Forum Rules & Guidelines

A Word of Warning

Rude, arrogant loudmouths who constantly insult others will find their posts edited or deleted and their Snowhawk membership being reconsidered by the Clan Elders. No one is saying you cannot state your opinions, we are merely asking that you express your opinions in a civil and non-belligerent manner. Making aggressive or inflammatory statements riddled with insults to other forum members will result in moderator intervention.

In short, the more civil you are, the less moderation will occur.

The choice is yours.


The Snowhawk Clan Message Board - Posting Rules

1. Post in the correct forum: The Snowhawk Clan message board has a variety of forums to help you quickly find subjects that interest you and to make it easier for you to navigate the various threads. Each forum has a particular focus and you should refrain from staring a new thread that does not relate to that forum's intended subject matter. If in doubt, start a new thread in the General Discussion forum and let the Clan Elders decide if it should be moved.

2. Stay on topic: A person who starts a thread usually has a particular topic they would like to discuss with other members of the clan. Please respect their wishes and only post responses that relate to the subject of the thread. When something is mentioned that you would like to explore a little more in-depth but is off topic for the thread then please do not hijack the thread. Start a new thread of your own instead.

3. Respect others: Every member is entitled to his or her opinion and has the right – within the confines of the forum rules – to politely express their beliefs. Please respect their opinions – even if you do not agree – and be polite at all times. Civil discussions and controlled arguments are perfectly acceptable and a normal part of forum banter. However, insults, ultimatums, defamation and any indirect attacks are not permissible, and will be dealt with severely by the Clan Elders. If another poster flames you, politely ask them to stop; if they continue to do so, report their offending posts to the moderators. "Flame wars" will, under no circumstances, be tolerated. Period. If a "flame war" begins, the thread will be locked, moved or deleted. You have been warned.

4. Pornographic Images: Due to certain Snowhawk members viewing this forum from corporate work stations, you are prohibited from posting pornographic, sexually offensive, or images of a type that are unsuitable for a corporate/office environment. You are further prohibited from posting links to such images.

5. "Not Safe For Work" Policy: "Not Safe For Work" (NSFW) is a warning posted on the internet before displaying any images that might be misconstrued as sexual material, so that users can avoid viewing images that they, or others, find objectionable. Before you display any image that might be considered sexual material, obscene or gruesome, you must post "NSFW" at the title of your thread or post, or next to any link that leads to such images. Again, please keep in mind the policy on questionable material when linking and make sure to use this warning: "NSFW."

6. Emoticons ("smilies"): It is hard to overstate the importance of using emoticons when posting. Being an international community, some subtleties and nuances of language can easily be misinterpreted. The simple addition of an emoticon to your post can make all the difference in the world and prevent misunderstandings. The reverse is true as well – so pay attention to the emoticons used by others.

7. Signature Restrictions: Many people still surf the internet using dial-up connections. For that reason there is a restriction on the size of signatures and images contained within them. Any image used in a Signature should not be more than 25k in size or exceed 600 pixels in width. Please make sure that your signature does not contravene these restrictions or the normal forum rules.

8. Contact the Elders: If a person insults you, politely ask them to desist and attempt reconciliation of the quarrel via private messages. If such private discussion fails, you should contact an Elder. All complaints regarding fellow guild members should be sent via a private forum message or a private email to a Clan Elder. In an attempt to settle such disputes, the Clan Elders may utilize a Mediation Board forum which permits two adversarial parties to anonymously voice their grievances and attempt to reconcile their differences.