Guidelines Updated - Please Read -May 9, 2009

[ALDWLZ]

We have found it necessary to make some modifications to Guidelines #4 and #11. Here are the latest versions of these guidelines:


4. Treat the DWLZ "staff” with respect. Updated May 9, 2009

Common courtesy is all that we ask. This is a volunteer operation. The administrators and moderators are giving of their time to make this a better board. They deserve our thanks and appreciation, and to be treated civilly. It is possible that one of the staff may make a decision that you disagree with. Alas, it is an imperfect world in which we live. If you feel an error was made, you can certainly email or Personal Message your opinion or question to an administrator or moderator, as long as you do it in a non-confrontational manner.

However, if you disagree, you will NOT publicly confront a moderator or administrator with a post on the message board. Such action is highly disruptive to the board and other posters, and therefore, shows a complete disregard for the board and those posting here, as well as the staff at the DWLZ message board.

You may feel that your feelings were hurt, or that a decision was unfair. Keep in mind that we have to make decisions based upon the needs of the majority of our visitors, and that sometimes requires us to act in ways that may appear unfair to a particular individual.

An individual may have goals or attitudes that will disrupt and destroy the benefits being received by others. That individual may even think that he is doing the right thing. And when he is banned, he may feel that the decision was not "fair." Very few decisions are fair from every perspective. The criminal thinks it is unfair that he has to go to jail at all, while many in society may think the sentence is not for a sufficiently long period of time. Of course, the sentenced "criminal" may be innocent, and then fairness really comes into question. However, most people would agree that you cannot do away with courts and jails, even if some innocent people are occasionally locked up. The majority of people realize that society itself would collapse without a legal system, and far more innocent people would suffer under those conditions. While balancing between fairness for the individual, and fairness for the group, we try to be understanding, and we try to be evenhanded, but we have to do what we think is right.

With that in mind, if any person writes anything rude, confrontational, and/or hostile to the staff, if it is done in a private correspondence, he will receive a warning for the first offense, but he will be asked to leave the board (banned) for the second offense. On the other hand, if this is done on the open message board, he will be banned the first time it happens.



11. Challenges. Updated May 9, 2009

We welcome challenges on the DWLZ message board. Having a goal to strive for is a great way to help motivate us to succeed. That is why we have a Challenge Forum (http://www.dwlz2.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=15), and why any forum can have its own challenges running if it is desired.

At the same time, on the DWLZ Message Board, we do not allow the promotion of, nor the use of the DWLZ name in, challenges that are located on other web sites. The former is another type of SPAM, using DWLZ for advertising, and unsolicited attempts to launch or otherwise promote other sites or products. People come to this site for support, not SPAM. The latter is protecting our name and what gets associated with it.

If people want to send goodies, cards, etc. to one another as encouragement, they are free to do so on a personal level. However, there are to be NO gifts or cards associated with any challenges.

Also, threads will never call attention to another's failure to reach the goal set by the challenge. Only positive statements, and supportive comments will be acceptable. You can be sure that anyone who has missed a goal will know it, without your having to point it out.

A final word on challenges: if you wish to have a challenge of your own outside of these guidelines, do it by email, off of the message board. Make sure you do not SPAM members of this board using Private Messages, canvassing for this or any other project you might have.