WSI Rules and Other Useful Info... Updated 4/1/2013

[voodoochile]

The rules have now been divided into two posts because of the additional information required. Please read all of the posts in this thread if you want to stay up to date on current revisions.

Basic information:

Registrations are monitored and posting privileges are granted at the discretion of the administrators. Yahoo!, Hotmail and GMail accounts ARE NOT ALLOWED for registration purposes because trolls and spammers are most likely to use them. In addition any registration with a proxy server IP Address or from known spamming ISP's will be automatically deleted. WSI is not a blocked website on any of the services, so there should be no need to use a proxy address to register. Any questions should be sent to daver@whitesoxinteractive.com.

Donations are accepted and appreciated and will be put toward paying server fees. WSI is a privately owned website and and while we have recently started accepting advertising to help defray costs, it will not cover all the bills. That means the rest of the money is coming out of someone's pocket, and it can be expensive to run a site this large. If you'd like to do your part to help keep WSI running, please make a donation by subscribing. In addition to helping defray the server costs, you will receive additional privileges when you subscribe. Those privileges will be determined by the level of subscription you choose. Higher level subscriptions have access to a personal Blog space and private forums for subscribers only. To subscribe, please visit the Subscription Information Page and pick the level that best suits your needs and budget.

Please treat the Mods and Admins at WSI with respect. All of us do this not only for free, but actually help pay for the privilege of running this site out of sheer love for the White Sox and because we enjoy having a community where everyone feels welcome to talk Sox baseball and many other topics. If a Mod or Admin asks you to stop doing something, please just do it. None of us look forward to banning people - especially long time posters, but none of us are afraid to do it if the situation calls for it.

Signatures should be monitored by the poster who chooses to have one. Failure to do so risks your signature privileges. Please refer to the Subscription Information Page for detailed explanations of what your privileges are.

Posting images-is allowed. You may add one picture per thread. For more than one post links to your images instead. Not everyone surfs WSI on a monster broadband connection and multiple images slow down the load times for everyone.

The only threads guaranteed to be left open on these forums are Sox related threads. All other topics of discussion are at the discretion of the moderators and administrators. Off-topic threads are always subject to review and will be closed at the discretion of the Mods/Admins.

Any thread that exceeds 500 posts will be closed and a second thread started with a link to the original thread in the first post of the new "Thread II: Return of The Thread" thread. This is to limit strain on the server and keep the site running smoothly.

E-mail Addresses must be kept up to date. This is not only how you maybe contacted if we need to tell you something, but if your e-dress is old and dead, it causes bounced messages to spam the administrator's accounts with dead e-mail notifications. If this happens too often, you may get in trouble for it.

Please try to familiarize yourselves with all of the forums and try to stay on topic within a given thread. For example, please don't update other game scores in the Sox game threads. If you want to talk about what a rival team is doing find the appropriate place and post there.

General Conduct: We built WSI as a place for good discussion. We don't want the wide open screaming flame wars that occur on many sites. We ask that people not escalate confrontations and if you are feeling angry and getting ready to start screaming at another poster, perhaps it's a good time to take a step back and calm yourself down. Feel free to discuss anything the rules permit but don't let it turn into a fight, that's not why this site is here. If you are looking for a place you can scream and rant and rave at other posters, perhaps you should look elsewhere. In addition if one of your posts/threads "disappears" don't assume it was an internet glitch and repost it. Check the Roadhouse or do a search to find out if your post has been dealt with by a moderator.

Thank you.

-WSI Staff

Useful Site Links:

• Code of Conduct
• WSI Dictionary - slang terms, nicknames, etc.
• FAQ's - Answers to technical questions
• Home Page - Regular weekly articles, historical articles, interviews with Ex-Sox players, broadcasters and members of the mangement team, game recaps, trivia, polls, etc.
• photo gallery - Sox related photos, WSI members and historical pictures. Feel free to add your own.
• Politically Incorrect - WSI's Dark Side: This is an off-site separate forum for WSI posters to talk about politics. To register, your user name and e-dress must perfectly match your WSI information.
• Chat: People like to chat during games for a more live action feel. All of the site rules listed in the second and subsequent posts apply to chatroom posting also.
  

[voodoochile]

Things that will get you in trouble are listed below. If you receive a ban for any reason, DON'T re-register in an effort to get around that ban. If you do your posting privileges will be permanently revoked. If you feel a ban is unfair or has been erroneously applied, contact the Administrators by using the Contact Us link at the bottom of any forums page. Provide your user name and a brief description of the ban you recieved.

MAJOR INFRACTIONS:

No Warnings will be issued. You risk your membership permanently by violating these rules even one time and minimum suspensions will be measured in weeks/months at the discretion of the Mod/Admin who deals with the Post/Thread:

Selling Pirated Material or Telling others how to circumvent Copyright laws is a fast way to get this website in a lot of legal trouble and violators will be dealt with harshly. These violations include - but are not limited to:

• Selling, trading or otherwise distributing pirated copies of copyrighted material. That includes all games the White Sox played in that were taped by a member of these forums. Please do not ask if anyone can send you a copy nor offer to distribute copies you have made. Not for free, trade or profit.

• Linking to Sites that facilitate the illegal exchange of copyrighted material. Movies, music and other copyrighted material are protected. Don't provide links to sites that allow users to circumvent those laws.

Posting Pornography: This includes but is not limited to:

• Images of scantily clad human beings. Women in Bikini's, Men in underwear and obviously anyone engaged in any sex act.

• animated computer gifs which depict sex acts.

Selling anything for profit or linking to sites where you have an auction going on. No one is allowed to sell anything through the WSI website. If you have a question regarding exceptions to this rule or want to know if you are violating it in advance, contact an Administrator and we will make decisions on a case by case basis, but in general the answer is NO. You are allowed to sell tickets in the WSI Ticket Exchange Forum for face value only. See the rules in that forum for details.

Political Discussions: We tried it before. It didn't work. There are many places on the Internet you can discuss politics, this isn't one of them. Don't start that thread, don't hijack that thread, just don't. As noted above feel free to register and post at www.wsiforums.com to discuss all political topics.

Making claims that decisions about Sox player personnel or the playing time they receive is based on racial bias: Be prepared to back it up with some kind of evidence other than your opinion.

Suggesting that any person should receive physical violence as punishment: That includes umps who make bad calls, players who make errors, sportswriters you disagree with or anyone else. Don't suggest they should be shot, beaten, etc. for their supposed transgression.

Personal Information: Don't post personal information about anyone other than yourself on these forums. That includes last names, address, phone numbers or anything else which could be used to identify that person in the "real world".

MINOR INFRACTIONS:

Penalties will be enforced as follows:

1. First Offense: Warning issued in the form of a Private Message or E-mail. Learn how to retrieve these messages and keep your e-dress up to date so you can receive these. If you don't it won't affect the ban you receive when you violate a rule a second time.
2. Second Offense: 1-3 day ban depending on the seriousness of the violation and whether it was viewed to be intentional.
3. Third Offense: See the rules for MAJOR INFRACTIONS.

WSI uses language filters. These filters automatically delete swear words and replace them with stars. Don't attempt to self filter your swear words, just type them as spelled and let the filters do the work. Posters should not attempt to use mis-spelled profanity in an attempt to circumvent the filter. This includes typing things like F*** and S***. Type the words you want exactly as it is properly spelled and let the filter do it's job. People who attempt to self censor are the ones who end up getting in trouble. If the censor takes your word out, you are not in trouble. If the censor does not take your word out, you are not in trouble. If you screw up while attempting to censor yourself, you are in trouble. Internet Slang Abbreviations: can violate this rule. If you use an uncommon or newly created one that violates this rule you will be considered in violation and will receive the appropriate punishment.

Violating Copyright laws: This can lead to legal troubles for the website. In order to avoid such problems, posters are not allowed to quote from copyrighted material. Instead, you may do one of the following:

• Paraphrase a portion of the article and post a link. Do not quote directly from the article, and keep this part short, like a paragraph.

• Provide a summary of the article in your own words and post a link. Again, do not quote directly from the article, but feel free to make the summary as long as you wish.

• Only post a link. You might actually want to include in your title what the link is about or perhaps explain briefly in a phrase or sentence leading into the link.

• In particular, the Tribune has formally requested that WSI not allow reposting of their images or to allow quotes from their articles, so please do not do so. Feel free to post a link.

Personal Attacks are not allowed. If something another poster says strikes you as stupid you are free to say, "that post was stupid". You are not allowed to say, "You are an idiot." In addition swearing at another poster even if it is all starred out is not allowed. Attack the ideas presented in a post, not the poster who typed it. Depending on the severity of the attack, this may lead to a rip the first time a violation occurs.

Using female names as an Insult. Yes, this includes calling Jon Garland, "Judy." It belittles women by implying they are inherently inferior to men and we don't allow it. In addition, implying a given male player has female genitalia will get you in trouble. Just because it's a clinical term doesn't mean it can be used as an insult.

Using the word "Retarded/Retard" as an insult. These words have clinical meanings and can be used in that manner, but if it's demeaning for people with developmentally disabled relatives to use this word as an insult.

Using the word "Gay" to express negative emotions. Expressions like "that is so gay" are degrading to homosexuals and not allowed at WSI.

Insulting a persons physical appearance: If the best insult you can come up with regarding an opposing player, ump, manager, Sox player or really anyone in general is a rip on them being ugly, fat, or otherwise physically less than perfect, please keep it to yourself. It says a lot more about you that you give a crap about that stuff than it does about the person you are ripping on. Try to have some substance in your complaints. It's a sign of mental weakness if all you can think to say is an attack on a person's appearance...

Bullying is not allowed. This includes but is not limited to boasting about putting another poster on ignore.

Discussing Attendance - no one wants to hear about it. We all go to as many games as time and finances afford. Making broad sweeping generalizations about Sox fan loyalty is trolling. We don't allow trolling.

Replying to a thread simply to say, “I hate this topic” or “Why are we talking about this at WSI?” It is considered trolling. Yes, that includes Fenway’s Red Sox threads provided they are in the appropriate forum. If you feel a thread violates the rules, feel free to report it, but just because you don’t like it doesn’t mean it’s a violation.

Altering the text in quoted posts and implying you have "fixed the post". It is deceitful to alter another poster's text. We don't allow it. This can lead to bans of several months if the behavior persists.

Repeatedly Hijacking Threads: Try to keep it on topic and don't assume just because you like something others will too. Repeatedly hijacking threads with off topic discussions is not allowed. In particular we ask fans of other teams not to hijack other team threads with references to their team - Keep the Bulls' talk in the Bulls' threads and the Hawks' talk in the Hawks' threads. However: if someone does post an off topic comment please don't jump all over it. That merely allows the thread to devolve into a fight and shines extra light on the hijack which can end up giving it legs and creating the very situation we are hoping to avoid. A little patience a little "turn a blind eye" can go a long way to helping solve the problem before it starts.

[DumpJerry]

Effective immediately, we will not permit the posting of any online codes for White Sox ticket sales regardless of whether or not the codes provide a discount for tickets.

This includes pre-sale codes, in-season codes and any other codes which are not released to the general public by the Chicago White Sox. If the White Sox release a code to the general public (not a specific group or organization), post a link to the announcement. The WSI staff will determine if the link is permitted.

Season ticket holders pay thousands of dollars for the benefit of receiving the pre-sale codes.

Anyone who violates this rule will be dealt with in an appropriate manner.

[voodoochile]

Just a thought and it's actually covered in the rules above but call this a suggestion...

If someone posts an off topic comment in a thread you don't have to freak out and point it out after the very first post. You can actually ignore it and stay on topic until the hijack grows legs and actually does "ruin" a thread.

Jumping all over the very first off topic post to scream your indignation merely accomplishes that which you seek to avoid and allows topics to devolve into fights more easily.

People who do that are no better than those who regularly hijack threads and are equally guilty of "ruining threads".

[voodoochile]

Okay, just a reminder, discussion of attendance is not allowed at WSI. Scroll up to see that it's actually listed.

The next person to make a disparaging remark about Sox attendance will get a week off. I swear I will do it, you have been warned.

[voodoochile]

Please refrain from using the term rape to describe a crushing victory or loss. We don't need to follow the Internet down the rabbit hole and into the sewer. It's one of the things that makes WSI better than other message boards. Let's try to live up to the standard we set. There are plenty of other terms you can use without having to cross that particular line.

[voodoochile]

Triggered by the Robin Ventura management thread but not exclusively due to it, I am reposting this part of one of my replies.

We are starting to get numerous complaints about the tone of the Sox Clubhouse forum, including a few subscribers saying they are going to stop helping out and even leaving the site altogether due to the tone of the posts and threads these last 6 months. Things are going to change in the next year and the folks who cannot control their tempers while posting and insist on bullying everyone are gonna either learn to adapt or leave. It's going to be my off-season agenda. This is supposed to be a place for rational baseball discussion. You can be angry and upset and even express those without letting it deteriorate into the constant spats that have become all too common. It's not going to happen again. I don't have any specific people in mind at the moment, but by next spring we are going to be WSI again not the place a bunch of ranters come to vent their spleen every time the Sox do something that fails to live up to their personal standards of how the team should be run. You have been warned...

[voodoochile]

Yo folks as a reminder, attendance discussions are not allowed. From the rules post:

Discussing Attendance (is prohibited) - no one wants to hear about it. We all go to as many games as time and finances afford. Making broad sweeping generalizations about Sox fan loyalty is trolling. We don't allow trolling.

[voodoochile]

New users who have less than 10 posts cannot post links without moderator approval. If you are in this category and don't see your post, that's why. Please be patient, someone will get to it soon.

This rule is in place to help reduce spam.

[voodoochile]

If you create a thread to talk about things you already know about a show, please put the word *SPOILERS* (just like that) at the front of the thread title. It prevents people from accidentally clicking on the thread thinking they are clicking on a non-spoiler thread when they click straight through from the main forum menu.