Folks,

I generally take a hands-off approach to the administration of this
news server, in the (correct) belief that it will in general self-
moderate. This has worked fairly well for more than five years. As
a rule I do not read the groups in detail and rely on community and
co-admin's feedback to let me know what's going on.

In particular please be aware that I am not about to get into writing
legalistic AUP's that get ignored (or mis-interpreted) anyhow.

I want to make it clear right now that I will *not* accept any ongoing
behaviour (particularly in the groups outside off-topic) that could
end up in either -

  (a) the web view of these groups being "net-nannied" by blocking
      sites (for all I know this has already happened),

  (b) the site downgraded or mis-classified by search engines such as
      Google due to the presence of discussions on certain topics that
      do not belong here, or

  (c) that would cause average users to want to avoid the server or
      group in question.

In case the fairly "open-ended" nature of the above statement causes
concern, sorry, but I'm not going to turn it into a formal AUP nor am
I willing to argue the definition of what an 'average user' is and what
one would or would not like to see. I am expecting common sense to
prevail here. While I understand that some involved in art like to, on
occasions, 'push the boundary' of taste, and that this is an accepted
practice on some other servers, it is not acceptable here.

Over the years this server has turned into not only a superb form of
support for POV-Ray but also a real community of people, which is a
thing I am happy to see and which I want to preserve. Those who would
choose to disturb that sense of community (whether intentionally or
not) are asked to revise their ways.

For the benefit of new users reading this message and wondering what
right I have to make these statements, or who want to get into some
sort of argument over 'free speech': please be advised that this is
a privately-owned computer system which happens to host some discussion
groups. The old saying "my server, my rules" is a blunt but nevertheless
accurate depiction of the situation. People connect to this system (and
their posts remain on its hard disk) by invitation. Please keep this in
mind.

-- Chris Cason
   News server administrator
   [followups set to povray.general]

Post a reply to this message

Chris Cason wrote:

> 
>   (b) the site downgraded or mis-classified by search engines such as
>       Google due to the presence of discussions on certain topics that
>       do not belong here, or


Reply posted to povray.off-topic under the heading 'Inflammatory 
Discussion at povray.general'.

Post a reply to this message

On Mon, 5 Apr 2004 21:16:07 +1000, "Chris Cason"
<new### [at] deletethispovrayorg> wrote:

>Folks,
>
>I generally take a hands-off approach to the administration of this
>news server, in the (correct) belief that it will in general self-
>moderate. This has worked fairly well for more than five years. As
>a rule I do not read the groups in detail and rely on community and
>co-admin's feedback to let me know what's going on.
>
>In particular please be aware that I am not about to get into writing
>legalistic AUP's that get ignored (or mis-interpreted) anyhow.
>
>I want to make it clear right now that I will *not* accept any ongoing
>behaviour (particularly in the groups outside off-topic) that could
>end up in either -
>
>  (a) the web view of these groups being "net-nannied" by blocking
>      sites (for all I know this has already happened),
>
>  (b) the site downgraded or mis-classified by search engines such as
>      Google due to the presence of discussions on certain topics that
>      do not belong here, or
>
>  (c) that would cause average users to want to avoid the server or
>      group in question.
>
>In case the fairly "open-ended" nature of the above statement causes
>concern, sorry, but I'm not going to turn it into a formal AUP nor am
>I willing to argue the definition of what an 'average user' is and what
>one would or would not like to see. I am expecting common sense to
>prevail here. While I understand that some involved in art like to, on
>occasions, 'push the boundary' of taste, and that this is an accepted
>practice on some other servers, it is not acceptable here.
>
>Over the years this server has turned into not only a superb form of
>support for POV-Ray but also a real community of people, which is a
>thing I am happy to see and which I want to preserve. Those who would
>choose to disturb that sense of community (whether intentionally or
>not) are asked to revise their ways.
>
>For the benefit of new users reading this message and wondering what
>right I have to make these statements, or who want to get into some
>sort of argument over 'free speech': please be advised that this is
>a privately-owned computer system which happens to host some discussion
>groups. The old saying "my server, my rules" is a blunt but nevertheless
>accurate depiction of the situation. People connect to this system (and
>their posts remain on its hard disk) by invitation. Please keep this in
>mind.
>
>-- Chris Cason
>   News server administrator
>   [followups set to povray.general]
>

Please clarify one point:

Does posting links to adult imagery break these standards/rules?

--------------------------------
My First Subgenius Picture Book:
http://www.imbjr.com

Post a reply to this message

"IMBJR" <no### [at] spamhere> wrote in message
news:24g370tdes3mjjqtgt0ur265bi7vgma6jr@4ax.com...
>>
>>  (c) that would cause average users to want to avoid the server or
>>      group in question.
>>
>
> Please clarify one point:
>
> Does posting links to adult imagery break these standards/rules?
>



Speaking as an average user, I would avoid a server which is a portal to
porn, even if there were some difference between a portal for porn and an
outright web publishing house of porn.   Anyone with me?

Post a reply to this message

gregj;-)565### [at] aolcom news:4073297e$1@news.povray.org

> outright web publishing house of porn.   Anyone with me?

Yes my son !!!

Post a reply to this message

On Tue, 6 Apr 2004 18:06:50 -0400, "Greg M. Johnson"
<gregj;-)565### [at] aolcom> wrote:

>
>"IMBJR" <no### [at] spamhere> wrote in message
>news:24g370tdes3mjjqtgt0ur265bi7vgma6jr@4ax.com...
>>>
>>>  (c) that would cause average users to want to avoid the server or
>>>      group in question.
>>>
>>
>> Please clarify one point:
>>
>> Does posting links to adult imagery break these standards/rules?
>>
>
>
>
>Speaking as an average user, I would avoid a server which is a portal to
>porn, even if there were some difference between a portal for porn and an
>outright web publishing house of porn.   Anyone with me?

Well I don't think the one I am using is. Or is it?

>

--------------------------------
My First Subgenius Picture Book:
http://www.imbjr.com

Post a reply to this message

Greg M. Johnson wrote:

>   Anyone with me?


And that's what it's all about for you, isn't it?

Post a reply to this message

"IMBJR" <no### [at] spamhere> wrote in message
news:24g370tdes3mjjqtgt0ur265bi7vgma6jr@4ax.com...

> Please clarify one point:
>
> Does posting links to adult imagery break these standards/rules?

After discussing this with the rest of the server administration we feel that this
is in keeping with section 2 of the AUP and we will not object to an appropriately
worded message with a link provided to an off-site image. Please make sure that
you identify it as adult related material when you do. This will allow others to
decide
if they wish to view material of that type at their own discretion.

--
Ken Tyler
News Admin.

Post a reply to this message

Greg M. Johnson wrote:
> 
> Speaking as an average user, I would avoid a server which is a portal to
> porn, even if there were some difference between a portal for porn and an
> outright web publishing house of porn.   Anyone with me?

I can uphold good (or at least mediocre) taste as a matter of principle, 
but I'm not joining your bible-thumping crusade.

Also, I don't think that being Very Very Offended and threatening to 
leave is going to cause anyone to change the way this server is run if 
you're the only one who's doing it. If you're going to leave, leave.

-Xplo

Post a reply to this message

"Ken" <ken### [at] tagpovrayorg> wrote in message
news:40734b51@news.povray.org...
> After discussing this with the rest of the server administration we feel
that this
> is in keeping with section 2 of the AUP and we will not object to an
appropriately
> worded message with a link provided to an off-site image.
>

Hey it's yall's server.

<<
2.) We have a number of young people that visit this server. Because
    of this we ask that you keep this in mind before posting messages
    or images of an explicit sexual nature. While nudity is commonly
    used as a form of artistic expression we ask that you present it
    as tastefully as possible if you post images of this type. Use good
    judgment where this is concerned and be aware that children may
    be watching as their parents download images posted on this server.

    You might consider uploading images of a controversial nature to
    your personal web page and provide a link to it from a message
    posted here. This gives people the opportunity to decide if they
    wish to view material of this type at their own discretion.>>


There is however an inherent contradiction within section 2.   If there is
free rein to post links to images of an explicit sexual nature,  this raises
a few problems:

i) the site is not a place for young people by virtue of the links
themselves.

ii) the site is not a place for young people by virtue of the discussion of
the explicit sexual content:  ah, the finish on that <body part> is wrong,
the pose is insufficiently amorous 'cuz of <this or that>.

Would this stuff be happening on a site for Rhino or Moray?

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