A word about The Rules/Infraction System

The "rules" used to be posted prominently in the TOS, but can currently be found in the thread entitled Rules for Posting on the BOI <-- REQUIRED READING!! (updated 12/21/07) , which can be found at
http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/foru...ead.php?t=8880.
The infraction system (including warnings) is one of the ways we make sure the rules are followed. I will include the list of infractions, with their description, so the information is easily found (*I removed Warning system abuse for this post, as that system has been eliminated).

Actual or implied threats to another member - 5 points.
Threats in public are an indication of someone who just is not welcome on my site. Although this warning will be used as needed, more often then not, a severe case of threats will simply result in the person making the threats being fined and suspended immediately.

Maliciously destructive off topic posting - 3 points
[i]New warning added on 12/21/07. I'm about as tired of the rampantly destructive derailing of threads by malicious off topic posting as anyone else here. I've been trying to figure out a good black and white definition to help the mods to enforce a rule to end this sort of nonsense, but such a definition has not been forthcoming. So, I am using a definition that is as best I can come up with, and leave it to the mods to interpret where, when, and against whom it is best applied.

Antagonism Towards Moderators - 3 points.
Moderators are here to moderate. That means they may ask you to calm down or tone it down. Turning your sights on them just makes a bad situation even worse, so please don't make their (and mine) job harder.

Racist / Prejudicial Remarks - 4 points.
Pretty self explanatory. No one really likes to see this sort of thing and this site is no exception. This is another warning event that that you need to take heed of. Generally a second offense will mean a suspension.

Profanity - 2 points.
This is a publicly accessible message board, so please post accordingly. Note that if you say something like "You sh!thead!!", then look for the profanity notice in your emailbox. Sometimes it is the thought that counts in situations like this. I know this seems like a pretty lightweight penalty, but quite honestly, this is an adult oriented website so I am de-emphasizing such usage here.

Overly abusive towards another member - 2 points
Especially within the BOI, things will oftentimes get overheated in a discussion. Although it is permissible to let your true feelings show with your emotions in high gear, there has to be some limits if you happen to go ballistic and your posting reflects this unstable state of mind. Civility is NOT required, but but refraining from becoming a complete and totally flaming jackass is.

Posting BOI topics in other forums - 1 point
Please keep all BOI type threads and posts ONLY within the BOI. That makes it much easier for someone to find the information you may be trying to report.

Failure to post FULL NAME in BOI - 1 point
FULL NAMES are required for each post you make on the BOI. Failure to comply with this rule will subject your post to the probabilty of being deleted.

Failure to provide SUBJECT name in topic line - 1 point
The topic line needs to tell a reader what the topic is about. Stuff like "PLEASE READ THIS!" had better have a real good reason for me not to delete it.

Anonymous third party quotation - 1 point
Saying something like "my buddy says you are a thief" is a third party quotation. There is no ownership to the accusation being made. Not allowed here. Let you buddy come in here and say it, otherwise it needs to remain unsaid.

Inappropriate advertising or spamming - 1 point
Someone may get carried away with their promotional zeal for their business and begin posting advertising within discussion forums or posting the same identical ad in many different forums. Sorry, this is just a bit abusive of the readership here, and is strongly discouraged.

Has an updated listing of warning points been made? It seems the naming of infractions have changed as well as their assessed points. Also which expire and which don't, how many get you a vacation, etc...

The new and modified infractions are fairly recent...being made very shortly after Rich made a number of posts regarding the interpersonal sniping & his intent to tighten the reins a bit.
The new/updated items:

Title.................................................. ..........Points
Borderline abusive towards another member............1
Destructive off topic posting................................3
Personal attack on another member.......................4
Antagonism towards moderators............................5

All of the listed infractions will expire. Most expire after a year, but a few of the "lesser" offenses only last a month (ie, inappropriate advertising, no subject name in BOI title). Of course, that is the standardized list....there is also the option to create custom infractions, which I have done on occasion. With a custom infraction, the moderator designates the number of points and the expiration period (these can be made permanent).

The automatic bans kick in preset levels: 10 pts is 3 days, 20 pts is a month, 30 pts is a year.
A moderator can also opt to ban a member via the infraction system. If a 3 day ban is selected, 10 points are added to the users total. (In that instance, those points will expire at the end of the ban...since they were essentially attached to the ban, not accumulated.) The exception to that is if a member has enough points that the selected ban brings his/her total to 30...the system views them as permanently banned.

We can still ban people "the old fashioned way", but that involves a number of extra steps...and it usually isn't worth the trouble.

What about the earned vacations? How many strikes before you are out so to speak? And are there different vacation periods?

Same levels: 10 pts gets you 3 days, 20 pts gets you a month, 30 pts and its over.
Those are the only ones available, unless we go into the administrative panel (there are almost 20 durations to choose from there , which is one of the reasons I would go that route vs using the infraction system)
I said it USUALLY wasnt worth the trouble, not that it didn't happen

I was looking for a place to say THANK YOU for "tightening the reins," especially with regards to the BOI. I was disgusted to find that most of the personal attacks are not actually done by the "bad guys."

Though, I admit, it does make choosing whom to buy from a whole lot easier.

Again, thank you!

So I got an infraction over a month ago or so and was wondering how long that stays on? Also I was in a bit of a heated discussion today with a couple members and my karma dropped badly and was wondering what I had to do to get the green. I was an unknown quantity when it started and then it dropped in the red within just a couple post. Any help would be appreciated Harold. Thanks, Chris.

Originally Posted by C.J. Vogler

So I got an infraction over a month ago or so and was wondering how long that stays on? Also I was in a bit of a heated discussion today with a couple members and my karma dropped badly and was wondering what I had to do to get the green. I was an unknown quantity when it started and then it dropped in the red within just a couple post. Any help would be appreciated Harold. Thanks, Chris.

I believe you were given a warning, not an infraction...at least that is what the record shows.

Karma is a different entity - that is peer driven. Karma increases slightly per 100 posts (unless that has been changed), and when people give you positive karma (your karma/reputation will go up in the amount of their karma power).

So how people give karma to each other?

Originally Posted by C.J. Vogler

So how people give karma to each other?

The scales at the bottom of the poster's ID, click that, you'll have an option for pluses or minuses.