The Rules

Please read & understand the rules & guidelines which follow.

Moderator: MaggieB

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ChiefPenguin
Site Admin
Posts: 28
Joined: Mon Nov 12, 2018 8:07 pm
Location: Margate, Kent, UK

The Rules

Post by ChiefPenguin » Tue Nov 13, 2018 1:13 pm

Please read & understand these Rules & Guidelines - they are not some legal mumbo jumbo that is there to keep lawyers happy. They also set the tone and character of the Forum and we all benefit from them. Repeated breaching of the rules may lead your posting privileges being withdrawn. For the purpose of the Rules & Guidelines NTMRF also includes the owner(s), administrator(s) or moderators(s).Any members data held will be kept securely in accordance with the GDPA & will not be shared with any third parties.
The messages posted by members do not necessarily express the views of NTMRF. We do not vouch for or warrant the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of any message. The author of any messages posted agrees to take full legal responsibility for any post he or she makes & to indemnify NTMRF from any legal action. Any user who feels that a posted message is objectionable is encouraged to contact us immediately by email. We will remove objectionable messages and we will make every effort to do so within a reasonable time frame, if we determine that removal is necessary.
You agree, by your use of the forum, that you will not use NTMRF to post any material which is knowingly false and/or defamatory, inaccurate, abusive, vulgar, hateful, harassing, obscene, profane, sexually oriented, threatening, invasive of a person's privacy, or otherwise violates any law.
You agree not to post any copyrighted material unless the copyright is owned by you, NTMRF or unless you have obtained written permission to use the copyrighted material by the rightful owner.
You agree that your topics and posts on this site are in the public domain. They will not be deleted if you decide to leave the forum or not use the forum again. We can delete your account on your request. You agree to keep your email address up to date.
NTMRF does not allow the use of advertising in your member name (forum ID). This includes brands and website addresses
Posting of eBay listings (with the intent of promoting a sale) is only allowed in moderation – excess use of this facility may result in moderator action.
Joining the forum with the sole intent on getting a value of a model you have “found in the loft” so that you can sell it is considered as selling. It's not on. If you are not interested in becoming part of the community, then please don't sign up.
Please keep your signature a reasonable size – something like 400 x 100 pixels. Please do not use animated images or GIF’s.
Please keep posted images a reasonable size – large images can be linked to a photo-sharing site.

GENERAL
We consider this a "family site" and the guidelines we use to moderate the discussion forums are loosely based on the "12" rating for films. Therefore, profanity should be avoided, as well as any other inappropriate conduct, as outlined in the general site rules. (any attempt to circumnavigate this rule will not be tolerated)

The NTMRF membership reflects a wide variety of ages, native languages, nationalities and cultures. One of the most common causes of conflict is simply the failure to understand and respect these differences so please keep this in mind when posting.

Relationships develop here that can result in some degree of banter between members. These are acceptable as long as they are made in good fun and not in poor taste. If you are not the member being addressed in these situations then please do not report these posts unless, of course, their content is particularly offensive and/or violates any of the other general site rules.

There are some terms which have become highly emotive in model railway discussions; "Train set", "box openers" and "rivet counters" are probably top of the list. Whilst there are occasions when using these terms in a self deprecating way is humorous, a lot of the time it just looks like a sly dig at people in another camp. This goes against the inclusive intent of the Forum so their use is discouraged.

FREE SPEECH
This is a constitutional right afforded to citizens of most countries in the world. NTMRF is privately owned & sponsored by www.euroscalemodels.co.uk. We will allow "free speech" insofar as that free speech does not contravene our forum rules. The rules of the forum are in place to protect the forum and the environment where all our members interact.

DEBATE
Everyone enjoys a good debate; it's one reason for joining the Forum. The difficulties start when emotions are roused and reason takes a back seat. Unlike an argument "down the pub" where hasty words are soon forgotten, an angry post remains unchanged and as stark as when the reply button was hit in the heat of the moment. Few apart from the antagonists enjoy it and there are always more observers than active participants. There are some signs that indicate it’s “time to call it a day” such as ;
You find you have run out of objective evidence / experience to make your point
You have made the same point several times but it's apparently being ignored.
Nothing you have said has changed your antagonist's mind and you begin to wonder if they're rational. You feel hot under the collar and are hammering the keyboard.
The debate, now an argument & is going round in circles.
Your “opponent(s)” appear to enjoy arguing for its own sake and is not interested in the subject at all and has probably shifted the grounds for debate several times.
One or both sides have started to play the man not the ball

The moderators reserve the right to terminate (or move the the Bun Fight Bin) any debate that is showing one or more of the signs above. Circular bad tempered debates show the Forum in poor light. In normal circumstances a warning that the debate is deteriorating will be given. If there is no sign of improvement then the debate will be locked. This provides a breathing space for people to reflect and collect themselves.

Locking a debate does not make it inaccessible. The debate remains available to be read; no one has been censored. The moderators may re-open the thread if a reasoned case can be made to do so supported by objective evidence that the moderators consider adds to the debate. Repeating previously made points will not be accepted. One way to ensure the debate remains locked is to dispute the decision on the Forum.

Attempts to restart a terminated debate in another topic will be deleted without notice.

ADDITIONAL GUIDELINES AND EXPECTATIONS
Should you find a post objectionable or offensive, please do not address the poster in question on the boards. This is inflammatory posting and only serves to incite retaliation and escalate the situation. Please use the report button to notify the moderators of the situation and they will take any action that is deemed necessary. However, please be sure not to abuse the report button by overusing it or making unfounded and/or frivolous reports.

Moderators and Administrators are not obliged to explain or justify any actions or decisions imposed although they will generally post the reason for any such action in the thread in question as a courtesy and to avoid any confusion.

Under no circumstances shall any action, decision or rule change made by the administration (moderators and/or administrators) be discussed, argued or criticized on the message boards. Any such posts or threads will be promptly deleted without notice or explanation.

Any disparaging or disrespectful remarks regarding this site and/or its Moderators, Administrators, rules and/or actions taken will not be tolerated in order to preserve the integrity and mutual respect within the community that we all enjoy.

Members are welcome to contact a Moderator or an Administrator for clarification or to express their concerns and/or appeal any action taken for review.

ADMINISTRATORS and MODERATORS

While our rules cover the majority of incidents that may occur, we cannot anticipate all circumstances, and as such, the Administrators or Moderators of NTMRF reserve the right to adjudicate, and take ANY actions we deem appropriate, in any circumstances. This is to ensure that the forum is not disrupted or brought into disrepute, either willfully, or by association with a member. An Administrator's decision in any matter referred to him/her is final.

We further reserve the right to take any of the following actions, either ourselves, or by other staff members who are empowered to do so i.e. Administrators or Moderators:
To remove or modify offensive posts without notice.
To restrict the permissions of a user, or their ability to access any specified forum.
To ban anyone who violates the forum rules.
To delete any thread which is in breach of the rules, without notice.

The Administrators and Moderators also reserve the right to share e-mails, personal messages and information from users relating to forum management issues, among themselves, for the purpose of decision making. If you feel that your issue is too personal to be shared or discussed, please stipulate this fact in your correspondence clearly, and in ALL subsequent correspondence.

Hopefully, we have covered everything. However, things evolve & we may have to make changes from time to time. If you have actually read so far & are still awake – enjoy the hobby !

The admin’ team 13/11/2018
Brian Considine

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