time, but I also understand that the company that hosts the site is ultimately liable, in some way, for its content.

AV

by jdclyde

Are you telling me that I can't call that idiot an idiot?

Perfect example is the idiot in the porn discussion that said everyone that views porn is a future child molester.

S/H/it is an idiot, and that is the NICEST thing I can think to say about that idiot.

by oz_media

http://tinyurl.com/yjm842

A fav for sure.

I died laughing the first time you posted that at me. I clicked the link, ready to build a counter argument, and felt like I was in one of those old cartoons when the guy turns into a jackass or a heel, eeeeee-aaaaaaw.

Yeah, we can't get rid of the old albinoblacksheep, I vote aye to keep that one.

by Tammy.Cavadias

Have to agree with you there... that is the most Idiotic moronic (is that even a word) statement I've ever heard (well maybe not ever but it's in the top 10!)

That's like the statement I heard someone make once that taking pictures of your baby while they had no clothes on - was considered not only child pornography but made you a sexual predator

-Tammy :-)

by oz_media

If that was the case, what would brothers and sisters use for blackmail when your girlfriend is over for dinner? My brother always broke out the embarassing photos when I had dates over.

And what would you call the guy that films a birth?

Shouldn't the police be waiting outside the delivery room with a straight jacket and a final meal?

by jdclyde

Because of a baby picture.

I don't know if it is a case of to many flannel shirts and hates all porn, or a guy that is covering a very guilty conscience. Either way, the prick pissed me off.

Oh yeah, Oz is a major perv as well, according to the one and same poster. While he IS many things, someone that is a danger to children, I don't think so.... :D

by hal 9000

Was one where the Perp stated if you touched the genitals of a baby ever you where a Predator.

Of course if you never changed a dirty Nappy/Diaper you where of course Neglecting that child so I guess that all children are abused.

Actually that thought process makes Idiots look Intelligent. :p

But of course the worst one here was that [b]IDIOT[/b] who insisted children enjoyed being sexually abused and it wasn't a problem ever. Even I drew the line way before that stage and I'll let most things past without a second thought. But that was so far over the top that it needed deleting long before it was posted.

Col

by boxfiddler

may be dealing with childhood issues directly related to that particular topic. While s/he has said some ridiculous things, that is just what one would expect from one who suffered through that sort of abuse, and/or worse. Calling that one on the ridiculous things s/he is saying is one thing, but idiot, I don't think so. There's more there than meets the eye.

by santeewelding

The right and respectful question asked, the first-appearing ridiculous may just be displayed in spades, joy or anguish justified.

Meantime, empty.

by older mycroft

I missed the entire thread!

I feel like the bloke who is about to finish a mammoth epic of a book, only to discover the last page is missing!

BWAHHHHHHH . :(

by tig2

If you hide a thread, it is invisible regardless if it is posted to. That is a great way to taking something that is essentially too hot and putting it out of the reach of the casual browser.

JD is incorrect on a point- I personally saw Jay rip a couple of threads. The one that springs to mind was another Julian thread that went south about 20 seconds after it was posted.

by tig2

Tammy and Beth before her didn't always have the time/opportunity to read a thread that had been alerted as spam. The usual response is to just flush the thread and get on with life. That isn't to say that every single thread marked as spam gets the deletion response. And in a recent case (and several not so recent) I marked specific posts as spam.

In that case, I was policing a thread and don't apologize for it- the posts and the link in the post was flatly offensive. Tammy agreed with me or she wouldn't have pulled those posts. The thread was allowed to stand.

CNET didn't change the rules. The T&C is the same as I have always known it. But CNET no longer owns TR. CBS does/will. Hard to set tense there as that deal is still finalizing, but you know what I mean. I have no idea if CBS will leave TR alone or not.

Jay is a blogger for TR, Beth has moved on, so has Smorty. Of course that means that there are new people enforcing the rules. But that doesn't have to be a bad thing and both Sonja and Tammy have said that they are willing to open conversation with anyone about how the site is run.

I don't think that anyone is suggesting that a baby sitter is in order. But just as you have the right to hit the spam button on a post, so does anyone else.

Calling JD a show tune singing homo loser is really none of my business. I hear he likes it but may be mistaken... :D

by jdclyde

So I can't take any credit for it other than seeming to be the only one that can remember back that far..... :p

by gadgetgirl

had around four links in it to his "fiancee" as I remember.

although why someone would want to post pix like that of someone they intented to "marry" always eluded me....

off to celebrate the fact that my memory is working..... :p

GG

by boxfiddler

thankfully, that got pulled pretty quickly. Nasty piece of work, that poster. Just hope it's sterile.

by hal 9000

A certain unnamed Peer violating Number 9 by keeping a Birthday list of the Peers here? :D

But I just need to post advertising on my Lawn Mowing Business as I get so much work to do from the others here. X-(

OH and now everyone knows why Scummy grass is dieing. :p

No the entire thing is pretty simple and just Common Sense though I will admit that Common Sense is quite often in Short Supply sometimes. :^0

Col

by tig2

Beth had to deep-six an entire sub-thread over that nutter. Sheesh! But those asinine comments brought out a couple of lurkers who felt the same as you.

Come to think on it, that poster never came back. Wonder why... ;)

by locrian_lyric

I always feel that I am not quite in step with the world around me.

It's good to know that here, at least, I am.

by the 'g-man.'

To why it is you who is supplying this kind of information to us and not the owners of the site. Appreciate the information but left wondering why no official actions.

by Tammy.Cavadias

takes red... or is that blue pencil to JD's posts... (there - now all the things said about Old Mycroft are gone) :p

-Tammy :-)