Mt Whitney Zone Forums Reference Forum Rules and Guidelines

Forum Rules and Guidelines

Please read the disclaimer (click here).

All conduct must be both civil and ethical.  Practice the "Golden Rule" -- Treat others as you would like to be treated.  Be helpful, polite and professional.  These forums are intended to be a friendly and inclusive environment.  It is understood that you will help promote that kind of an environment.

• Personal attacks.  Inflammatory posts will not be tolerated and will be deleted by the first moderator to discover them.  If the behavior continues, your posting privileges may be blocked temporarily or even permanently.
  
  What do you do if you see a post targeting you or someone else, or that you feel is offensive? Do NOT reply with a post escalating the trouble.  Instead, use the "Notify" button at the bottom of the post, and explain to the moderators what the problem is.  Moderators can edit or remove the post if necessary.
   
• To the regulars:  Please consider waiting and allowing newbies and less experienced members to post their answers before you post a final and definitive answer.  This suggestion is made to encourage participation by a larger community of members.  Keeping a low profile is commendable.
   
• Excessive posting:  Please be aware that people can become annoyed when individuals post excessively, either continuously over time, or in a single topic.  (However, if people are asking you questions, you should reply.)  If you feel strongly about a single topic, consider making only one or two posts per day.  Making more than 25% of the posts in a controversial topic may get the moderator's attention.
   
• Exclusive comments:  Comments only meant for or understood by a few are discouraged.  Please be mindful of never-ending applause.  On the other hand, trip report and chat room rules are relaxed.
   
• Privacy:  Notwithstanding the inherently public nature of this message board, in order to maintain an appropriate level of privacy for all Whitney Zone members and posters, it is considered inappropriate to post another poster's real name either (1) without that person's prior permission, or (2) unless that person already uses their real name (i.e., both first and last name) in either their online "handle" or in one of their own posts.

Your posts may be edited silently by a moderator.  However, the only editing to take place will be the following:

• Fixing links or the code to display pictures, so the picture will display correctly.  Many people have trouble with this, so if you post a picture and it does not appear, it may show up later.
• Occasionally, significant spelling and grammar corrections may be made.
• If your post contains quality information, but also includes negative remarks bound to cause issues with other members, the negative remarks may be removed.

Posts containing any of the following may be deleted:

• Bigoted comments.
• Strong political remarks.
• Negative remarks toward any group of people.
• Spam

If a post or topic gets edited, or your messages are removed, you may want to engage the moderators in a dialog.  If the discussion is calm and mature, agreements can be reached.  However, if you verbally attack, you will most likely be banned permanently.