Good to hear this sort of thing is being considered.

While it is never nice to regulate what should be common-sense, this is unfortunately not always possible

This policy reeks of "Zero Tolerance".

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On a separate thought, I have some input. These generalities occur on all forums, not just this one. (In fact the most striking example would be any thread on remote-exploit)

I'm of the opinion that worse than "trolling" is "rebuttal trolling" (in some cases would be called flaming). I consider this to be the worst aspect (and quite prevalent) of forums.

Let me demonstrate:
n00b: How do I use xterm?
backseatmoderator: Use the search function!

Many "respected" members of a forum, many of which have an elite attitude and continually refer to being among the first to join a forum decide to pick on a newcomer for asking what they perceive to be a stupid question, against their ideology, answered in an archived thread, etc. This member is often a moderator or at least thinks they are.

This comment then leads to several outcomes none of which are in the best interest of the forum. A flame war may break out, the thread is locked, users are banned, etc. All of these outcomes are short-term.

But there is a worse crime that comes out of this. A long-term problem...

It pollutes the search results.

Not only does this then recreate the cycle of "use the search function" leading to either a reply to a "dead" thread sparking a "this thread is 10 years old *closes thread* go start a new one" which is both ignorant and a pointless on the part of the moderator. Or the n00b creates a new thread yielding a "dupe thread" or "answered in another thread" or etc.

But more importantly these thread titles show up as on the first page of any relevant Google search query.

Thus I have to say, do not just be respectful of your peers but also respect those not from this forum who years later have to read your petty squabble.

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Another thought (and I am following my own advise as you can see)

Some forums prevent users from replying to themselves. While this problematic (a dev can't bump a thread with updates). It will curb spambots/spammers, I cite pretty much every spam message I've seen here. They tend to leave 3 identical replies on a thread. This will force people to use the Edit feature of this forum. It will also prevent instances such as asdf_uk from polluting a thread.

It will also support my previous suggestion as by feeding the trolls with this applied, those who feed the trolls will have no excuses and can be punished accordingly (they should be sent a stern "Please stop flaming" PM with the existing rules). PM to me is not Private Message it's Polluting Message (as in use a PM so as to not pollute the forums)

I don't know what you people use these forums for but I use them for exchanging information - learning and teaching.

I leave you with this: These rules need to be applied towards moderators as well, I see all too often an abuse of position (also tons of perceived position where none exists). I could quote "Who watches the Watchmen" or "With greater power comes great responsibility" but when it comes down to it, when a moderator is acting out of line, [temporarily] strip them of their power and put them in time out.

EDIT: I would like to point out, that I do not think I am a moderator and I know that no one takes me seriously. But I think the above post is something you should all think about before you post.

Maybe it is something like A**le, iP***e, L*ber*y, Fr**dom of Sp**ch.

excellent. I might come back here after all...

e:
this is probably considered when needed. just look at most common swear words in dictionaries.for example in sweden 17 pronounced is a swear word

Welcome back - one of the few voices of common-sense round here!

For me this is the core point why these rules should be taken into use asap. We don't want all the people who post useful/meaningful/helpful/constructive things to disappear from this forum. And those people have been disappearing from this forum in increasing numbers. Or their posts just disappear into the noise, same difference.

Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with occasional flame war and difference in opinions but you have to draw the line somewhere.

Afaik all reported posts are reviewed. Sometimes a PM is more than enough, do you really want public action every time?

Some threads seem more like chatter than discussion, if that would stop most of the issues we have at the moment would be gone.

These forum guidelines/this policy is common sense but it happens to be hard for some people to not to troll or not to use bad language. These guidelines are written down at many forums I know.

To have post by new members moderated all the time would be a lot of work, instead having people not being able to start new posts in some sections till they have 5/10 posts and only have new threads in those sections (general, community, N900, Fremantle) moderated is a good idea from my pov.

What I notice quiet often lately is complaints about moderators in posts.
Most of the time it is not a moderator cause I would point the guy to the search results (proper links) or merge the thread to the right one right away. Please make moderators aware of such posting by "Reporting" the post and you may also answer the question asked so we could just delete the "search for it" post and close the thread as solved or merge it to the right place.

Are you sure you talk about moderators?
Few days ago I closed a thread cause someone necroed it by hijacking it. I asked to not do so and closed the thread for now but telling that I open it any time when needed for the actual topic. I still think that is the right decision in any case someone hijacks and necros at the same time. In other forums necroism is unwanted but I guess this is not the same here. Answering 3 month old questions is still an answer or a topic that wasn't the least bit interesting might get interesting 3 month after the first post.

Hi Flandry,

I understand the reason for this. It's very important. But I had to admit, I have myself 2 total seperate accounts here at maemo.org. (this one and a other one)

The other account is total seperated from this one and I use it to publish software to Extra Devel with my real name and to write announcements and to do the support here about my private projects.
I do this because I want to write here as a private person with my private opinion. My employer (it's not Nokia) should not know about my private activities here. But my Boss knows about my published software (he use it also) and therefore about my other nickname with my real name.

I want to travel and contribute incognito here at t.m.o. and want to have anyway the possibility to publish software with my real name and contact data.

Is this okay whilst I don't follow the same activities with the different accounts? (voting for software at example or writing at the same topics)

Not sure if its been posted, but how do we know the number of points we have accumilated at any one time and can the number be made visible in the usercp or even under their name?

I'm sure... Nobody wants highscore catcher.