In the short term, as I don't have the time right now to sit and go through everything that has been said etc. and comment on it fully, the forums have been reinstated now.
I'm sorry if anyone felt that closing the forums was a bad idea - but I thought that giving everyone a chance to cool-off and get a good nights sleep before continuing was the most appropriate course of action.
3 very short points:
- Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but as we're all friends here - please be careful how you word things so as not to offend/antagonise people. If you can't do that, then you should keep your opinion to yourself (that's not to say that it isn't valid - just that the forums isn't the place to express it)
- The admin team and leadership reserve the right to remove/lock any posts/topics in an attempt to 'keep the peace' on the forums
- If you have a problem with a decision made by an admin or leader (e.g. removing/locking posts/topics), take it up with the people involved directly/privately (either forum pm, steam chat etc.). I am happy to mediate any such discussion if required. The forums is *not* the place for that kind of discussion.
I also found this:
http://www.publishersvault.com/how-to-behave-on-the-internet.htmlSome key points:
- Those who like to participate in discussions in the forums, chat rooms, or post comments to articles, need to read and respect the rules adopted on that site. Have a look around, read what other users write, and you may find that the community you have joined does not correspond to your interests.
- Be polite, write everything correctly and try to express emotions very carefully, because sometimes even the kindest and most sincere message can be misinterpreted.
- Respect other peoples’ time. If you are posting questions to the community do not expect an instant reply, just give them some time to reply.
- When alone in front of your computer, always remember that you are communicating with real people. So, no matter the situation, be sure to follow the golden rule – treat people the way you would like them to treat you.