The Forum Rule
Created | Updated Jul 7, 2005
Forum Rule
The following rule was devised some time after the Forum was set up. A few problems had made it necessary to have some indication about what is and isn’t expected here. These aren’t your normal, do this or get out, set of rules though. Oh no, I decided that it would be much better if everyone were confused and bewildered.
Forum Rule Rules
These are the rules for following the forums rule in the correct manner.
(1) There is no official enforcement of the Forums rule. The powers that be have far too much to do without having to go poking around enforcing rules made up by each individual society. If someone contravenes the rule do not go for the ‘Yikes’ button
(2) There is enforcement of the Forums rule. It is performed by the people in the forum. In the event that it is broken it is important that the offending post be replied to with the correct sanction. This is to reply politely saying that you think [1] that they’ve broken the rule and could they retract, revise or expand upon their post.
(3) If someone consistently breaks the rule and it’s upsetting the conversation there are two responses. The first (and preferable) is to find out why they are doing it and help them deal with it. Contrary to popular belief more aggravation is caused by people who don’t understand what they’re doing than people who are malicious and like to cause trouble for no good reason. The second is to ignore them until they go away (something that is much more effective if everyone does it)
(4) This page was written on 24th May 2005. It is going to be more verbose on issues that were important on that date than on whatever you might be referring to it for. Bear in mind that things change over time and the rules are not set in stone.
The Forum Rule
Read the front page and use your common sense.
Expansion on the forum rule
Apparently the rule is insufficient on its own. There are all sorts of circumstances and ambiguities and not everyone had common sense in the first place anyway. In order to address this here are some expansions on the rule to help sort out disputes:
1. If you’re starting a new debate there are a few things to bear in mind. Firstly try to avoid games or frivolous topics (such as the state of the weather). Also try to ask a reasonable question without any bias. It’s so much more worth doing if there is a decent discussion going, asking if the pope is religious or phrasing questions such that you’ve already made up your mind will eat into the quality of the thread. Also try to be clear in the intial post, it's better to say a lot and risk being patronising, than to say too little and fill up the first few pages of the thread with people querying what was meant by the origional post.
2. Understand the difference between an individual and their view.[2] By all means, attack positions, viewpoints, and premises you disagree with. Please try to do so without attacking the individual person expressing that view. Conversely understand that someone who is attacking your viewpoint is not attacking you. Too many fights start out this way.
3. It’s an old fashioned point of view, but it is still widely believed that communication is necessary for debate. So don’t do anything that impedes communication, such as typing in a text message format, substituting letters and characters for numbers, hiding your posting in a sea of happy smiling faces or whatever else. It’s equally important to know when not to apply this guideline. If a person for whatever reason cannot[3] communicate easily or if the error is so minor that it does not impede communication more than trying to get it cleared up would then let it go.
4. If an individual chooses, for whatever reason, to leave a debate thread, please respect that choice. Don’t follow the person to their personal space to try to continue the discussion. [4]
5. If you have a personal argument with another participant in the Forum, please take the argument elsewhere. A lot of people come to debate here, if there’s a page of posts consisting mostly of you and another individual tearing chunks out of each other this should be your first clue. Why weren’t you following the first rule anyway?
6. Try to keep the debates good spirited debates rather than shouting matches. This means listening to what other people have to say and replying to their points. It also means admitting that you might be wrong and having a willingness to consider changing your point of view should someone point out something you missed.
7. Everyone loves evidence [5] so try to get some. The more credible the better. Bear in mind that you’re not obliged to obtain any, but if you don’t people aren’t obliged to believe you. Don’t be offended if an unlikely point made with no evidence is disbelieved.
8. Keep you’re posts clear. If you’re replying to someone then state the post you’re replying to (even if it is the most recent one, simulposts lurk around every corner) Try to separate out your points so they are understandable. A numbered list [6] makes it easier for people to come back on individual points.
9. The h2g2 house rules still apply. No flaming, trolling or running with scissors. Also nothing that ends in an –ism. Note that something isn’t X-ism if it discredits X for a good reason in a limited domain supported by evidence. Belligerently denouncing one group for no apparent reason is[7]
10. When it’s over it’s over. Once someone has agreed with you on a given point. Or if you have reached an impasse at which you cannot debate any further because you have different, but valid, premises resist the urge to get the last word in. There are probably other points being discussed around you, start on one of them.
[1] Contrary to your beliefs it is possible for you to be wrong. Unless happen to be re-reading your own document at this point in time. Don’t worry about it then, you’re never wrong.
[2] A person is the individual sitting behind the keyboard. Their view is a combination of the facts the put forwards, the way they use reasoning to combine them and their conclusions. For example: It is fine to say "I think the death penalty is an abominable miscarriage of justice." but saying "Anyone who supports the death penalty is racist or just plain malicious" crosses over the line into a personal attack.
[3] As opposed to will not. For example there was a digibox user with malfunctioning technology a while back who couldn’t use capital letters.
[4] Even if this wasn’t hounding someone to the point you may contrive the h2g2 house rules why would you want to do this. If they can leave a conversation on the Forum they can leave one in their personal space.
[5] Or at least everyone who it supports
[6] Much like this one
[7] The ‘What’s wrong with Americans?’ thread practically managed this before the title had been typed.
The following rule was devised some time after the Forum was set up. A few problems had made it necessary to have some indication about what is and isn’t expected here. These aren’t your normal, do this or get out, set of rules though. Oh no, I decided that it would be much better if everyone were confused and bewildered.
Forum Rule Rules
These are the rules for following the forums rule in the correct manner.
(1) There is no official enforcement of the Forums rule. The powers that be have far too much to do without having to go poking around enforcing rules made up by each individual society. If someone contravenes the rule do not go for the ‘Yikes’ button
(2) There is enforcement of the Forums rule. It is performed by the people in the forum. In the event that it is broken it is important that the offending post be replied to with the correct sanction. This is to reply politely saying that you think [1] that they’ve broken the rule and could they retract, revise or expand upon their post.
(3) If someone consistently breaks the rule and it’s upsetting the conversation there are two responses. The first (and preferable) is to find out why they are doing it and help them deal with it. Contrary to popular belief more aggravation is caused by people who don’t understand what they’re doing than people who are malicious and like to cause trouble for no good reason. The second is to ignore them until they go away (something that is much more effective if everyone does it)
(4) This page was written on 24th May 2005. It is going to be more verbose on issues that were important on that date than on whatever you might be referring to it for. Bear in mind that things change over time and the rules are not set in stone.
The Forum Rule
Read the front page and use your common sense.
Expansion on the forum rule
Apparently the rule is insufficient on its own. There are all sorts of circumstances and ambiguities and not everyone had common sense in the first place anyway. In order to address this here are some expansions on the rule to help sort out disputes:
1. If you’re starting a new debate there are a few things to bear in mind. Firstly try to avoid games or frivolous topics (such as the state of the weather). Also try to ask a reasonable question without any bias. It’s so much more worth doing if there is a decent discussion going, asking if the pope is religious or phrasing questions such that you’ve already made up your mind will eat into the quality of the thread. Also try to be clear in the intial post, it's better to say a lot and risk being patronising, than to say too little and fill up the first few pages of the thread with people querying what was meant by the origional post.
2. Understand the difference between an individual and their view.[2] By all means, attack positions, viewpoints, and premises you disagree with. Please try to do so without attacking the individual person expressing that view. Conversely understand that someone who is attacking your viewpoint is not attacking you. Too many fights start out this way.
3. It’s an old fashioned point of view, but it is still widely believed that communication is necessary for debate. So don’t do anything that impedes communication, such as typing in a text message format, substituting letters and characters for numbers, hiding your posting in a sea of happy smiling faces or whatever else. It’s equally important to know when not to apply this guideline. If a person for whatever reason cannot[3] communicate easily or if the error is so minor that it does not impede communication more than trying to get it cleared up would then let it go.
4. If an individual chooses, for whatever reason, to leave a debate thread, please respect that choice. Don’t follow the person to their personal space to try to continue the discussion. [4]
5. If you have a personal argument with another participant in the Forum, please take the argument elsewhere. A lot of people come to debate here, if there’s a page of posts consisting mostly of you and another individual tearing chunks out of each other this should be your first clue. Why weren’t you following the first rule anyway?
6. Try to keep the debates good spirited debates rather than shouting matches. This means listening to what other people have to say and replying to their points. It also means admitting that you might be wrong and having a willingness to consider changing your point of view should someone point out something you missed.
7. Everyone loves evidence [5] so try to get some. The more credible the better. Bear in mind that you’re not obliged to obtain any, but if you don’t people aren’t obliged to believe you. Don’t be offended if an unlikely point made with no evidence is disbelieved.
8. Keep you’re posts clear. If you’re replying to someone then state the post you’re replying to (even if it is the most recent one, simulposts lurk around every corner) Try to separate out your points so they are understandable. A numbered list [6] makes it easier for people to come back on individual points.
9. The h2g2 house rules still apply. No flaming, trolling or running with scissors. Also nothing that ends in an –ism. Note that something isn’t X-ism if it discredits X for a good reason in a limited domain supported by evidence. Belligerently denouncing one group for no apparent reason is[7]
10. When it’s over it’s over. Once someone has agreed with you on a given point. Or if you have reached an impasse at which you cannot debate any further because you have different, but valid, premises resist the urge to get the last word in. There are probably other points being discussed around you, start on one of them.
[1] Contrary to your beliefs it is possible for you to be wrong. Unless happen to be re-reading your own document at this point in time. Don’t worry about it then, you’re never wrong.
[2] A person is the individual sitting behind the keyboard. Their view is a combination of the facts the put forwards, the way they use reasoning to combine them and their conclusions. For example: It is fine to say "I think the death penalty is an abominable miscarriage of justice." but saying "Anyone who supports the death penalty is racist or just plain malicious" crosses over the line into a personal attack.
[3] As opposed to will not. For example there was a digibox user with malfunctioning technology a while back who couldn’t use capital letters.
[4] Even if this wasn’t hounding someone to the point you may contrive the h2g2 house rules why would you want to do this. If they can leave a conversation on the Forum they can leave one in their personal space.
[5] Or at least everyone who it supports
[6] Much like this one
[7] The ‘What’s wrong with Americans?’ thread practically managed this before the title had been typed.
