Ideas for server rules

[TSO]

I won't vote in this poll because it has little effect on me; but GG, overall, this policy is counter-productive to what you are tying to defend. It appears, from my point of view, you are trying to find a solution to the complaints in other threads about your style of administration. The goal of creating a defined pattern of warnings is a good solution to the problem, but their main complaint about your method is how fast you are to a ban and that you are seen as somewhat insulting to members. You may not see it the same way, but a totalitarian declaration of how you will ban members made immediately after you got tired of defending your position actually does nothing but prove their point.

The fast nature of your ban system doesn't help much either.

I will again say a set of rules should exist, but considering the complaints, they should be more along the following lines:

The staff represent the site. As such, they should conduct themselves in the most polite and concise manner of all members in the forums. The staff gives an impression of how others are allowed to behave, so the staff should not only follow the rules, the staff should also exemplify how a user should conduct themselves in a forum or server. I would advise the staff avoids the use of harsh language, and in the forums, the staff should try their best to use proper language to set a standard for other users. A forum is meant for discussion and communication. Text speak and 1337 are not conducive to the development of a forum.

As representatives of the site as a whole, the staff should encourage the use of public debate, and allow for non-staff to give input on their opinion about changes in administrative policy.

Administrative consensus should be encouraged before action is taken, especially before deciding when to make a permanent decision about banning a member.

If you need a set ban policy, it should encourage collaboration and "second chances." A decent base, but by no means a good final model, would be this. (I haven't even done the math to verify that some of the bans are physically possible.)

Multiple intentionally insulting comments will result in a three hour ban (which will be considered a kick), accompanied by an email describing why the kick occurred.

Spamming will be warned.
2 or 3 repeated warnings within the time span of a week will result in a three day temp ban.

Griefing will result in an immediate (possibly permanent) ban.

Now, the rest is the most important part.

Three kicks or two three day bans will result in an additional one week temp ban.

More than three one week bans within the span of six months will result in a one year ban.

Receiving another one year ban results in a permanent ban.

All bans will go on a six month record. Any year long ban goes on a permanent record.

Avoiding any ban for any reason reason will result in an immediate permanent IP ban.

All bans will result in an email explaining the ban

Any ban longer than three days must be discussed publicly with at least two staff members reaching a consensus.

Exceptionally serious infractions may skip directly to permanent banning, but only after a unanimous consensus from three staff members, one of which must be an administrator.

Any repeated ban longer than one week will revoke a member status, returning them to guest status.

Any repeated ban for a visitor longer than one week will result in a six month ban.

All repeats except year bans are constrained to six months maximum.

Any infraction that would qualify for multiple bans will receive them cumulatively and will be counted toward each distinct ban repeat.