User blog:Thantosiet/Nitpicking the rules

Okay, so I've mentioned a few times that I'd like to overhaul the rules for the site. While I think a lot of them are sensible, I also think some are really vague and others aren't actually rules. I don't know if this is the case, but I suspect that some people don't even read them, partly because they're so long. So here I'm going through them and asking all of the questions.

Why am I doing this, especially in a blog post? Because it's been bothering me for a long time. I've mentioned it before, but nothing happened. I really think our current system isn't doing its job effectively, and it's causing confusion and other problems that don't need to exist.

My questions are italicized.

Offensive Content/Cussing

 * No pornographic, racist, sexist, or offensive content.
 * Cussing is allowed, just get permission from an admin before adding any. Adding curses where?

Official Series

 * Please don't copy anything from RangerWiki  or any other wiki. What qualifies as copying? We’ve got a lot of copy-pasted info already, and for adaptations that’s going to happen a lot.
 * Don't add anything from any other series unless it is for a crossover. If you want to add something about another series, you can add them here: What is the point of these links?


 * For Kamen Rider: http://kamenriderfanon.wikia.com
 * For Metal Heroes: http://metalheroesfanon.wikia.com
 * For Garo, Ultraman, Zubat, Inazuman, or other Toku: http://tokusatsufanfiction.wikia.com
 * Anything from an official series (Power Rangers or any others) will be removed. If it is for your fanon then we will keep it, but if it's not we will have to remove it. This is redundant, and it’s vague. Where do we draw the line?

Naming

 * Please don't make a category called (for example) "Episodes, Rangers, Weapon" if we have categories called "Episode, Ranger, Weapons." I’d phrase this one as “Make sure you’re not duplicating a category when you create a new one.” At least a couple of users have already been confused by this version.
 * When you create a page, capitalize the title. This needs to be a rule? Also, this is a rule but there aren’t any other style rules—you have to spell the title correctly, not use capslock, etc?
 * >Don't put any of the offensive content from above in your user name, series, characters, etc. What does that mean? You can’t create a character who’s sexist?

Trolling and Bullying

 * No trolling or bullying any other members. If you get reported, or if an admin sees you doing it, you will be given a warning and blocked from editing on the wiki for a week. If you continue then you will be deleted off of the wiki. Maybe we should define what trolling and bullying are? Also, I think that covers it. We don't need a whole section for this.
 * If you are just trying to give advice to someone, make sure you try to say it with respect. Is this a rule? If it is, how do we enforce it?
 * If someone ends up trolling you on other sites also, contact their admins before reporting it to wiki staff. This doesn’t seem relevant.

Becoming Admin
First make sure to read this:  Administrators page]
 * If you want to become an admin or chat mod, don't beg on an admin's page, fill out a request here.
 * When you become admin, report any changes to the main page, logo, backgrounds, and site content along with when you are going to delete a page, rename a page, make someone else admin/chat mod, block someone, or block someone from chat BEFORE you do it, or else you could end up losing your powers. This list is long and vague. What if someone's just renaming a page to correct a spelling error? Or has to deal with a fight while all the other admins are away?
 * Don’t bother people asking when you will become admin. Good idea, but does it need to be a rule?
 * If you become admin, don't boss people around like you're better than them. This sounds really subjective.

Becoming a member of this Wiki

 * If you are under the age of 13/you reveal you're under the age of 13 you will sadly have to be removed from this wiki until you become 13, as is the law.
 * Do not "mini-mod," as in acting like an admin if you're not one. Can we be a little more specific?
 * Once you make one edit to this wiki, you are a member. I’d put this one first.
 * Try to make edits to your page so people can see what you like. Is this really a rule?

Leaving this Wiki
There is no way to leave this wiki, so if you want to you will just have to never come back. But here is what you should do when leaving.
 * Tell people why you are leaving/when.
 * If it is over a fight, contact an admin first and maybe they can help you.
 * Tell an admin that you are leaving so they can put the abandoned banner on your pages. What if they don't want their series abandoned?
 * If you want to give someone your series, tell any fans about this change.

''This seems like a good idea, but it doesn't cover what happens when someone just disappears without warning their fans. I don't think I've ever seen someone announce they were going to leave, unless you count "if you don't do X I'm leaving!" threats.''

Abandoning your projects/Taking over a series

 * If you are going to be abandoning your projects, then contact an admin so we can add a banner on the top of your pages saying they are abandoned. I think we need to mention people who want their series removed or left here untouched, not just abandoned. They should have more options than abandonment.
 * Once someone has abandoned a series and you want to take it over, send a message to the creator of that series also asking. If they say yes or don't respond (make sure to wait a week), then put a request in here . Most pages that get adopted are abandoned, meaning the creator hasn't been on the site in years. What's the point of wasting a week asking someone who isn't even here?
 * Once you've taken over a series, don't change everything about it (Deleting characters, zords, etc). If you are going to do that then just make a new series. This doesn’t seem like an actual rule.

Images

 * Don't re-upload an image that is already on the wiki. So many people are breaking this one…I think we need a better way to tell what photos are already on here.
 * Never use a photo that shows someone who isn't an actor in your series, unless it is you. This one is confusing. I think you mean “only post photos of actors or yourself, not ordinary people who don't know what you're doing with their likeness.”

Videos

 * Don't upload anything from the official series unless you're using it. Shouldn’t this fall under the “Official Series” section already?

Blogs

 * Blogs are for giving updates, posting trailers, contests, etc., so don't use it for movie reviews, saying hi, etc. Is this a rule?
 * If you have questions, don't ask in a blog, post it in our forums. Nobody looks at the forums unless a discussion is highlighted.
 * You can start up a review service on blogs, but ask an admin first. Does this need to be a rule?

Forums

 * Don't link a forum post to a page unless it's about it. Does this really need to be a rule? Wouldn't it count as spamming?

Stub
If you page has a stub post on it that means it isn't long enough. Here is what fits to not be a stub...
 * It has more then two sections.
 * Has over 600 words in it.

In order to get that stub removed, you have to make sure it meets that request. If you find a page that should be a stub, tell an admin about it and they will fix it. If your page is no longer a stub, you can remove the post from the page. ''This one is much more specific than a lot of the others, which I like, but there's one problem I've noticed. Pages labeled "Stub" tend to get edited by users who aren't the owners, probably because the banner says to add to the page.''

Deleting a page

 * If it's yours, make sure to tell why when deleting it. Tell who, and how?
 * If you need it deleted ASAP, contact an admin. That kind of contradicts the earlier rule. Also, why not just do it yourself?
 * If you didn't make that page and you want it deleted, tell an admin why and ask the creator of that page if you can get it deleted. I have no idea what this is referring to.

Copying a page

 * If someone copies your page or an element from your story, then contact an admin about it.
 * Make sure to also contact the user who made it to see why they did it.
 * If an admin says that it wasn't copied don’t ask again to that admin or another. This seems like it could be a more general rule. “An admin’s decision is final. Don’t keep arguing afterwards.”

If any of these rules are broken the results could be a block, removal from this wiki, ban from editing, removal of adminship, ban from chat, and global ban if it gets really bad.

''I would like some specific punishments for specific offenses—or at least some guidelines for admins. That way users know what's coming, and can't complain that they're getting unfair treatment from admins playing favorites. Also admins can't play favorites.''

I feel that a few shorter, more broad rules would be more effective. For instance: What do you guys think? Am I overstepping my bounds with this? Am I failing to notice something important? How many of you have actually read the rules all the way through before now? I want to know what you think.
 * Do not swear at other users. (This covers the cussing section and part of the trolling/bullying section. We can also add a note about whether or not there can be swearing within a story.)
 * Do not steal content from RangerWiki, other fanon writers or non-Power Rangers/Super Sentai series. If you're adapting or rebooting an existing series, you have to combine your own ideas with anything you take from elsewhere.
 * Breaking any of these rules one time will earn you a warning. The second a week-long block, and the third a year-long block. (Again, this is just an example, but it gives admins a clear and fair system for punishing repeat offenders.)