************************************************** ******************
***** IMPORTANT!!! *****
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IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU READ THIS FILE COMPLETELY. It contains all
information you need to know about the posting rules on this mailing
list.

[Last modified: 18th February 1997]

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***** Organisation! *****
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Moderator:
==========

Alistair G. Lowe-Norris

Most AD&D lists at MPGN are maintained by Alistair G. Lowe-Norris.
However, due to the volume of these lists, the following people have
been appointed to monitor discussions and enforce posting rules:

Monitors:
=========

Planescape - Jon
Planescape - Zak Arntson

Dragonlance - Edward J. Pollard
Dragonlance - Randir

Ravenloft - Randir
Ravenloft - Stuart Turner

Realms - Bobby Nichols
Realms - Nick

Dark-Sun - Teos Saa Abadia
Dark-Sun - *space available*

Birthright - Undertaker
Birthright - *space available*

These Monitors have the complete backing of the Moderator.

Note that if anyone wishes to fill one of the free slots above, they
should contact the moderator. That person should be a major contributor
to the specific list, have been on the list for more than 6 months,
expect to have email access for at least the next year, and be conversant
with email, majordomo and the net in general.

************************************************** ********************
***** LIST PURPOSE *****
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The list exists to aid gamers, encourage creativity, and explore the
genre of this TSR AD&D setting. In order to keep this list a safe
haven for healthy discourse, certain rules and restrictions will be
enforced to maintain a better list for everyone.

Violation of the rules will result in immediate dismissal and permanent
banning from the lists.

We realise these rules might sound harsh, but they've been created
for the benefit of the majority of users, not as a result of some
barmy power trip. If everyone tries their best to follow them (you're
not likely to be jumped on, for example, unless you're persistently
ignoring them) then the lists should remain a place for debate and
ideas rather than flame wars and trolls.

Special Note: People who heavily contribute new ideas to the lists will
be given a little leeway in these rules. Everyone has a bad day. If,
however, you never post anything and then out of the blue flame someone,
that stands as grounds for dismissal.

************************************************** ********************
***** RESTRICTIONS *****
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In order to maximize the signal to noise ratio, a number of posting
restrictions are in effect. These restrictions are voluntary, however,
repeated abuses may result in expulsion from the list.

1) Relevancy - Posts should discuss or benefit the list's setting.
Off-topic posts which can relate to the list such as the "Complete Book
of Herbs", are fine; off-topic posts which are not relevant to the list,
are not allowed.

2) Quoting - replies should only include that material which is being
directly referenced.

3) Signature files - should be at most 9 lines long.

4) Format - only plain text should be sent. No MS rich format email,
HTML documents, images, etc..

5) Persona posts - no in-character posts are allowed unless they are
part of a story which has been written and sent to the list. Posts
which are not allowed are those which follow the lines of "I am the
ArchWizard Dracolich Super-Moose Moschops. I could kill any God. I will
answer your foolish question mortal..." and "How can you say the Dark
Queen cannot know this - I am the Dark Queen of Krynn! I am god! I know
all because I am she incarnate!" All this says is "I am a complete fool,
please remove me from the mailing list permanently for the sake of the
other list-members and enlightened discussion".

6) "Me too", "I agree", "That was cool" and similar posts are not allowed.
The list is for discussion. Posts that simply request something from a
specific person are not part of a discussion. These kinds of posts are
known as 'Me Too!" posts. They are more than strongly discouraged as you
may lose your list privileges by doing them. If you wish to request
information from a specific person, simply e-mail him or her privately.
The e-mail address can be found in the header of the note.

7) The list should really not be used as a forum for advertising, either
commercial or personal. This includes web pages and IRC "chats". If you
wish to tell the list members of your Web page or IRC, please do so by
including it in your signature. An example of this might be:

The Penguin
penguin@flibble.org http://www.flibble.org/users/penguin.html

If, however, you have a very good reason for telling the list-members of
your site, such as you just putting up a completely new set of resources,
then this is allowed providing that good descriptions of the new contents,
or the contents themselves, are included for reference.

Using the list to simply tell others of you WWW page is frowned upon and
highly discouraged. Frequent violations of this may lead to being banned
from using the list.

An only slightly modified real email thread follows, and serves as an
example of the sort of thing we are talking about:

a) I've got a web page now. It's going to be soooo coool. I've made a
special AD&D page which has nothing on it at present - but boy will it
be good.
b) Send me loads of stuff for my web page - and send me all your URL's so
I can link to it.
c) I've now put a chat link on it. Meet me there tonight
d) That chat tonight's going to be great
e) Don't forget the chat - oh, and I need loads of cool stuff for my web
page
f) My web page is coming along - can someone look at it and tell me how
amazing I am.
g) Great chat huh.
h) I've put a GIF of a squirrel on my web page - here's the URL.
i) I've put a second GIF of a moose and a whizzy background.
j) I've now figured out how to make tables, so I'm using them to tell
you all about the stuff I don't have yet.

************************************************** ********************
***** RULES *****
************************************************** ********************

Although, this list exists to promote creativity, the creative usage
of language and symbols to insult [i.e. flaming] or incite anger in
[i.e. trolling] individuals, corporate entities, or imaginary constructs
is not allowed. Violation of these rules will almost certainly result
in immediate dismissal and banning from the lists.

For example:

1) That the post does not complain about the 'money-grabbing, capitalist
baby-slaughtering monster of T$R'. This is an insult to the designers who
work for TSR, and tends to cause them to leave. The list was created so
that TSR designers, DM's and players could talk freely. People who wish to
complain about TSR are welcome to go to Usenet and complain all they want.
Just don't do it here.

2) I am fully in my right to say that I think that the new boxed set on
the "penguins of the plane of Flibble" is horrendous. The art is downright
crap, the scratch-and-sniff pack was less than useless, and those
christmas-card handouts in the shape of a chicken were no use to my
campaign. It just gave more rules, no new monsters or treasure - and we
can't get enough of those - and the adventure couldn't be played by my
38th level party.

There's nothing wrong with this. There is something wrong with:

Those bastards at T$R just took me for a fool again. I can't believe I
spent money on this. The new boxed set on the "penguins of the plane
of Flibble" is horrendous. The art is downright crap, the
scratch-and-sniff pack was less than useless, and those christmas-card
handouts in the shape of a chicken were no use to my campaign. It just
gave more rules, no new monsters or treasure - and we can't get enough
of those - and the adventure couldn't be played by my 38th level party.

A subtle difference, but one which will get the sender removed.