Spam and free speach

[kj]

There is a difference between the two.

1.0 What Constitutes Spam?
Off-Topic Posts

While some off-topic posts can be quite enjoyable, most are simply a waste of time. How do you decide whether or not your post is worth the server space it's stored on? Here are a few no-nos for off-topic posting:

Linking to funny websites. While you may find the websites entertaining, most people will not find them worthwhile. As a general rule, simply avoid website linking altogether.
An unimportant personal event. If you want to relate a funny yet non-music-related occurrence in your life, don't do it here. Examples of "important" might be the death of a friend or relative, announcement that your wife is expecting, a close escape from the Math Ninjas, etc. (But make sure that you include a decent write-up rather than two lines of text.)
Conversations. Perhaps the most annoying form of spam, conversations are a major source of annoyance for forum administrators. Questions and remarks between two people which can just as easily be addressed with e-mails fall under this category. So do threads full of short, relatively random comments.
ALWAYS begin with the base assumption that your off-topic post is spam rather than assuming it isn't. If you have ANY DOUBT AT ALL as to whether your post falls into the above categories, do not, I repeat, DO NOT POST IT. And above all, use common sense! Your head is more than a hat rack.

Advertisements

If you want to advertise for a non-UGS site that you've created, put it in the "Site Feedback" forum at the bottom of your message. Do not post a new thread advertising your site here or anywhere else on the boards. Commercial advertisers just dont even bother. Blatent abuse of the forum for this purpose will only serve to degrade your reputations.

Flames and Replies to Spam

This type of spam ensnares forum regulars as well as rookies. Avoid flaming--even flaming spammers and trolls. It will not help. Newcomers won't understand why you're flaming them and trolls thrive on these flames. Flames draw attention to the very spam you want people to avoid. The best principle is to turn the other cheek and let the admins deal with it.

If you see a thread that is just a total waste of time, ignore it. An admin will make it go away if it's truly useless. If you add to it, you simply make the problem bigger.
Flames can be funny, but 95% of the time, they are stupid and harmful.

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2.0 The Consequences of Spam
Deleted Posts

At the time of this writing, there are several individuals with administrative / moderation capabilities who monitor this board. They can and will delete spam, typically with no warning.

Foul Reputation

Spammers are not tolerated. Forum regulars, especially, dislike cerebral vomit cluttering the forum. If you want your thoughts to be taken seriously or even read at all by anyone, do not spam. It will damage your reputation for a long time.

Banishment

If you continue to spam despite repeated warnings (by post deletion or rebuke on the forum or by e-mail) to stop, you will be banned. Administrators have the power to ban a person's IP subnet and will do so if necessary.


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3.0 Recovery from a Lifestyle of Spam
Alternatives

If you want to discuss any old subject with the same group of people you see here every day, there are alternatives.

Posting Habits

Here are several steps you can take to help reduce your daily dose of spam:

Hit "Preview Message" after EVERY post, no matter how short or simple. You will have the opportunity of seeing your post as others will see it. On many occasions, seeing my blurted words printed out in fine Verdana has been enough for me to scurry to my browser's Back button.
Impose a minimum length requirement on your own posts. This should cut short spur-of-the-moment replies, which are often stupid.
Leave the forum for a few days. In your time away from it, good ideas for posts will come into your head. Then, when you arrive back, people will (probably) applaud your intelligence. It's a win-win situation.
Be conscious of your image. Try to prove to others that you are smart. This has helped me immensely because now I recognize my responsibility to not spam.
Hide your keyboard. Being forced to use Character Map to type is an effective way to slow down your overwhelming tide of spam.
If you have any other good ideas, feel free to share them.

Flagellation

If all else fails, inflict pain upon yourself until you learn to stop. This is a simple yet effective way of stamping out spam.


Red Loser's Anti-Spamming Guide taken from Halo Bungie.org Forums because its a good one