Forum Rules and Instructions

[Forum Admin]

This forum is sponsored by ShopBot Tools, Inc for ShopBotters to exchange ideas and information. All posts are the opinion of the individual posting. Use at your own risk.

The forum administrator will edit your message at your request in some cases - for instance a typo in a phone number in an ad. We will not edit content - posts that are illegal or contain petty and/or offensive material will be deleted.

[Forum Admin]

POSTING - If you post your email address for contact info, we suggest you disguise it so that people can read it but a program trolling the web for email addresses can't. For example: myname (at) shopbottools (dot) com or use the formatting commands found under help.

REGISTRATION/CREATING A PROFILE is not required to post or read for most topics. (Policy changed May 2006 to allow posting by registered users only.) However, creating a PROFILE allows you to use certain features such as searching for messages since your last visit. Only registered users may upload images.

COOKIES - You must allow "cookies" to be set on your computer if you want the "New" icon to show up to indicate posts added since the last time you visited on that particular computer.

See help in the blue bar at the bottom of the page for an overview.

[Forum Admin]

UPLOADING IMAGES - Put this code in your message "\ image{Short Text to describe picture}" - no quotes and no space between the \ and the word \image. When you post the message, you'll be asked to find the image to upload on your computer. If you ignore this request, your image will not upload.
Only registered users may upload images (jpg or gif format only). Images cannot be over 640 pixels x 480 pixels in size. Image file size limit is 50KB. Both limits must be met. Resolution of 72dpi looks fine on the web. This is much less than needed for printing and much lower than current digital cameras take by default. Look for a "save for web" option in your imaging software to make it easier but you'll probably have to decrease the size also (640 by 480 pixels max). Also please don't list more than two images without a hard return or "enter". It makes the board very wide.

You can also link to a page on your own website with the pictures if you prefer. Give the URL of the page using the following code - no space between the \ and newurl- "\ newurl{URL, text description}".

Edited 3/4/07 - Size limits are 640x640 pixels, still 50K. Accepted formats: jpg, gif, png

FORMATTING - Other formatting tips can be found through the help link at the bottom of the page or here
Right-clicking on the link to open the instructions in a new window or tab is helpful. URLs will be automatically actived if you check the options box as you post a message.

ICONS ON POSTS -
Blue/green arrows move up and down in thread. Yellow one on left allows you to copy a link to that specific post. New ones on the right allow you to edit, delete your post within 30 min of posting or print the post.

[Forum Admin]

Talk ShopBot Forum Guidelines
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-We do not allow posts that are threatening, abusive, obscene, or sexual in nature or that violate ShopBot community standards.

-Discussion of illegal activities such as software piracy or other intellectual property violations will not be permitted on the Forum.

-While debate and discussion is fine, we will not tolerate rudeness, insulting posts, personal attacks, purposeless inflammatory posts, or posts intended primarily as put-downs or one-ups.

-Posts or threads containing misleading information or misrepresentation, distortion, or frivilous malignment of ShopBot, ShopBot products, or ShopBot people will be deleted.

-Meaningless threads, one word (or short) nonsense posts, personal conversations and the like should be posted elsewhere or taken private.

-We are happy to have informative posts about after-market products and enhancements, or competitor's products. We will not accept blatant advertisements or repetitious discussions of other products here. We have no way to validate such information and do not want to find ourselves in the position of having to constantly monitor and correct product portrayals.

-Advertising, spamming and trolling is not allowed. This includes using the Forum email or message system to spam other members.

-Registration is now required for posting. Each member is allowed one login account. Registering with multiple accounts is not allowed.

-Suggestions for Forum management or improvements should be emailed to the Forum administrator for our consideration in improving the Forum. We are always happy for and appreciative of good suggestions and will work to continuously improve the site, but how the Forum is operated is not a useful Forum topic.

-While these rules cover most common situations, they cannot anticipate everything. Consequently we reserve the right to take any actions we deem appropriate to ensure the Forum is not disrupted or abused, and that will insure its continuation as a source of information and inspiration.

-Our decisions may be arbitrary ... and, they will be final. Repeat offenders will have their posting privileges suspended.

-Access to this Forum is a privilege that we grant. In using it you acknowledge these guidelines and accept your responsibility in maintaining the value of the Forum.

[These Forum Guidelines were inspired by studying the guidelines of several other open forums struggling with the issue of maintaing helpful and upbeat discussions (e.g. vBulletin site).]

Advertising & Promotion

We intend our Forum to be a site for information for ShopBotters. As such, we believe posting information alerting participants to the source for a product or the availability of a new product, after-market product, or competitive product can be useful and helpful. However, such postings will be limited to a single, brief introduction and description with links to the appropriate sites or contact information. As indicated above, extended discussion on the use of other products should be carried out on sites appropriate for those products. We will not accept blatant adverts or repetitious discussions of competitive products. We have no way to validate such information, and do not want to find ourselves in the position of having to constantly monitor and correct product portrayals.

We have a designated area for posting information about ShopBot-related items that a participant wishes to sell. You may make one post calling attention to one of these items if it seems appropriate.


Looking for ShopBotter

If you are looking for a ShopBotter to do a job for you or as a demo site, post in the "Looking for ShopBotter" topic. At this time, this topic does not require registration to post. (edited Mar 2007 - registration required to post to all topics now thanks to spammers)You can also send an email to the forum administrator with the info you want posted. We are happy to help you find someone for a job.

Dealing with a Post that You Feel Violates the Guidelines

We are not able to monitor the Forum 24 hours a day, and we do not want to queue messages for approval before they are posted. That means that it is possible for a post to appear in violation of our guidelines. We will do our best to remove these as soon as possible.

In the meantime, do not fall into the trap of responding to a post which violates the guidelines or which you find offensive. That is just what the offender wants, and it means that your post could disrupt the continuity of the thread if we don't also remove it. Just send the forum administrator a note indicating the problematic post and we will check it out as soon as possible. Just respond to earlier posts without reference to the offending post to contribute to the topic. If you mention the offending post, there is a good chance that your post will be removed also.

May 2006

[orgtech]

I like all the old archives for reference. Is it possible to list them at the end rather than have to scroll past them to get to the new posts. Thanks