I have been busy, and have since received a couple, um, self-contradictory PMs since then. This issue is still in need of being cleared up. I'm surprised that so many did not understand the original rules on signatures compared to the relatively-recent change. I'm mostly amazed by some of the moderators here... Anyway...
In the first post in this topic, there is a link to a topic that states the new signature rules. Here is the content of that post:
Quote:
Hello, I'd like to inform you all about an important policy change with the site. Previously, we did not allow links to external websites in your signatures unless they were unaffiliated with you and didn't ask for money. We are changing that policy slightly!
Henceforth, you are allowed to post a link to your personal website, blog, gallery or whatever in your signature, under the following guidelines:
1) You must provide a link back to the TFP.
2) Your site is not an advertisement.
|
The date? December 9th, 2007. I only posted once before I got a Warning from Cynthetiq, and this was some days, I think it was two days, after that topic was made. Cynthetiq seems to believe that this topic was viewed by all and common knowledge. Absurd. It would have been much brighter to have created that topic or copy it to an Announcements board. The topic was also not stickied when I visited, if ever. I couldn't have summed it up better than the above post. A "super moderator" here claims that signatures containing links required approval prior to being used. Considering no one prior had raised concern, I have no reason to believe it wasn't approved. And frankly, I have a feeling this approval process was not correctly stated by this person. If you just think of the number of links in signatures prior and the recent acceptance of links to personal sites, it just doesn't stand to reason.
It also seems that some, including Cynthetiq, originally (and possibly still do) believe the site I linked to was commercial and affiliated with me. That is not true. And honestly, it's pretty ridiculous that anyone would jump to that conclusion. Maybe if the site said "Donate your organs... TO ME!" then maybe you'd have something there... but nope. It is a not-for-profit site that gives information about organ donation in the US. My mother died from cirrhosis, so it is also a personal issue to me.
I did receive two PMs from Cynthetiq, and I'm afraid I have to keep them private, which is a shame because they seem so faulty to me and I brought up some great rebuttals. But an important thing to point out here is that this topic isn't about one moderator or whatever. It's about an overall policy that doesn't even seem to be fully understood by some moderators here. So I have some recommendations.
1. Create an Announcements board or use the "Get Tilted" board more often (the stickied policy threads do not appear to have been updated for the relatively recent policy change)
2. Make sure policy changes are posted on the Announcements board
3. Do not give Warnings in advance because you think PMs are generally ignored
Those are just a few. The others are on a more personal level dealing Cynthetiq's judgement on the signature and Warning issues. I'm sure some people here think it's all a bunch of wasted breath over nothing, and I suppose it is, but I can't help but feel the need to correct the issue. Somebody has to. Maybe I'll add to this later. Anyway, I hope this post will brighten a few minds and inspire ideas to make this forum a better place.