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TechSpot Community & Posting Guidelines

Last updated: October 31, 2008

If you need help regarding how our community system works, please refer to this documentation.

With over three million readers coming to TechSpot every month, we have seen the need of setting a number of rules and guidelines that will help new and regular members co-exist and communicate in the best form.

Our community forums constitute an integral part of the site and as such we expect members to use their best judgment and common sense when posting.

The golden rule that will keep you in good standing within our community is respect.

• Terms of service agreement must be respected in full.

• Criticize ideas, not people. We won’t stand, nor support personal flaming.

• Respect the privacy of others. Do not post other's personal information without their express permission.

• Each member is entitled to have only one forum account and must provide a functional e-mail address (not made public unless you've agreed to).

• Moderators are entitled to make good use of their judgment in moderation. Furthermore, moderators are forum authorities and should be treated with respect. They are all voluntary helpers within the community.

• Use descriptive subject lines and research your post. Posting generic titles like: "I need help" or "I have a problem" may be deleted by moderators regardless of the content of the post.

• Make sure you are posting in the correct board.

• No SHOUTING allowed!!! That is, posting IN ALL CAPS or with excessive exclamation marks (!!!). It's rude and annoying, and if you do it, your post will be removed.

• Use the search function. Before posting any new messages make sure the topic you are interested has not been discussed just recently, you can choose the search feature from the forum menu which will take you to previously posted information.

• Avoid double posting. Make good use of the 'Edit' function and do not “reply to yourself” in a same thread unless it's completely necessary.

• Keep your posts clean: Excessive foul language is likely to get moderated or get you banned. Same applies for shouting (read above).

• Avatars – We allow up to 70x70 pixels images, avatars fall under the same guidelines as printed text. Please no animated avatars.

• Signatures – You can include with your messages a small signature, quote or slogan, please try to keep your signature less than 3 lines long. Furthermore, the signature space is the place to sign off and not within each of your posts.

• Engligh posts only – This is an english-only forum. For any other languages please look for a more appropiate site. For Spanish you can visit TS en Español.

• No spam, no warez, no pornography, no advertisements.

TS OpenBoards Rankings

When you register in our community you will receive a "newcomer" title that will be automatically updated by our system as you progress and increase participation. No preference nor discrimination or offense should be taken regarding titles, you can feel free to ignore them if you don’t like them.

Here is a reference list of the different titles available:

• Newcomer in training: First title new users receive.

• TechSpot Member: Registered members with 50+ posts.

• TechSpot Enthusiast: Registered members with 350+ posts.

• TechSpot Booster: Registered members with 600+ posts.

• TechSpot Addict: Registered members with 950+ posts.

• TechSpot Maniac: Registered members with 1400+ posts.

• TechSpot Guru: Registered members with 2000+ posts.

• TechSpot Evangelist: Registered members with 3000+ posts.

A second tier of user titles is given manually, though you should know these have been discontinued for the most part.

• TechSpot Paladin: “A strong supporter or defender of a cause”. In order to qualify for the Paladin title, a user must have been registered to the forums for at least 1 year and must have remained in good standing. It’s not guaranteed you will be given the Paladin title by just fulfilling these requirements however.

• TechSpot Chancellor: In order to qualify for this title, the user must have been registered to the forums for at least 2 years and must have remained in good standing. It’s not guaranteed you will be given the Chancellor title by just fulfilling these requirements however.

• TechSpot Ambassador: In order to qualify for this title, a user must have been registered to the forums for at least 3 years and must have remained in good standing. It’s not guaranteed you will be given the Ambassador title by just fulfilling these requirements however.

• TS Special Forces & TechSpot Elite: These titles are reserved for our moderators and staff members, respectively. Whenever you come across members designated with either title, you should know they are authorities within the site and should be treated with respect. Moderators keep the boards clean from spammers, and otherwise undesired users. Feel free to bring any administrative questions to our attention in the Site Feedback forum, we will be glad to help.

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