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SUBCOMMITTEE.COM MESSAGE BOARD FORUM POLICIES
The SubCommittee makes available free of charge, the message boards, PM, and e-mail functions to all who would like to participate in the various discussions about all aspects of submarines. The SubCommittee message boards are designed to be a community where members of all ages and backgrounds can freely and safely exchange information and ideas. To ensure this environment, when members join our forums they agree to abide by rules. Violations of the policies and guidelines below may result in the temporary restriction or permanent loss of membership.
Topics:
While the free exchange of opinion and information is encouraged, please keep posts focused on the original thread topic. New threads should be directly related to the forum to which you are submitting your message. Please note:
• The SubCommittee is focused on submarines, primarily submarine model building. Because of this, topics must remain submarine oriented.
• Political, social, religious, or other off-topic discussions are not permitted.
Inappropriate Language:
Posting inappropriate, offensive language or language substitutions are not permitted. Inappropriate or offensive language includes, but is not limited to, the following: any language or content that is sexually oriented, sexually suggestive or abusive, harassing, defamatory, vulgar, obscene, profane, hateful, or that contains offensive gestures or racially, ethnically, religious or otherwise objectionable material of any kind. Depicting or endorsing the use or abuse of mind-altering drugs or the abuse of alcohol is prohibited. Content which conveys a threat or depicts an injury in a graphic manner is prohibited.
Deliberately circumventing the vulgarity filter by misspelling a word, substituting certain characters, or crafting an abbreviation is not allowed.
Forum members should be considerate to all others when posting messages. SubCommittee.com wishes to remain safe for members of all ages.
Harassment & Flaming:
Harassment or "flaming" of other members is prohibited. Please do not post or transmit any unlawful, harmful, threatening, abusive, harassing, defamatory, vulgar, obscene, profane, hateful, racially, ethnically or otherwise objectionable material of any kind, including, but not limited to, any material which encourages conduct that would constitute a criminal offense, violate the rights of others, or otherwise violate any applicable local, state, national or international law. This also includes the posting of taunts on a forum solely for the purpose of demeaning that forum's topic and/or members.
Furthermore, it is inappropriate to post an email address, phone number, street address, or other private information about another individual which may cause a person annoyances in the form of spam, telemarketing calls, etc. It is acceptable to provide the public with a user's real name and general locale (e.g. "username is really John Doe from Idaho").
Copyrighted or Trademarked Material:
Posting any content that is copyrighted or trademarked is only permissible with the expressed permission of the author or owner of the copyright or trademark. This includes posting the full text of news stories, articles, etc. It is acceptable to provide a link to copyrighted material, to post brief excerpts, or to paraphrase other works, though we do strongly encourage you to cite the original source whenever possible. Possessors of personally copyrighted or trademarked material are free to post their own work.
Piracy or Unlawful Activities:
The SubCommittee message board forums are not a platform for the violation of laws or to discuss illegal activities. Prohibited illegal activity includes, but is not limited to, advocating or asking for information regarding software piracy or unauthorized emulators of software or hardware, sharing or distributing viruses, licenses, registration information, software keys, "cracks," or other information designed to do harm to or allow unlawful access to any computer hardware, software, networks, or any other systems. Please refrain from posting this kind of message.
Cross Posting:
Posting identical or nearly identical content in multiple posts is prohibited. Moderators may choose to merge or delete cross-posted threads. In addition, they may take no action depending on the circumstances.
Advertising:
The SubCommittee forums are for the free exchange of ideas and information. We do not wish for our members to be overwhelmed with advertisements. However, announcements or interesting new product information is desired. To maintain a proper balance and prevent spamming or over-advertising, the following guidelines have been established:
• Vendor announcements must be made in the New Product Announcements or Vendor forums only.
• Members may reply to these threads and vendors may follow up with answers, support or additional information.
• Vendor product “build threads" are permitted.
• No "sale" ads or graphical ads allowed. This is strictly for product announcements, specials, market research or pertinent news.
• No thread bumping is allowed.
• Full disclosure of company affiliation is required for posts.
• Replies to existing threads may include whatever information is being requested, save for graphical ads.
• Advertisers may not discuss competitor’s products or otherwise interfere or “hijack†threads for competing products or companies.
• Shilling for a company will result in immediate membership revocation.
Definition of shilling from Webster's dictionary:
1. a person who poses as a customer in order to decoy others into participating, as at a gambling house, auction, confidence game, etc.
2. a person who publicizes or praises something or someone for reasons of self-interest, personal profit, or friendship or loyalty.
3. to work as a shill: He shills for a large casino.
4. to advertise or promote (a product) as or in the manner of a huckster; hustle: He was hired to shill
Frequency of vendor announcements are determined by the following:
Non Banner Advertisers
Vendor members who do not have a banner advertisement may submit one new special submarine related announcement or news thread during any 30 day rolling period. Announcements include only product information or news. No ads, promotions, specials, stock status or the like will be allowed.
Banner Advertisers
• Vendor members with banner advertisements are allowed one new thread per week to post new submarine related product announcements, specials, promotions, news and/or stock status. Graphical ads are not allowed in the thread.
• Advertisers may not repeat same or substantially similar announcement a second time.
The SubCommittee banner ads are in place for those who desire additional exposure, branding, marketing and promotion. Please contact the advertising editor concerning approved venues to promote your products on the website or in the SCR.
Vendors may answer within ongoing threads when providing direct answers to questions about their products. At that time they may add pertinent product information such as specs, photos or videos. Vendors will at all times refrain from posting in competitor threads where the subject contains another vendor name or product. Vendors may not seek to detour or “hijack†any discussions toward their own products. Content in violation will be removed.
Vendor Forums:
The SubCommittee offers Vendor Forums through which a vendor can present their products in detail and dialog about them with the membership at large. All forum rules apply in full to Vendor Forums. Additional rules governing vendor forums are as follows:
• Each unique vendor/company is allowed one Vendor Forum.
• Vendors must request a Vendor Forum to have one set up.
Usernames & Disclosure:
Only one username or account is necessary on the SubCommittee message board forums. All others will be removed. If you create a second username to act as a shill or as an attempt to bypass a management ban, you will risk permanent removal. A shill is generally defined as the act of promoting products for vendors, products or the like, and the act of hiding behind anonymity to abuse normal membership policies and etiquette.
If you are a manufacturer, vendor, sponsored representative, retailer or the like for a submarine related company or product you must specifically identify yourself and the particular affiliation in your signature. Any member affiliated with a company not identifying themselves as such is at risk of membership revocation. This is identified, but not limited to, a member who gains anything financially whether in cash, product, discount or the like.
Web addresses may not be used as usernames.
Spamming:
Spamming, such as when a member posts the duplicate messages in one or multiple forums, is prohibited. Spamming will also be defined as posting advertisements in the general discussion forums for products for sale in the SubSwap forum.
Trolling:
Posting obnoxiously in multiple forums or threads with the intention of distracting the membership and annoying moderators is prohibited. Trolling can include but is not limited to attacks against the intelligence, character, or appearance of a group of users, posts designed to annoy other users, inflate the post count of the author, describe or recommend an illegal or recklessly dangerous activity, or give advice that, if followed, would cause obvious harm, or a post which contains content designed to elicit an emotional response from other members.
Selling, Buying, Trading:
All selling, buying or trading by non-vendor members should take place in the SubSwap forum. This forum provides free listings to members. If you have an item for sale or auction elsewhere and are bound by their contract to fulfill the terms, please do not post the same item for sale in the SubSwap forum. Vendors will comply with rules in the “Advertising†heading.
Image & Video Posting:
Forum members are allowed to embed images and video in their messages by either linking to a file on another site or uploading it from their computer. In addition to the previously stated copyright restrictions, members are prohibited from embedding any images or video of a sexual or offensive nature. Any links to clearly offensive or pornographic materials will be removed immediately at the moderator's discretion.
Links:
Members may link to any other site that provides information that helps answer another member's question or is of specific interest to that particular forum. The SubCommittee supports the free exchange of information. Members are always welcome to link to any non-competing online resource in order to share useful information with fellow members.
However, members may not link to sites which require registration or membership to view the content, including offsite chat room discussions. Links to material previously listed as objectionable including pornography, spam, or solicitations to leave The SubCommittee to a competing organization or service are also prohibited. Such posts or links will be removed.
Signatures, Avatars, Usernames:
Avatars, signatures and usernames are available to present your favorite submarine or saying in every post. Rules regarding thread content apply here as well: no prohibited, offensive or off topic material will be allowed.
Only banner advertising vendors may provide information to a commercial website and then only in a signature. The information allowed is limited to company name or website URL. No other promotional or advertising material is allowed except the information that is required by the disclosure statement.
Personal and r/c club links in a signature are acceptable as long as the website is not commercial or in any form of competition with The SubCommittee.
Any signature, avatar or profile information that is offensive or pornographic in nature will be removed immediately at management's discretion.
Under no circumstances may you impersonate a moderator, staff member or officer of The SubCommittee. These titles are earned and appointed only by SubCommittee Administrators.
Contests & Polls:
Members may create polls to collect data or gauge interest in topics and events, to research future product development, or for entertainment purposes. Members may not link to, or otherwise direct users to, offsite polls.
Contests where items of real value may be awarded may be run by Banner Advertisers no more than once every 30 days. Non-Banner Advertisers may run contests only if the item has no real value, or if special permission is received from the forum moderator or site administrators. Raffles are only allowed with written permission from The SubCommittee. Wagering is prohibited on SubCommittee.com.
Member Bans:
The SubCommittee reserves the right at its sole discretion to restrict, suspend, or terminate your access to any part of these forums. If you violate any of the rules stated in this document or any other service terms documents, a moderator will remove the offending message. It is your responsibility to maintain a current, valid email address in the registration information so that management can contact you in the event of a policy violation. Any member who violates our policies will, at the administrator's discretion, be denied access to these forums. Any member who consistently refuses to comply with the policies of these forums will be banned permanently.
User Content Management:
Members are solely responsible for all content posted under their account. It is each member's obligation and responsibility to log off at the end of their session to prevent unauthorized use of the message board and account access. There is no expectation of privacy as it relates to the content a member submits and is normally available to the public. The SubCommittee also reserves the right to keep all member submitted content archived and available.
The SubCommittee shall have the right, but not the obligation, to correct any errors or omissions in any content, as it may determine in its sole discretion. The SubCommittee further reserves the right to delete or remove any user content from the site and to deny the access of any member to all or part of this site, at any time for any reason without prior notice or liability.
Private Messaging:
While the topics may vary, all forum etiquette rules apply to private messaging via the SubCommittee message boards. All rules that are broken via private messaging will be dealt with in the same fashion as if they were posted on the forum itself.
If you have any further questions send a Private Message to webmaster@subcommittee.com.
The SubCommittee makes available free of charge, the message boards, PM, and e-mail functions to all who would like to participate in the various discussions about all aspects of submarines. The SubCommittee message boards are designed to be a community where members of all ages and backgrounds can freely and safely exchange information and ideas. To ensure this environment, when members join our forums they agree to abide by rules. Violations of the policies and guidelines below may result in the temporary restriction or permanent loss of membership.
Topics:
While the free exchange of opinion and information is encouraged, please keep posts focused on the original thread topic. New threads should be directly related to the forum to which you are submitting your message. Please note:
• The SubCommittee is focused on submarines, primarily submarine model building. Because of this, topics must remain submarine oriented.
• Political, social, religious, or other off-topic discussions are not permitted.
Inappropriate Language:
Posting inappropriate, offensive language or language substitutions are not permitted. Inappropriate or offensive language includes, but is not limited to, the following: any language or content that is sexually oriented, sexually suggestive or abusive, harassing, defamatory, vulgar, obscene, profane, hateful, or that contains offensive gestures or racially, ethnically, religious or otherwise objectionable material of any kind. Depicting or endorsing the use or abuse of mind-altering drugs or the abuse of alcohol is prohibited. Content which conveys a threat or depicts an injury in a graphic manner is prohibited.
Deliberately circumventing the vulgarity filter by misspelling a word, substituting certain characters, or crafting an abbreviation is not allowed.
Forum members should be considerate to all others when posting messages. SubCommittee.com wishes to remain safe for members of all ages.
Harassment & Flaming:
Harassment or "flaming" of other members is prohibited. Please do not post or transmit any unlawful, harmful, threatening, abusive, harassing, defamatory, vulgar, obscene, profane, hateful, racially, ethnically or otherwise objectionable material of any kind, including, but not limited to, any material which encourages conduct that would constitute a criminal offense, violate the rights of others, or otherwise violate any applicable local, state, national or international law. This also includes the posting of taunts on a forum solely for the purpose of demeaning that forum's topic and/or members.
Furthermore, it is inappropriate to post an email address, phone number, street address, or other private information about another individual which may cause a person annoyances in the form of spam, telemarketing calls, etc. It is acceptable to provide the public with a user's real name and general locale (e.g. "username is really John Doe from Idaho").
Copyrighted or Trademarked Material:
Posting any content that is copyrighted or trademarked is only permissible with the expressed permission of the author or owner of the copyright or trademark. This includes posting the full text of news stories, articles, etc. It is acceptable to provide a link to copyrighted material, to post brief excerpts, or to paraphrase other works, though we do strongly encourage you to cite the original source whenever possible. Possessors of personally copyrighted or trademarked material are free to post their own work.
Piracy or Unlawful Activities:
The SubCommittee message board forums are not a platform for the violation of laws or to discuss illegal activities. Prohibited illegal activity includes, but is not limited to, advocating or asking for information regarding software piracy or unauthorized emulators of software or hardware, sharing or distributing viruses, licenses, registration information, software keys, "cracks," or other information designed to do harm to or allow unlawful access to any computer hardware, software, networks, or any other systems. Please refrain from posting this kind of message.
Cross Posting:
Posting identical or nearly identical content in multiple posts is prohibited. Moderators may choose to merge or delete cross-posted threads. In addition, they may take no action depending on the circumstances.
Advertising:
The SubCommittee forums are for the free exchange of ideas and information. We do not wish for our members to be overwhelmed with advertisements. However, announcements or interesting new product information is desired. To maintain a proper balance and prevent spamming or over-advertising, the following guidelines have been established:
• Vendor announcements must be made in the New Product Announcements or Vendor forums only.
• Members may reply to these threads and vendors may follow up with answers, support or additional information.
• Vendor product “build threads" are permitted.
• No "sale" ads or graphical ads allowed. This is strictly for product announcements, specials, market research or pertinent news.
• No thread bumping is allowed.
• Full disclosure of company affiliation is required for posts.
• Replies to existing threads may include whatever information is being requested, save for graphical ads.
• Advertisers may not discuss competitor’s products or otherwise interfere or “hijack†threads for competing products or companies.
• Shilling for a company will result in immediate membership revocation.
Definition of shilling from Webster's dictionary:
1. a person who poses as a customer in order to decoy others into participating, as at a gambling house, auction, confidence game, etc.
2. a person who publicizes or praises something or someone for reasons of self-interest, personal profit, or friendship or loyalty.
3. to work as a shill: He shills for a large casino.
4. to advertise or promote (a product) as or in the manner of a huckster; hustle: He was hired to shill
Frequency of vendor announcements are determined by the following:
Non Banner Advertisers
Vendor members who do not have a banner advertisement may submit one new special submarine related announcement or news thread during any 30 day rolling period. Announcements include only product information or news. No ads, promotions, specials, stock status or the like will be allowed.
Banner Advertisers
• Vendor members with banner advertisements are allowed one new thread per week to post new submarine related product announcements, specials, promotions, news and/or stock status. Graphical ads are not allowed in the thread.
• Advertisers may not repeat same or substantially similar announcement a second time.
The SubCommittee banner ads are in place for those who desire additional exposure, branding, marketing and promotion. Please contact the advertising editor concerning approved venues to promote your products on the website or in the SCR.
Vendors may answer within ongoing threads when providing direct answers to questions about their products. At that time they may add pertinent product information such as specs, photos or videos. Vendors will at all times refrain from posting in competitor threads where the subject contains another vendor name or product. Vendors may not seek to detour or “hijack†any discussions toward their own products. Content in violation will be removed.
Vendor Forums:
The SubCommittee offers Vendor Forums through which a vendor can present their products in detail and dialog about them with the membership at large. All forum rules apply in full to Vendor Forums. Additional rules governing vendor forums are as follows:
• Each unique vendor/company is allowed one Vendor Forum.
• Vendors must request a Vendor Forum to have one set up.
Usernames & Disclosure:
Only one username or account is necessary on the SubCommittee message board forums. All others will be removed. If you create a second username to act as a shill or as an attempt to bypass a management ban, you will risk permanent removal. A shill is generally defined as the act of promoting products for vendors, products or the like, and the act of hiding behind anonymity to abuse normal membership policies and etiquette.
If you are a manufacturer, vendor, sponsored representative, retailer or the like for a submarine related company or product you must specifically identify yourself and the particular affiliation in your signature. Any member affiliated with a company not identifying themselves as such is at risk of membership revocation. This is identified, but not limited to, a member who gains anything financially whether in cash, product, discount or the like.
Web addresses may not be used as usernames.
Spamming:
Spamming, such as when a member posts the duplicate messages in one or multiple forums, is prohibited. Spamming will also be defined as posting advertisements in the general discussion forums for products for sale in the SubSwap forum.
Trolling:
Posting obnoxiously in multiple forums or threads with the intention of distracting the membership and annoying moderators is prohibited. Trolling can include but is not limited to attacks against the intelligence, character, or appearance of a group of users, posts designed to annoy other users, inflate the post count of the author, describe or recommend an illegal or recklessly dangerous activity, or give advice that, if followed, would cause obvious harm, or a post which contains content designed to elicit an emotional response from other members.
Selling, Buying, Trading:
All selling, buying or trading by non-vendor members should take place in the SubSwap forum. This forum provides free listings to members. If you have an item for sale or auction elsewhere and are bound by their contract to fulfill the terms, please do not post the same item for sale in the SubSwap forum. Vendors will comply with rules in the “Advertising†heading.
Image & Video Posting:
Forum members are allowed to embed images and video in their messages by either linking to a file on another site or uploading it from their computer. In addition to the previously stated copyright restrictions, members are prohibited from embedding any images or video of a sexual or offensive nature. Any links to clearly offensive or pornographic materials will be removed immediately at the moderator's discretion.
Links:
Members may link to any other site that provides information that helps answer another member's question or is of specific interest to that particular forum. The SubCommittee supports the free exchange of information. Members are always welcome to link to any non-competing online resource in order to share useful information with fellow members.
However, members may not link to sites which require registration or membership to view the content, including offsite chat room discussions. Links to material previously listed as objectionable including pornography, spam, or solicitations to leave The SubCommittee to a competing organization or service are also prohibited. Such posts or links will be removed.
Signatures, Avatars, Usernames:
Avatars, signatures and usernames are available to present your favorite submarine or saying in every post. Rules regarding thread content apply here as well: no prohibited, offensive or off topic material will be allowed.
Only banner advertising vendors may provide information to a commercial website and then only in a signature. The information allowed is limited to company name or website URL. No other promotional or advertising material is allowed except the information that is required by the disclosure statement.
Personal and r/c club links in a signature are acceptable as long as the website is not commercial or in any form of competition with The SubCommittee.
Any signature, avatar or profile information that is offensive or pornographic in nature will be removed immediately at management's discretion.
Under no circumstances may you impersonate a moderator, staff member or officer of The SubCommittee. These titles are earned and appointed only by SubCommittee Administrators.
Contests & Polls:
Members may create polls to collect data or gauge interest in topics and events, to research future product development, or for entertainment purposes. Members may not link to, or otherwise direct users to, offsite polls.
Contests where items of real value may be awarded may be run by Banner Advertisers no more than once every 30 days. Non-Banner Advertisers may run contests only if the item has no real value, or if special permission is received from the forum moderator or site administrators. Raffles are only allowed with written permission from The SubCommittee. Wagering is prohibited on SubCommittee.com.
Member Bans:
The SubCommittee reserves the right at its sole discretion to restrict, suspend, or terminate your access to any part of these forums. If you violate any of the rules stated in this document or any other service terms documents, a moderator will remove the offending message. It is your responsibility to maintain a current, valid email address in the registration information so that management can contact you in the event of a policy violation. Any member who violates our policies will, at the administrator's discretion, be denied access to these forums. Any member who consistently refuses to comply with the policies of these forums will be banned permanently.
User Content Management:
Members are solely responsible for all content posted under their account. It is each member's obligation and responsibility to log off at the end of their session to prevent unauthorized use of the message board and account access. There is no expectation of privacy as it relates to the content a member submits and is normally available to the public. The SubCommittee also reserves the right to keep all member submitted content archived and available.
The SubCommittee shall have the right, but not the obligation, to correct any errors or omissions in any content, as it may determine in its sole discretion. The SubCommittee further reserves the right to delete or remove any user content from the site and to deny the access of any member to all or part of this site, at any time for any reason without prior notice or liability.
Private Messaging:
While the topics may vary, all forum etiquette rules apply to private messaging via the SubCommittee message boards. All rules that are broken via private messaging will be dealt with in the same fashion as if they were posted on the forum itself.
If you have any further questions send a Private Message to webmaster@subcommittee.com.