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BOARD RULES and Problem Visitors


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Board Rules

1. Who this site is for

* This is a site for those who love Gareth Gates.

* There is no age limit on this board and we won't be asking for a note from your mother or checking ID, but we are not aimed at very young kids. Think of this place as having a PG-12 rating.

2. Courtesy and language

* Mild swearing is OK, but nothing overtly sexual or aggressive. Words that come into that category may be amended or deleted

* We will not tolerate racist, sexist, homophobic, otherwise prejudiced or hateful language or behaviour.

* Treat other Gareth fans with respect and courtesy – even if you don't agree with what they are saying – they are entitled to their opinion

* Try and avoid over-use of textspeak. It doesn't take that much more effort to use proper words, sentences and paragraphs and it's so much easier to read, in particular for our international visitors.

3. Banners, Avatars and Images

* Please keep banners to 600 pixels wide by 125 pixels high, with a maximum file size of 35kb and avatars to 80x80 with a maximum file size of 20kB. This will help us to keep the board working efficiently. Ideally keep your banners and avatars Gareth based – though we will not be too fussed about this unless they are offensive or likely to upset others. It's preferable to have a unique avatar, as many people use avatars as a short-hand to identify their own posts, or those of other members.

* Images. Its great to post pictures – we all love to look at pictures of Gareth, but it would help to keep the board working efficiently if you don't post too many large images and not everyone is reading on super-fast broadband. If you have a lot of large images to post, it's better to link to a photo album off-site to avoid slowing the board too much. (more details in the technical bit)

* Only 'quote' an image if you really, really need to in order to make a point. If you want to make it clear which one you are talking about and your post will be on the same page it's OK to describe it. People will work it out.

4. Making posts

* If you're starting a thread, make sure the thread title provides a decent description of what your post is about. If you are posting within the Gareth section there is no need to put "(Gareth related)" in your title. If it's there we'll all assume it's Gareth related. If it's not Gareth related a mod will move or delete it.

* Avoid vague titles that includes terms such as "another" or "again" or those such as "Today's Mirror", or "This week's sales figures", as they'll still be on display next week and the week after. Include the date and something to help describe it.

* Check to see if a thread already exists on the subject (use the search function if you are not sure). Copycat threads will be locked, deleted or merged into the original.

* Please do start a fresh thread if the other one is too different from yours or there is a development that would be lost in the original thread, or makes the other thread obsolete. Please don't start new threads just to be seen to be the person with news.

* Quote your source. If you are posting a news story, or something you read on another site make it very clear where you found it and better still give a link. If you know the story is almost definitely rubbish and not your opinion - make that clear before you quote it out in full. Help others to differentiate between your comments and the quoted article by using bold, colour or italics.

* Please don't just post a link to an external website without explanation. Try to summarise the main points, so everyone doesn't need to click on the link and it is just there for those who want to see the original or if there is a lot of extra detail. Alternatively, quote the first one or two paragraphs, then leave the link for the full story.

* If you are using the quote function to reply, please only quote the bit that's relevant to what you have to say. Longer chunks of quoted text and unnecessary images spoil the flow of the thread, slow the site and waste bandwidth.

* Please try to use the right bits of the forum. It may take a little bit of getting used to, so please do not be offended if the mods move your topic - but it is important to keep this place easy to navigate.

* Try to keep to topic. If you start to veer too far off topic please start a new thread. Don't hijack someone else's thread just because you think your question will get more views.

* We are happy this site can be used to share music, but we can't be seen to promote illegal downloading or file sharing. Please consider whether the link is likely to get us into trouble before you post it.

* Don't waste posts. Go for quality, not quantity. If you want to get the attention of a specific member, please PM them. Do not start a thread for this purpose. Conversations that could be conducted via PM will be deleted.

* Read the Help Section to learn about the different facilities on this site. There is a link at the top of the page.

5. Spamming, trolling, flaming and selling.

 We accept sites like this attract spammers and members of street teams. In order to reduce this we have made all "Off Topic" threads open to members who have made 50 or more posts. We hope this will stop people joining us ONLY to plug other artists. If it's obvious you are trying to turn this site into a shop window for your favourite group, singer, actor then you will not be welcome. Remember rule 1.

 People who come on here specifically to bait Gareth fans are not welcome and accounts will be deleted

 As much as we encourage people to share their opinions and welcome free-speech, please don't behave in a way that will attract a flame war. Do not start threads that have no purpose other than to be nasty, or say things that are specifically aimed at starting a negative reaction. You don't need to pretend to love everyone, and criticism is allowed, but don't need to bang on about it.

 No selling stuff for profit

There is more advice on how to behave when faced by a troll or spammer in a separate thread in announcements

6. What mods do

 Mods may delete posts, move, merge or lock threads if they are in the wrong place or encouraging inappropriate behaviour.

 If your post has been deleted or your thread moved, there will be a good reason for it. If your post is deleted, please don't complain or repost an identical message. If you really don't understand why your message or thread has been deleted, send a private message to a moderator.

 Your account will only be deleted if you piss off other members of the board.

 Sometimes we knock users' post counts down. This has nothing to do with the quality of their posts; it's to stop members attempting to boost their post counts with inane and pointless posts.

And finally…. a word about your safety

We are concerned that you are safe when you use this board. We strongly recommend that you NEVER post your personal details on the boards, including emails address and phone number, and that you are careful who you share them with via PM. If in doubt don't give it out. Mods will delete any personal information that they see being posted

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The majority of us are here to enjoy and support the work of Gareth. Unfortunately, like all internet message boards, there is a strong chance we will get the odd visit from flamers, trolls and other trouble-makers. It is their objective to upset us and to disrupt what we're here for. We need to make it our objective to not let that happen.

Flamers are members who want to cause arguments by posting provocative information. They cannot keep any argument going if no-one replies to them, so please don't. Simply report the post to the moderators using the Report Post button at the top right hand corner of each post, giving a brief explanation of the problem. If the person is being persistent and starting multiple threads and the named moderator of the forum has not yet been able to take action - contact any other moderator who will sort things out.

Some flamers will be fans who are overly-argumentative, while others will not be fans who simply want to be annoying. Both types are disruptive to the boards and flaming will not be tolerated from anyone.

For more on flaming and tips on how to handle it read this online guidance.

Trolls can be harder to identify. They use more subtle methods than a typical flamer, and will adopt the guise of being a fan and legitimate member, but put forward views or opinions that challenge those of many other members, or to cast doubt on a subject. They may post a rumour that they know will be unpopular, or draw attention to information that could be unsettling. They do this in order to ruffle some feathers, so do not let them. If you suspect that someone is not a legitimate fan, report the post as explained above - explaining that you suspect they have an ulterior motive. The moderator will review the situation and decide if action is required immediately, or alternatively take a note of your concerns to monitor future developments.

For more on trolls and tips on how to handle them read this online guidance. More here.

Netiquette and how to make best use of your posts here

Netiquette is one of those dodgy internet terms applied to the etiquette of posting on the internet. Specifics for GPG Forums are in Rules and Guidelines, but the following illustrates what is considered to be good manners by most internet users. Please also consider these if you intend to promote or stick up for Gareth elsewhere.

First it is important to make yourself understood

If you want your posts to count, it's essential you are understood. Read this online guide to effective writing and posting on message boards.

Other good advice culled from various websites includes:

· Lurk before you leap. Don’t join in with a discussion board until you know what they are about, what is likely to cause offence or annoyance. Don't worry; despite the sinister tone of the word, lurking in cyberspace is not frowned upon -- in fact, it's encouraged. Lurking gives you an idea of who the participants are and what the tone of the discussion is. It helps you avoid mistaking a joke for a serious statement, or posting a comment only to find out that a virtually identical statement appeared in the group yesterday.

· Don’t flood. Flooding is when you start lots of new threads or post repetitively just to see your name or because you are bored. Some boards place restrictions on the daily post count, or ban starting new thread for new members to enforce this. If this becomes a big problem here we may need to consider doing this too

· Don’t start duplicate threads. Before you post ‘news’, check no-one else has already started a thread on it. Use the search function if required.

· Don’t spam. Spam is mass advertising and it’s annoying. If you are too blatent with plugging, it’ll be seen as spam. Anyone who has obviously only signed up to spam will have their account deleted.

· Use descriptive and specific subject lines. This helps others decide whether your particular words of wisdom relate to a topic they care about.

· Try not to post comments that don't add anything to the discussion. When you're just cruising through a thread in a leisurely manner, it's not too annoying to read through a lot of "hear, hear"'s and "I agree"'s. But if you're actually trying to find information, it's a pain in the neck. So save those one-word responses for threads that have degenerated to the point where none but true aficionados are following them any more.

· DON'T SHOUT! In other words, don't talk in CAPITALS unless you really need to emphasise something.

· If you write a post, post it, and then realise you missed something out, or spelt something incorrectly, don't post another post after it detailing your omission/mistake. There's an Edit Post button - please use it.

· Correct SPAG (Spelling and Grammar) is important. These are message boards, not chat rooms. You've got plenty of time to read your message through and check that it's comprehendible. And it's easier for one person to improve their spelling than for hundreds of others to learn to translate gibberish...

· Prevent flame wars. See the section above on how to deal with flamers and trolls

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