Site Rules Announcement

[TransporterMalfunction 1]

Dear Members

 

This post is to announce that there has recently been an amendment to the STARTREKFANS.NET terms of service regarding the use of links in member signatures that might affect you. The terms of service have been updated and in order to allow everyone time to amend their own signatures we are giving members a week to comply before the rule will begin to be enforced.

 

To find a full copy of the amendment please click on the following link: TERMS OF SERVICE

 

The moderating team at STARTREKFANS.NET apologise for any inconvenience and thank you for your cooperation. This thread will remain open in order for you to field any questions that you might have regarding this matter.

 

Best Wishes

 

The Moderating Team at STARTREKFANS.NET

[Neelix the cat 0]

Advertisement of other forums: The STARTREKFANS.NET Forum does not allow advertisements of other Star Trek discussion forums on the internet, either in messages, signature lines or avatars. We have no quarrel whatsoever with any other web forum communities; indeed, quite a number of them are ones we're members of and like very much. They're all great places and you're welcome to visit them. But the administration team of the STARTREKFANS.NET forum does not feel that it is fair to us, or the community here that our forum be used as a billboard for other web communities and cluttered with such content. If you wish to post such links then the 'Links' forum and the 'Home Page' section in personal files are the appropriate place to display these.

 

WHAT THE HELL is this?!?!?!?

You going to tell me that if I invest time and effort in posting at this board, I cant even put a link to my site in my signature?

 

If this is just an attempt to limit the size of peoples signatures, just decrease the word limit? Other than that I do not see any purpose of this policy Please explain.

 

So if in a thread, say for example, about star ship design - I find an interesting article that appears on another message board, I cant put a link to it in my reply?? CRAZY

 

Yes, I know someones going to tell me that I can put links in the links forum *cough graveyard cough* where no one looks.

 

Someone please explain this to me , it makes no sense, sounds like commie talk.

I believe this policy will hurt your board, newbies arent going to bother if they cant put a small link to their site in their signatures - one of the reasons a minority of members bother posting here or any board.

[Captain Holland 0]

I was just wondering if the link to my website in my signature is ok. It's not a message board.

[VaBeachGuy 12]

Someone please explain this to me , it makes no sense, sounds like commie talk.

Well I could turn Signatures off completely.

[VaBeachGuy 12]

I have moved the "Links To Other Sites" sub-forum out of Ten Forward and into it's own forum in The Promenade. This will give it greater visibility and make it less of a "graveyard".

[Neelix the cat 0]

Well I could turn Signatures off completely.

Seriously and Objectively: I for one would prefer if you do this, this is a great site, but the volume of some members signatures gets annoying. Some signatures are over a half a screen long. Your using Invision arent you/ You could just decrease the word limit in signatures or diasble images.

 

I am a relative newbie, and therefore have no influence, so just consider my opinion as feedback from someone having first impressions.

 

I think controlling the signatures would improve this site.

 

However, I still dont understand the reasoning involved in adopting a policy to ban links to other boards - what is its purpose?

[Captain Jean-Luc Picard 1]

I have three questions. :)

 

1. I usually have a long quite and a picture in my post. If the signature length is short, this makes it difficult for me to have a complete post. How long is the current length?

 

2. I have a message board which is for discussion on anything. If I wanted to advertise it in my signature, would I be allowed, or does the new rule include all forms of signature advertising?

 

3. Are we still allowed to post links to other sites, as well as forums, in regular posts?

 

Thanks for your time. :)

[fenriz275 0]

Turning off signatures wouldn't bother me that much. In the least I think limiting the size and length is a good idea. I've seen some sigs so big they drown the post that the peson left, it's like the signature is screaming at me.

[Captain Jean-Luc Picard 1]

I allow advertising in signatures at my forum, becuase we have a small community there. However, with over 1,000 users here, I think not allowing signature advertising is a good idea. However, I'm annoyed by the idea of keeping the character length so low, becuase half my signature is always code and the adress for hosting a picture.

[VaBeachGuy 12]

As I said in another posting, the biggest problem was because of complaints of what was seen as abuse of the Signatures.

 

Having a Signature like this:

 

Please come join my site HERE We REALLY REALLY REALLY want you to join so please come to http://www.starwarsfans.net !!!

 

Of course that's actually pretty short in comparison but that gives you an idea.

 

Then in order to get the Signature to show up as much as possible there were posts like this:

 

:)

 

Or this:

 

:)

 

Or maybe this:

 

  :)

 

And that would happen in Many threads, basically spamming just to get the Sig to show up.

[Captain Jean-Luc Picard 1]

Fascinating, I thought those kind of posts were people post padding to increase their post count. Thanks for filling all of us in on what was going on. :)

[Goose 0]

Stardate:214303.9

 

 

At first I was kinda ticked off about this rule and saw no point to it as well but now I see why.Thanks for explaining VBG.I agree those can be somewhat annoying.

 

As far as turning sigs off I for one would like to disagree with that.Though signatures should be too long turning them off would suck.the signature is kinda like a piece of ones prsonality and it gives you something to personalize your posts and show other people who you are.

 

New Rule=Good

Turning sigs off=BAD!

[RikerChick 5]

I agree turning off sigs completely would not be good. As far as not having links in them I'm all for that. You can have a link to your site in your profile and there's a forum for it, I think that's plenty.

[Odie 0]

I have to agree some signatures are too long. Some of them simply drown message. I like the new rule better than not having a signature at all.

[VaBeachGuy 12]

I agree turning off sigs completely would not be good. As far as not having links in them I'm all for that. You can have a link to your site in your profile and there's a forum for it, I think that's plenty.

That's exactly what is for. If you put your web site into your profile that button will show up on every single post you make, all someone has to do is click it.

[hangon 3]

I agree there are to many posts with links but i love my sig,i dont think it advertises other sites or am i looking at the wrong thing :) but what ever the rules are i will follow them :)

[trekzone 0]

does this affect me with my single image about Poseidon?

[Captain Jean-Luc Picard 1]

I would think so, Trekzone. Also, thanks for reminding us about the "WWW" feature, VBG! :)

[TransporterMalfunction 1]

I don't think there is much more I can add to what VBG has said regarding this topic.

 

The only thing that I would reiterate is that STARTREKFANS.NET still offers it's members a chance to display links to other similar themed message boards (which is a lot more than most sites of this size do) we are only asking that they are displayed in the appropriate areas, which are the Links forum and the section in your personal files.

[Neelix the cat 0]

But how many were doing the Spamming signature thing? , surely you could just warn then ban them.

 

 

then again I wont really be conserned about this until someone edits my sig.

[TransporterMalfunction 1]

But how many were doing the Spamming signature thing? , surely you could just warn then ban them.

 

 

then again I wont really be conserned about this until someone edits my sig.

Well this way the rules are set down and it is much fairer than just enforcing an ad hoc set of standards.

[DixonHill1989 0]

Let me see if I have this right. We can have links to other star trek/star wars/ etc. forum sites in our sigs but we can't make a post dedicated to a different forum site? I am very confused. Can VBG PM me with the details.

[TransporterMalfunction 1]

Let me see if I have this right. We can have links to other star trek/star wars/ etc. forum sites in our sigs but we can't make a post dedicated to a different forum site? I am very confused. Can VBG PM me with the details.

Here is the actual section in the rules:

 

Advertisement of other forums: The STARTREKFANS.NET Forum does not allow advertisements of other Star Trek discussion forums on the internet, either in messages, signature lines or avatars. We have no quarrel whatsoever with any other web forum communities; indeed, quite a number of them are ones we're members of and like very much. They're all great places and you're welcome to visit them. But the administration team of the STARTREKFANS.NET forum does not feel that it is fair to us, or the community here that our forum be used as a billboard for other web communities and cluttered with such content. If you wish to post such links then the 'Links' forum and the 'Home Page' section in personal files are the appropriate place to display these.

[Uncle Buck 0]

You post at other sites don't you advirtising this site? So wouldn't that be considering spamming anothers site? As I already said if you put a link in a signiture, like mine it doesn't bother anyone. But this totally over the line here. I agree that some people make too big but, haven't you ever heard of needing members to gain traffic? Anyway I don't really have time to post on boards, to gain members. You did do one good thing put the websites in view of other members.The wrong thing you did was lock my post. The dessant thing you could've done was delete the debate.

[BakulaBabe 2]

I agree turning off sigs completely would not be good. As far as not having links in them I'm all for that. You can have a link to your site in your profile and there's a forum for it, I think that's plenty.

That's exactly what is for. If you put your web site into your profile that button will show up on every single post you make, all someone has to do is click it.

Well stupid me, I've always wondered what that "www" button was for - now I know! I never even noticed it on my posts. I guess I'd better watch my language in my blog! :( <_<

 

Also, having smaller sigs will make some of us more selective about what we put in them. I won't mention any names (like mine)..... :P

[Jim Phaserman 0]

What about PMs soliciting a website? Personally, I don't like the idea, but for clarification, what is STF.net's official stance? (and I may have missed this, so I will edit it if I find it)

[VaBeachGuy 12]

What about PMs soliciting a website? Personally, I don't like the idea, but for clarification, what is STF.net's official stance? (and I may have missed this, so I will edit it if I find it)

Well, if it's not Spam and the person getting the PM doesn't complain then it's private between you and the person you are PMing. But as an example, lets say I PM 500 members 3 times each sending them a link. If a large number of complaints begin to be filed then I could lose my ability to send PM's. If on the other hand I send those 500 members 3 each PMs and none of them complain then no one other me and those 500 people know the PMs were sent and there is no need for any action to be taken.

 

At this point, most of what I find myself doing on the forum is responding to complaints about one thing or another. We (the Mods and I) are trying to iron out all of the wrinkles and address everyone's complaints but when we do it just creates more complaints from other people. Gets quite frustrating at times.

[DixonHill1989 0]

In my sig I have a link to the STF.net fan fiction site. Is that acceptable?

[trekzone 0]

what about my signature? i need clarifcation people? ---- no offense CJLP but you are not a mod.

[A l t e r E g o 9]

then again I wont really be conserned about this until someone edits my sig.

 

Are you saying you refuse to comply?

 

Let me see if I have this right. We can have links to other star trek/star wars/ etc. forum sites in our sigs but we can't make a post dedicated to a different forum site?

 

No, all links to other sites would be illegal in sigs but each member wishing to advertise a site could keep one thread going on THIS forum and in their profiles (which link to EVERY post they make via this> button)

 

In my sig I have a link to the STF.net fan fiction site. Is that acceptable?

 

yes that's fine, intra-site linking of STFs material would not be illegal.

 

what about my signature? i need clarifcation people? ---- no offense CJLP but you are not a mod.

 

 

If the new rule does go into affect then no your sig would not be affected because that is NOT a MESSAGE BOARD.