Post by Garvy on Oct 28, 2005 12:31:59 GMT 8
GT RULES AND GUIDELINES
Welcome to the GT Boards! Please read these rules and guidelines, which provide new and current members with information about this group's purpose, rules of conduct, and how to utilize some features and resources.
The GT Boards serve as a forum where collectors and hobbyists can share their common interests – mainly toy collecting! Let’s treat each other with mutual respect.
As such, there is no excuse for being rude, vulgar, spiteful or bigoted. Discuss the message posted, not the person who posted the message.
Everyone is encouraged to post information and research, share ideas, ask questions, and help others if you can. We support members' efforts intellectually and through a spirit of camaraderie and constructive discussion. If for some reason, you have complaints or insights that may run contrary to that of another member, make them in a civilized manner. There's no need to resort to name-calling or insults. Explain your concerns and substantiate your position in a mature and constructive manner.
We understand that members can get passionate and that passion can lead to strong emotions, but be wary. Think about how your message will be perceived before writing. Since this is a virtual community, our messages do not carry "tones" similar to when we speak. So, a statement intended to be harmless may be taken as something negative. Such messages can eventually lead to confrontations and heated arguments. Such types of messages will only lead to a member being sanctioned and the topic being locked and/or removed. There is a difference between politefully forceful advocacy of ones beliefs (which is allowed) and personally attacking another member (which is not allowed).
The following rules and guidelines are being implemented to ensure the enjoyment and enrich the experience of the majority of GT members.
GENERAL NETIQUETTE
The first general rule of posting messages on the net is that if you are about to post something you would be unwilling to say in person, then it most likely has no place on the board.
Most people will only know you by your posts - so write well, be civil and keep up intelligent discourse and people will think well of you. Even very basic questions are OK, just ask them sensibly. If you provide garbled, cryptic or unintelligible posts, or are generally rude or thoughtless, then don't expect other members to think much of you or what you have to say.
Another example, do not post entire messages in ALL CAPS - it is equivalent to shouting. Also, please do not use font sizes that are too small to read or too big that they can be mistaken for yelling.
Please limit bump messages on threads just to stay on top. Bumping should be limited to a maximum of 1 per day. Members who bump excessively will be given a warning.
If you are a newbie, lurk around first and observe. Introduce yourself and get to know other members.
ALTERNATE OR DUMMY IDs
Alternate or Dummy ID’s are different user IDs that are being used by one and the same person. Usually, forum members that engage in such a practice use their dummy IDs to further reinforce their views on the board, making it appear that others agree or sympathize with them and/or to make personal attacks while keeping their better known IDs “respectable".
If it is discovered that a user is using another ID/IDs with which to post, the moderators are given the option to ban that user and all other aliases he/she is discovered to be using.
FORUM CATEGORIES
Posters (especially new members) are required to start new threads or topics under its proper category or forum. Please double check the forum title where you are posting before making a post. Keep discussions on-topic.
Some other off-topic posts are OK if kept to a minimum and replies to such are encouraged to be followed off-the-boards via Private Messages (PM).
LANGUAGE AND USE OF WORDS
Refrain from excessive swearing and using off-color comments that are made to offend someone else's religion/race/sexual orientation/nationality. This includes, but is not limited to, bigoted remarks. If you are unsure whether posting a word will get you into trouble, just don't post it.
Throughout the existence of the GT boards, the general language has been in English to accommodate the widest audience possible, both Filipinos and non-Filipinos. As Filipinos, the use of Tagalog phrases or expressions is allowed. Please note however that if the post is substantive and informative, the use of English is recommended. NO VULGAR & FOUL REMARKS PLEASE!
VOLATILE ISSUES AND TOPICS
Posting PERSONAL ATTACKS, BASHING and gross personal insults are not allowed.
Volatile issues include Takara vs. Hasbro, Star Trek vs. Star Wars, Macross vs. Robotech, etc. are not recommended. These are invitations to confronatation.
Care should be taken when discussing sensitive topics such as religion and politics. This could easily evolve into flaming. Topics that turn into flame wars will be locked and possibly deleted. Members that start and/or propagate flame wars will be sanctioned.
Some discussions can become quite passionate and turn heated. Obviously, we all have our own personal opinions which others may not share. Its human nature for people to fight aggressively to "win" an argument. Bear in mind, many of these arguments CANNOT be won. When an argument begins to stray from the issue at hand and starts to contain vulgar and personally-insulting language, then it's a sign that the argument is going nowhere and the issue in contention has become personal. Respect the fact that other members will always have a viewpoint that's not in line or at worst, may run totally opposite with yours. So, just agree to disagree.
SPAM AND OTHER CANNED GOODS
Spam posts should be avoided. The random occurrence will be tolerated, but blatant spamming will not. Message boards function much better when there is intelligent and substantive conversation. Spam posts (any post that does not directly contribute to topic at hand) are disruptive and non-productive to continued conversation.
Spamming is defined as but is not limited to the following:
- Posting random messages that do not pertain to the topic of the thread at hand.
- Posting a message that contains nothing more than a random/off topic link to another destination.
- Posting messages that contains nothing but smilies.
- Posts messages in the same thread or at different topics in the forums that contain messages with similar ideas or thoughts already stated in a previous post.
Making senseless and pointless posts just to acquire a higher number of posts is considered spamming and is not allowed.
If there is an existing thread with a prevailing idea already in use, please refrain from starting a new one.
Try to keep the number of new threads to a minimum. This will help reduce “clutter” from the boards.
Members found to be in violation of this rule will:
* be issued a warning via PM and/or email.
* have their messages deleted on all threads where it is encountered;
Further spamming by the member will result in that member being suspended, in the worst case, banned.
Remember, it's not the number of posts that matters - it's the substance. We prefer quality over quantity.
Also, chain e-mail, pyramid schemes, and other such solicitations are inappropriate in this Forum and will be removed by the Moderators.
BANDWIDTH AND POSTING IMAGES
Please DO NOT hot-link images directly from external websites. Such a practice is considered as "bandwidth theft". Bandwidth theft is the use of any file housed on someone else's web space without that person's permission. As such, we could face potential problems with the site owners.
Clearly, we all would like to have photos/images displayed directly on the boards for easy reference.
To achieve this, please save the original image onto your PC and then upload it to a photo content management/image hosting account (i.e. photobucket imagecave, etc.). Then load the image from there.
Most of us are already familiar with this practice as it is commonly done when we display pics of our toy treasures for our fellow collectors to admire. For those unfamiliar with this procedure, please PM any of the moderators.
As much as possible, use small (both in dimension and in file size) or low-resolution images so that the webpages load faster. Please remember, some members are still on dial-up and low bandwidth. Let's give them the courtesy of not having to wait forever just to see an image. Please limit image size to a maximum of 640 x 480 pixels. Larger sized pics may be deleted without notice.
Also, in the event that the image/photo is not yours, please credit the original source of the image as some of these could be copyrighted.
Do not post adult-oriented or suggestive pictures and/or links to such materials. Posting of nude or semi-nude pictures or its links are strictly prohibited. We seek to maintain a PG-13 rating as there may be kids browsing the forum. These will be deleted without question and the offending member will be issued a warning. Members who insist on posting such images/materials/links will be banned permanently.
EXCHANGE/FOR SALE FORUM
The GT Boards is not a buy/sell forum and the section exists as an accommodation for members that may wish to buy and sell from one another.
Disclaimer: Greattoys, its owner and moderators are in no way involved in the actual transactions between buyers and sellers and hold NO RESPONSIBILITY for the results of any trade or sale between members on this section of the board (the exception being is if any of the parties above become a transacting party). As a result, we have no control over the quality, safety or legality of the items advertised, the truth or accuracy of the listings, the ability of sellers to sell items or the ability of buyers to buy items. We cannot ensure that a buyer or seller will actually complete a transaction.
Thread Subjects/Titles
Kindly add one of the following at the beginning of your subject/topic line: For Sale, Wanted/Looking For, or For Trade. This facilitates ease of use and navigation for the members.
One Thread per Member
If you have more than one item for sale (at that same time), please use the same thread and list the other items there.
Of course we all want to advertise the items for sale on the subject heading but this only tends to increase the numbers of bumps and reposts thus leading to a lot of clutter.
By consolidating your FS thread, you can simply update it at your convenience. It also helps you, the seller, to manage the inquiries from prospective buyers. Multiple and/or inactive FS threads started by a single member may be deleted without prior notice. This rule applies to everyone, moderators included.
Members who create multiple threads to sell his/her items will result in those threads being deleted without prior notice.
Availability of Items
Members who post items for sale are resposible for the availability of those items. There are instances where members post items for sale on behalf of friends/relatives. Such cases do not absolve the poster from making sure that the items are available. Please do not offer to sell "air ware" or items that are not in your possession. If you post an ad, please make sure you can make available that item to the buyer.
Items No Longer Available
Also, once your items are sold or items for sale are no longer available, please ask a moderator to lock/delete your thread. In case you have new items you would like to sell, you can either begin a new thread or ask a mod to reopen your old one.
Posts pertaining to the sale of pirated material, i.e. dvds and vcds is prohibited.
Price Posting - No Auctions Please
Items that are posted in the "For Sale" section must have prices - whether selling as a lot or as a single item. Ads without prices will be deleted without prior notice.
"PM/post your best offers" and other "bidding" type of ads will be deleted without prior notice.
This board does not have the facility to accomodate for transparency in a bidding process. The prohibition of bidding types of ads is meant to protect the general membership of the GT boards from unscrupulous sellers. Similarly, we are also trying to protect GT sellers from the backlash of potentially frustrated buyers.
If you wish to gather "bids" or "best offers" for your items, please post them in places like Bidshot.com or eBay.ph. This is not the venue for such things.
Bumping Threads
Members are allowed to bump threads only once per day. Excessive bumping will result in a warning. And please delete previous bumps.
Linking to Personal Sites
Members are discouraged from creating a thread specifically for the purpose of linking to his/her web site - whether that site is commercial or non-commercial in nature. If members wish to sell items, please post them by creating a thread in The Marketplace. Creating a thread with the purpose of diverting web traffic to another site will be deleted without prior notice.
No Negative Comments Please
Refrain from posting negative comments about a seller or the item being sold/traded for. If you don't agree with the price or the terms, then don't buy it. Parties can always PM each other to haggle and subsequently avoid confrontation on the board.
However, if you have a bad experience with any of the buyers and sellers, please PM the moderators about it. Give us the details of the transaction (i.e., the name of the buyer/seller, item(s) for sale/trade, the nature of the transaction, and what happened). Please exhaust all possible avenues to settle the deal properly and amicably before posting the complaint.
UNSCRUPULOUS and FRAUDULENT TRADERS (sellers and buyers) WILL BE BANNED WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
CHANGES & ADDITIONS TO GT RULES & GUIDELINES
These rules are subject to modification and alteration in the future as the moderators deem fit and necessary.
Any changes or additions to the GT rules & guidelines will be determined internally among the staff and are not subject to member approval, though there may be occasions where member opinions shall be solicited.
It is the personal responsibility of each member to routinely keep themselves appraised on the GT rules & guidelines. The latest version will always be accessible on the Forum home page.
GOT QUESTIONS? CONTACT ONE OF THE MODERATORS
We shall do our best to answer all queries in a proper and timely manner but please bear in mind that some questions may not be answered immediately.
So if your question isn't answered immediately, it's possible that we don't have the required information at that given moment. Moderators are not full time and have responsibilities outside of the GT Boards. Please be patient and your queries will be answered in due course.
*The moderators are given the authority to censor, edit, lock or delete posts or threads involving any of the above or as may be necessary. They are also given the authority to enforce sanctions on members who violate the rules and regulations of the board. Sanctions may include warnings, suspension or outright banishment for violators of Forum Rules.
Should you have inquiries, you can send a PM to any one of the moderators.
HAVE FUN AND ENJOY YOUR STAY!
Welcome to the GT Boards! Please read these rules and guidelines, which provide new and current members with information about this group's purpose, rules of conduct, and how to utilize some features and resources.
The GT Boards serve as a forum where collectors and hobbyists can share their common interests – mainly toy collecting! Let’s treat each other with mutual respect.
As such, there is no excuse for being rude, vulgar, spiteful or bigoted. Discuss the message posted, not the person who posted the message.
Everyone is encouraged to post information and research, share ideas, ask questions, and help others if you can. We support members' efforts intellectually and through a spirit of camaraderie and constructive discussion. If for some reason, you have complaints or insights that may run contrary to that of another member, make them in a civilized manner. There's no need to resort to name-calling or insults. Explain your concerns and substantiate your position in a mature and constructive manner.
We understand that members can get passionate and that passion can lead to strong emotions, but be wary. Think about how your message will be perceived before writing. Since this is a virtual community, our messages do not carry "tones" similar to when we speak. So, a statement intended to be harmless may be taken as something negative. Such messages can eventually lead to confrontations and heated arguments. Such types of messages will only lead to a member being sanctioned and the topic being locked and/or removed. There is a difference between politefully forceful advocacy of ones beliefs (which is allowed) and personally attacking another member (which is not allowed).
The following rules and guidelines are being implemented to ensure the enjoyment and enrich the experience of the majority of GT members.
GENERAL NETIQUETTE
The first general rule of posting messages on the net is that if you are about to post something you would be unwilling to say in person, then it most likely has no place on the board.
Most people will only know you by your posts - so write well, be civil and keep up intelligent discourse and people will think well of you. Even very basic questions are OK, just ask them sensibly. If you provide garbled, cryptic or unintelligible posts, or are generally rude or thoughtless, then don't expect other members to think much of you or what you have to say.
Another example, do not post entire messages in ALL CAPS - it is equivalent to shouting. Also, please do not use font sizes that are too small to read or too big that they can be mistaken for yelling.
Please limit bump messages on threads just to stay on top. Bumping should be limited to a maximum of 1 per day. Members who bump excessively will be given a warning.
If you are a newbie, lurk around first and observe. Introduce yourself and get to know other members.
ALTERNATE OR DUMMY IDs
Alternate or Dummy ID’s are different user IDs that are being used by one and the same person. Usually, forum members that engage in such a practice use their dummy IDs to further reinforce their views on the board, making it appear that others agree or sympathize with them and/or to make personal attacks while keeping their better known IDs “respectable".
If it is discovered that a user is using another ID/IDs with which to post, the moderators are given the option to ban that user and all other aliases he/she is discovered to be using.
FORUM CATEGORIES
Posters (especially new members) are required to start new threads or topics under its proper category or forum. Please double check the forum title where you are posting before making a post. Keep discussions on-topic.
Some other off-topic posts are OK if kept to a minimum and replies to such are encouraged to be followed off-the-boards via Private Messages (PM).
LANGUAGE AND USE OF WORDS
Refrain from excessive swearing and using off-color comments that are made to offend someone else's religion/race/sexual orientation/nationality. This includes, but is not limited to, bigoted remarks. If you are unsure whether posting a word will get you into trouble, just don't post it.
Throughout the existence of the GT boards, the general language has been in English to accommodate the widest audience possible, both Filipinos and non-Filipinos. As Filipinos, the use of Tagalog phrases or expressions is allowed. Please note however that if the post is substantive and informative, the use of English is recommended. NO VULGAR & FOUL REMARKS PLEASE!
VOLATILE ISSUES AND TOPICS
Posting PERSONAL ATTACKS, BASHING and gross personal insults are not allowed.
Volatile issues include Takara vs. Hasbro, Star Trek vs. Star Wars, Macross vs. Robotech, etc. are not recommended. These are invitations to confronatation.
Care should be taken when discussing sensitive topics such as religion and politics. This could easily evolve into flaming. Topics that turn into flame wars will be locked and possibly deleted. Members that start and/or propagate flame wars will be sanctioned.
Some discussions can become quite passionate and turn heated. Obviously, we all have our own personal opinions which others may not share. Its human nature for people to fight aggressively to "win" an argument. Bear in mind, many of these arguments CANNOT be won. When an argument begins to stray from the issue at hand and starts to contain vulgar and personally-insulting language, then it's a sign that the argument is going nowhere and the issue in contention has become personal. Respect the fact that other members will always have a viewpoint that's not in line or at worst, may run totally opposite with yours. So, just agree to disagree.
SPAM AND OTHER CANNED GOODS
Spam posts should be avoided. The random occurrence will be tolerated, but blatant spamming will not. Message boards function much better when there is intelligent and substantive conversation. Spam posts (any post that does not directly contribute to topic at hand) are disruptive and non-productive to continued conversation.
Spamming is defined as but is not limited to the following:
- Posting random messages that do not pertain to the topic of the thread at hand.
- Posting a message that contains nothing more than a random/off topic link to another destination.
- Posting messages that contains nothing but smilies.
- Posts messages in the same thread or at different topics in the forums that contain messages with similar ideas or thoughts already stated in a previous post.
Making senseless and pointless posts just to acquire a higher number of posts is considered spamming and is not allowed.
If there is an existing thread with a prevailing idea already in use, please refrain from starting a new one.
Try to keep the number of new threads to a minimum. This will help reduce “clutter” from the boards.
Members found to be in violation of this rule will:
* be issued a warning via PM and/or email.
* have their messages deleted on all threads where it is encountered;
Further spamming by the member will result in that member being suspended, in the worst case, banned.
Remember, it's not the number of posts that matters - it's the substance. We prefer quality over quantity.
Also, chain e-mail, pyramid schemes, and other such solicitations are inappropriate in this Forum and will be removed by the Moderators.
BANDWIDTH AND POSTING IMAGES
Please DO NOT hot-link images directly from external websites. Such a practice is considered as "bandwidth theft". Bandwidth theft is the use of any file housed on someone else's web space without that person's permission. As such, we could face potential problems with the site owners.
Clearly, we all would like to have photos/images displayed directly on the boards for easy reference.
To achieve this, please save the original image onto your PC and then upload it to a photo content management/image hosting account (i.e. photobucket imagecave, etc.). Then load the image from there.
Most of us are already familiar with this practice as it is commonly done when we display pics of our toy treasures for our fellow collectors to admire. For those unfamiliar with this procedure, please PM any of the moderators.
As much as possible, use small (both in dimension and in file size) or low-resolution images so that the webpages load faster. Please remember, some members are still on dial-up and low bandwidth. Let's give them the courtesy of not having to wait forever just to see an image. Please limit image size to a maximum of 640 x 480 pixels. Larger sized pics may be deleted without notice.
Also, in the event that the image/photo is not yours, please credit the original source of the image as some of these could be copyrighted.
Do not post adult-oriented or suggestive pictures and/or links to such materials. Posting of nude or semi-nude pictures or its links are strictly prohibited. We seek to maintain a PG-13 rating as there may be kids browsing the forum. These will be deleted without question and the offending member will be issued a warning. Members who insist on posting such images/materials/links will be banned permanently.
EXCHANGE/FOR SALE FORUM
The GT Boards is not a buy/sell forum and the section exists as an accommodation for members that may wish to buy and sell from one another.
Disclaimer: Greattoys, its owner and moderators are in no way involved in the actual transactions between buyers and sellers and hold NO RESPONSIBILITY for the results of any trade or sale between members on this section of the board (the exception being is if any of the parties above become a transacting party). As a result, we have no control over the quality, safety or legality of the items advertised, the truth or accuracy of the listings, the ability of sellers to sell items or the ability of buyers to buy items. We cannot ensure that a buyer or seller will actually complete a transaction.
Thread Subjects/Titles
Kindly add one of the following at the beginning of your subject/topic line: For Sale, Wanted/Looking For, or For Trade. This facilitates ease of use and navigation for the members.
One Thread per Member
If you have more than one item for sale (at that same time), please use the same thread and list the other items there.
Of course we all want to advertise the items for sale on the subject heading but this only tends to increase the numbers of bumps and reposts thus leading to a lot of clutter.
By consolidating your FS thread, you can simply update it at your convenience. It also helps you, the seller, to manage the inquiries from prospective buyers. Multiple and/or inactive FS threads started by a single member may be deleted without prior notice. This rule applies to everyone, moderators included.
Members who create multiple threads to sell his/her items will result in those threads being deleted without prior notice.
Availability of Items
Members who post items for sale are resposible for the availability of those items. There are instances where members post items for sale on behalf of friends/relatives. Such cases do not absolve the poster from making sure that the items are available. Please do not offer to sell "air ware" or items that are not in your possession. If you post an ad, please make sure you can make available that item to the buyer.
Items No Longer Available
Also, once your items are sold or items for sale are no longer available, please ask a moderator to lock/delete your thread. In case you have new items you would like to sell, you can either begin a new thread or ask a mod to reopen your old one.
Posts pertaining to the sale of pirated material, i.e. dvds and vcds is prohibited.
Price Posting - No Auctions Please
Items that are posted in the "For Sale" section must have prices - whether selling as a lot or as a single item. Ads without prices will be deleted without prior notice.
"PM/post your best offers" and other "bidding" type of ads will be deleted without prior notice.
This board does not have the facility to accomodate for transparency in a bidding process. The prohibition of bidding types of ads is meant to protect the general membership of the GT boards from unscrupulous sellers. Similarly, we are also trying to protect GT sellers from the backlash of potentially frustrated buyers.
If you wish to gather "bids" or "best offers" for your items, please post them in places like Bidshot.com or eBay.ph. This is not the venue for such things.
Bumping Threads
Members are allowed to bump threads only once per day. Excessive bumping will result in a warning. And please delete previous bumps.
Linking to Personal Sites
Members are discouraged from creating a thread specifically for the purpose of linking to his/her web site - whether that site is commercial or non-commercial in nature. If members wish to sell items, please post them by creating a thread in The Marketplace. Creating a thread with the purpose of diverting web traffic to another site will be deleted without prior notice.
No Negative Comments Please
Refrain from posting negative comments about a seller or the item being sold/traded for. If you don't agree with the price or the terms, then don't buy it. Parties can always PM each other to haggle and subsequently avoid confrontation on the board.
However, if you have a bad experience with any of the buyers and sellers, please PM the moderators about it. Give us the details of the transaction (i.e., the name of the buyer/seller, item(s) for sale/trade, the nature of the transaction, and what happened). Please exhaust all possible avenues to settle the deal properly and amicably before posting the complaint.
UNSCRUPULOUS and FRAUDULENT TRADERS (sellers and buyers) WILL BE BANNED WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
CHANGES & ADDITIONS TO GT RULES & GUIDELINES
These rules are subject to modification and alteration in the future as the moderators deem fit and necessary.
Any changes or additions to the GT rules & guidelines will be determined internally among the staff and are not subject to member approval, though there may be occasions where member opinions shall be solicited.
It is the personal responsibility of each member to routinely keep themselves appraised on the GT rules & guidelines. The latest version will always be accessible on the Forum home page.
GOT QUESTIONS? CONTACT ONE OF THE MODERATORS
We shall do our best to answer all queries in a proper and timely manner but please bear in mind that some questions may not be answered immediately.
So if your question isn't answered immediately, it's possible that we don't have the required information at that given moment. Moderators are not full time and have responsibilities outside of the GT Boards. Please be patient and your queries will be answered in due course.
*The moderators are given the authority to censor, edit, lock or delete posts or threads involving any of the above or as may be necessary. They are also given the authority to enforce sanctions on members who violate the rules and regulations of the board. Sanctions may include warnings, suspension or outright banishment for violators of Forum Rules.
Should you have inquiries, you can send a PM to any one of the moderators.
HAVE FUN AND ENJOY YOUR STAY!
keeping the site active as a place to dump info for easier backtracking. 