Do some folk go overboard with their forum rules?...

[Joy Division]

Of course there has to some rules for every forum and imo ...no Pornographic, racism or abuse is enough surely?

I visited a forum where the owner has at least 15 rules for heaven's sake and been open years before my forum yet, with around 16 members less, that tells a wee story.

On this forum I visited , one is forbidden to make more than one post within 24 hours! :lol: ...

Or use colors In the writing ..blah blah...what a barrel of laughs that doesn't sound!

THAT is exactly the reasons why that forum has barely any members...and none active.


It's hard enough at times trying to get members with so many forums out there, but I think that far too many rules can be off putting for visitors , like ' I'm the boss ok ' kind of thing.


That is my opinion and some of the forums who go OTT with rules are the ones who have even less members than already struggling forums which are more relaxed.

It could also just be my likes & dislikes but I much prefer a forum where you don't have to feel like your treading on egg shells and where you can discuss serious subjects as well as goof around!!! :yes:

 

[pandaa]

I'm going to move this into a different subforum, hope you don't mind.

Back on topic, I would definitely say so. I understand that people want to have every case covered, but along with that, you're sacrificing any chance that somebody is actually going to read the rules. Plus, if you have a giant set of rules and no members, you could have used that time to try to bring people to forum and worry about rules later. 😛

 

[Joy Division]

I'm going to move this into a different subforum, hope you don't mind.

Back on topic, I would definitely say so. I understand that people want to have every case covered, but along with that, you're sacrificing any chance that somebody is actually going to read the rules. Plus, if you have a giant set of rules and no members, you could have used that time to try to bring people to forum and worry about rules later. 😛

That's ok Panda, sorry for placing that in the wrong section!

I totally agree with you 🙂

 

[Ashley]

Of course there has to some rules for every forum and imo ...no Pornographic, racism or abuse is enough surely?

I visited a forum where the owner has at least 15 rules for heaven's sake and been open years before my forum yet, with around 16 members less, that tells a wee story.

On this forum I visited , one is forbidden to make more than one post within 24 hours! :lol: ...

Or use colors In the writing ..blah blah...what a barrel of laughs that doesn't sound!

THAT is exactly the reasons why that forum has barely any members...and none active.


It's hard enough at times trying to get members with so many forums out there, but I think that far too many rules can be off putting for visitors , like ' I'm the boss ok ' kind of thing.


That is my opinion and some of the forums who go OTT with rules are the ones who have even less members than already struggling forums which are more relaxed.

It could also just be my likes & dislikes but I much prefer a forum where you don't have to feel like your treading on egg shells and where you can discuss serious subjects as well as goof around!!! :yes:

What's the site in question? PM me the link. I have seen forums do this and it drives me over the edge! My forum has some rules that are actually "set in stone" so to speak, but even I know that you can't have rules for every tiny little thing! :weird: It's called common sense!

I'm going to move this into a different subforum, hope you don't mind.

Back on topic, I would definitely say so. I understand that people want to have every case covered, but along with that, you're sacrificing any chance that somebody is actually going to read the rules. Plus, if you have a giant set of rules and no members, you could have used that time to try to bring people to forum and worry about rules later. 😛

Amen to that!

 

[Joy Division]

Of course there has to some rules for every forum and imo ...no Pornographic, racism or abuse is enough surely?

I visited a forum where the owner has at least 15 rules for heaven's sake and been open years before my forum yet, with around 16 members less, that tells a wee story.

On this forum I visited , one is forbidden to make more than one post within 24 hours! :lol: ...

Or use colors In the writing ..blah blah...what a barrel of laughs that doesn't sound!

THAT is exactly the reasons why that forum has barely any members...and none active.


It's hard enough at times trying to get members with so many forums out there, but I think that far too many rules can be off putting for visitors , like ' I'm the boss ok ' kind of thing.


That is my opinion and some of the forums who go OTT with rules are the ones who have even less members than already struggling forums which are more relaxed.

It could also just be my likes & dislikes but I much prefer a forum where you don't have to feel like your treading on egg shells and where you can discuss serious subjects as well as goof around!!! :yes:

What's the site in question? PM me the link. I have seen forums do this and it drives me over the edge! My forum has some rules that are actually "set in stone" so to speak, but even I know that you can't have rules for every tiny little thing! :weird: It's called common sense!

I'm going to move this into a different subforum, hope you don't mind.

Back on topic, I would definitely say so. I understand that people want to have every case covered, but along with that, you're sacrificing any chance that somebody is actually going to read the rules. Plus, if you have a giant set of rules and no members, you could have used that time to try to bring people to forum and worry about rules later. 😛

Amen to that!

Of course there has to some rules for every forum and imo ...no Pornographic, racism or abuse is enough surely?

I visited a forum where the owner has at least 15 rules for heaven's sake and been open years before my forum yet, with around 16 members less, that tells a wee story.

On this forum I visited , one is forbidden to make more than one post within 24 hours! :lol: ...

Or use colors In the writing ..blah blah...what a barrel of laughs that doesn't sound!

THAT is exactly the reasons why that forum has barely any members...and none active.


It's hard enough at times trying to get members with so many forums out there, but I think that far too many rules can be off putting for visitors , like ' I'm the boss ok ' kind of thing.


That is my opinion and some of the forums who go OTT with rules are the ones who have even less members than already struggling forums which are more relaxed.

It could also just be my likes & dislikes but I much prefer a forum where you don't have to feel like your treading on egg shells and where you can discuss serious subjects as well as goof around!!! :yes:

What's the site in question? PM me the link. I have seen forums do this and it drives me over the edge! My forum has some rules that are actually "set in stone" so to speak, but even I know that you can't have rules for every tiny little thing! :weird: It's called common sense!

I'm going to move this into a different subforum, hope you don't mind.

Back on topic, I would definitely say so. I understand that people want to have every case covered, but along with that, you're sacrificing any chance that somebody is actually going to read the rules. Plus, if you have a giant set of rules and no members, you could have used that time to try to bring people to forum and worry about rules later. 😛

Amen to that!

Hey Ashley..as much as it amuses me that folk go OTT on rules, it would be dishonorable of me to tell anyone the forum I'm referring to.

There's thousands just like that , so that person isn't alone!

Hope you understand!

Your dead right though...much if it is common sense.

 

[ForumSource]

I usually only set rules once I've seen someone do something that would require a rule to be created. That's obviously beside the obvious common sense type rules you pointed out. But yeah, I think a lot of forums go over the top with their rules and restrictions, but I guess it depends on the forum.

 

[PirateAlphas]

I don't have many.
Just the basic ones

 

[VirusZero]

Just to play devil's advocate for a bit... Sometimes rules are added for a variety of reasons that may not seem apparent at first.

Take "no coloured text" rule. If a site has multiple themes (which some sites do, mine has multiple themes) colours that some people select for their text can either blend into the background or produce horrible contrast and be painful to read. (Like if you have a background colour of #171717 on one theme and they use a font colour of #1A1A1A. That might be incredibly difficult to read. And since they're specifying the colour to use, which overrides the normal stylesheet, there's not much that can be done.)

And the fact is that some people don't even realise why their coloured text might be a problem (because they only ever use one theme that doesn't have that colour issue). It's not really to be rude or controlling so much as just making sure the site is legible to everyone regardless of which theme they use.


Also some sites have a lot of rules because they outline critical information to the guest there. Many roleplay sites will have upwards of 15 rules because they cover:
- Rating. (Or highest level of content allowed.)
- Age requirements. (Whether they allow those under 18 to join or not.)
- Playbys/Face claims. (Who can be used and how to reserve them.)
- Use of HTML templates (whether they're allowed or not. If they are allowed, whether only certain ones provided by the site can be used or if any a person finds/makes can be used.)
- Content Quality control. (Word counts - if there is one and if there is, what it is. Whether text chat is tolerated in some sections, and where those are if it is tolerated.)
- Unacceptable in character practices. (EX- godmodding, powerplaying and metagaming.)
- Unacceptable out of character practices (spamming, harassment, advertising, etc...)

That stated, simply having more rules by itself doesn't mean a site is bad at all. Rather the tone of the rules (do they come off insulting?) and what they prohibit/require are of greater concern than how many rules they have. (I mean some sites add frivolous stuff like "have fun" or "and remember... pancakes on fridays!" to their rules. Which adds length but they're not really rules to be taken seriously. )

I'd also add that some admins have operated sites prior to whichever site they run now. And in doing so they tend to recycle their rules/documentation. (They've already written it up once and it still serves their purpose just fine so why toss it aside and start from scratch? Especially if they know that their list of rules covers everything they need it to.)

 

[Stalin]

Of course there has to some rules for every forum and imo ...no Pornographic, racism or abuse is enough surely?

I visited a forum where the owner has at least 15 rules for heaven's sake and been open years before my forum yet, with around 16 members less, that tells a wee story.

On this forum I visited , one is forbidden to make more than one post within 24 hours! :lol: ...

Or use colors In the writing ..blah blah...what a barrel of laughs that doesn't sound!

THAT is exactly the reasons why that forum has barely any members...and none active.


It's hard enough at times trying to get members with so many forums out there, but I think that far too many rules can be off putting for visitors , like ' I'm the boss ok ' kind of thing.


That is my opinion and some of the forums who go OTT with rules are the ones who have even less members than already struggling forums which are more relaxed.

It could also just be my likes & dislikes but I much prefer a forum where you don't have to feel like your treading on egg shells and where you can discuss serious subjects as well as goof around!!! :yes:

perhaps this forum owner is color blind? and so the colors would make it hard for them to read. and I find most often that new members usually do not even read the rules.

 

[Andyman9491]

I'd understand why a forum could have a particular set of rules that would seem a bit too much, but only if they seem reasonable. Some of them I've witnessed really make no sense at all to have them. Going overboard with rules just comes off as too dictator-like for me, to be honest. But hey, can't argue with them they're the administrator. 😀

 

[Exocet]

Yes, I think it is important to ensure that your rules are not only fit for purpose, but also readable. The KISS principle works well, (Keep It Simple Stupid) as most people really only have a couple of rules they do want people to follow.

After all, posting on a forum should be fun. Rules should protect that fun, not kill it off.

 

[spyka]

When I open a 'Rules' page or post and end up being faced by a large block of text which looks more like a legal document then I usually go away instantly.

 

[Agent_Zero]

I am trying to create a safe forum with minimal rules. I have had some issues with a few trolls that seem to have moved in to stay but I do think that making a bunch of rules is crazy. I started with the only real rules stating not to use the site for evil and not to post porn since it is not a porn site. I have had minimal problems so far and when issues do come up I have been able to deal with it successfully.

What I consider when making a rule is weather it is something that would serve the members and respect their privacy and safety. I do not feel the need to step into each and every fight that goes on but I did create a "Drama Llama" forum near the bottom of the page that is only visible to signed in members. Some posters just like to complain and I found that this forum seems to quarantine them well and it's not visible to the public who may be reviewing my forum to consider joining. If "drama" threads pop up in the main forums I have the option to move them out of the way so posters can enjoy their time on my board.<br /><br />-- 04 Mar 2015, 20:07 --<br /><br />Oh, on another note. I went to a board once where each and every post had to be reviewed by the site admin and approved before it became visible... I can not believe that site was still being hosted lol.

 

[Arch]

I do agree that some forums do go a little over the top with forum rules. I took over a forum where there was a rule stating only staff could use red-text and everybody responded to that rules thread with red text, it got nasty. I ended to having to lock that topic and then I got accused of censoring... (See my reply in this area to admin burn out)

But yes, some folks do certainly abuse the power they have. Some like just punishing others, some can't deal with it and response negatively, then they just perma ban them for the fun. Evil isn't it...

 

[Thomasss]

When I open a 'Rules' page or post and end up being faced by a large block of text which looks more like a legal document then I usually go away instantly.

This pretty much. I honestly do not like forums with a long list of things you cannot do. It's easy to say "Don't do this" without going all overboard and essay like. You're not a lawyer, you're an admin. If you have that many things that you do not like, you should not be running a forum. 😛

 

[wicovapes]

Yes, indeed... I have been to some and OMG ...really !!!!
Forums are there to be fun and educational at the same time.. I understand rules to the fullest but don't have too many or look like the rules have been written by a law firm.... My forum has rules but they are blunt and to the point and so far the people tht have seen them have no complaints .. Just remember .... never play "god" on a forum ..

 

[Deleted member 17779]

I can see the point in having rules. You do have to have some rules in order to keep the peace on the forum, otherwise, the good people that may be active on your forum would turn and run. However, if you over extend the rules to the point that people can't have fun and enjoy themselves on your forum, then you've pretty much killed it. No one will want to be apart of your community.

 

[Ashley]

I am trying to create a safe forum with minimal rules. I have had some issues with a few trolls that seem to have moved in to stay but I do think that making a bunch of rules is crazy. I started with the only real rules stating not to use the site for evil and not to post porn since it is not a porn site. I have had minimal problems so far and when issues do come up I have been able to deal with it successfully.

What I consider when making a rule is weather it is something that would serve the members and respect their privacy and safety. I do not feel the need to step into each and every fight that goes on but I did create a "Drama Llama" forum near the bottom of the page that is only visible to signed in members. Some posters just like to complain and I found that this forum seems to quarantine them well and it's not visible to the public who may be reviewing my forum to consider joining. If "drama" threads pop up in the main forums I have the option to move them out of the way so posters can enjoy their time on my board.

-- 04 Mar 2015, 20:07 --

Oh, on another note. I went to a board once where each and every post had to be reviewed by the site admin and approved before it became visible... I can not believe that site was still being hosted lol.

That's the sort of atmosphere I have on my forum. Very laid back, very few rules. One of the only rules we're really strict on is swearing, although we have word censoring enabled for that so that's not too much of a big deal.

Of course there has to some rules for every forum and imo ...no Pornographic, racism or abuse is enough surely?

I visited a forum where the owner has at least 15 rules for heaven's sake and been open years before my forum yet, with around 16 members less, that tells a wee story.

On this forum I visited , one is forbidden to make more than one post within 24 hours! :lol: ...

Or use colors In the writing ..blah blah...what a barrel of laughs that doesn't sound!

THAT is exactly the reasons why that forum has barely any members...and none active.


It's hard enough at times trying to get members with so many forums out there, but I think that far too many rules can be off putting for visitors , like ' I'm the boss ok ' kind of thing.


That is my opinion and some of the forums who go OTT with rules are the ones who have even less members than already struggling forums which are more relaxed.

It could also just be my likes & dislikes but I much prefer a forum where you don't have to feel like your treading on egg shells and where you can discuss serious subjects as well as goof around!!! :yes:

What's the site in question? PM me the link. I have seen forums do this and it drives me over the edge! My forum has some rules that are actually "set in stone" so to speak, but even I know that you can't have rules for every tiny little thing! :weird: It's called common sense!

I'm going to move this into a different subforum, hope you don't mind.

Back on topic, I would definitely say so. I understand that people want to have every case covered, but along with that, you're sacrificing any chance that somebody is actually going to read the rules. Plus, if you have a giant set of rules and no members, you could have used that time to try to bring people to forum and worry about rules later. 😛

Amen to that!

Of course there has to some rules for every forum and imo ...no Pornographic, racism or abuse is enough surely?

I visited a forum where the owner has at least 15 rules for heaven's sake and been open years before my forum yet, with around 16 members less, that tells a wee story.

On this forum I visited , one is forbidden to make more than one post within 24 hours! :lol: ...

Or use colors In the writing ..blah blah...what a barrel of laughs that doesn't sound!

THAT is exactly the reasons why that forum has barely any members...and none active.


It's hard enough at times trying to get members with so many forums out there, but I think that far too many rules can be off putting for visitors , like ' I'm the boss ok ' kind of thing.


That is my opinion and some of the forums who go OTT with rules are the ones who have even less members than already struggling forums which are more relaxed.

It could also just be my likes & dislikes but I much prefer a forum where you don't have to feel like your treading on egg shells and where you can discuss serious subjects as well as goof around!!! :yes:

What's the site in question? PM me the link. I have seen forums do this and it drives me over the edge! My forum has some rules that are actually "set in stone" so to speak, but even I know that you can't have rules for every tiny little thing! :weird: It's called common sense!

I'm going to move this into a different subforum, hope you don't mind.

Back on topic, I would definitely say so. I understand that people want to have every case covered, but along with that, you're sacrificing any chance that somebody is actually going to read the rules. Plus, if you have a giant set of rules and no members, you could have used that time to try to bring people to forum and worry about rules later. 😛

Amen to that!

Hey Ashley..as much as it amuses me that folk go OTT on rules, it would be dishonorable of me to tell anyone the forum I'm referring to.

There's thousands just like that , so that person isn't alone!

Hope you understand!

Your dead right though...much if it is common sense.

Well, yeah. How hard is it to not type in all capitals like you're yelling at someone, to not use that L33T Speak talk that was seriously popular (and frowned upon) when I first started using forums... actually text talk is still frowned upon on some sites, including mine. But honestly, it's not that hard to sit and think, "is this allowed? I don't think it is so I'm not even going to attempt it." When I'm on other forums, and I don't see a specific something or other that I'm not sure if it's allowed or not, I'll either create a feedback topic asking if whatever I want to do is permitted or not, or if it's something personal, I'll drop a member of staff a PM asking if what I want to do is allowed or not. If it's not allowed, then obviously I won't do it.

 

[Sharon]

I think having a long list of rules may cause people to just skim through it and not really read the rules. I think it's much more effective to have bullet points. I'd like to think that most people are mature enough to know what is and isn't appropriate to do or say on message boards.

 

[Deltachi2012]

I think the thing is that people want to control all aspects of their boards, and in turn create these insane amount of rules that arent even needed in the first place.

The route I like to go is add the basic rules, and add rules as needed to keep the forum running smoothly.