The short version:

• Treat others with respect. No bullying of any kind.
• Keep it family-friendly.
• User [spoiler] tags where appropriate.
• Don't post spam, or someone else's copyrighted material.
• No politics and religion (unless it's specific to an episode).
• Stay on topic.
• Don't bash someone else's beloved character.
• Mods, not you, decide what the rules mean (and how they should be enforced).

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The long version: - Forum Rules and Posting Guidelines -

• Treat others with respect. GateWorld does not permit insult, abuse, or bullying. Refrain from personal attacks and name-calling, and from disparaging individuals or groups with crude nicknames they are likely to find offensive. Disagreements and debates are fine, but negative personal comments are not welcome. Stick to the issues and the arguments, and when the debate has concluded, agree to disagree.
  
  Respecting other members means that they have as much right as you to post their opinion, within the boundaries of the forum topic. Do not tell another member that they should leave. Do not request that the moderators intervene and discipline a member merely because you disagree with a controversial value or opinion.
  
  If you believe someone is violating the forum rules or posting off-topic, report the post to the moderators using the triangle icon in the lower left corner of the post. Do not respond to the poster.
  
  
• Personal disputes between members are not welcome on the public discussion board. If you must press a personal dispute with someone, do it in private e-mail. This applies to Private Messages and off-forum links, as well. If you finally cannot reach a resolution with another member, you should ignore their posts and messages; do not continue to engage them in a caustic manner.
  
  
• This forum is family-friendly. The rule of thumb for everything you do here should be "Rated PG-13" and below. That includes your posts (profanity is not welcome), and any pictures or links you include in your post, signature, avatar, profile page, and private messages. Keep it clean and polite -- we're all friends here! Moderators have final say on what is "PG-13," and we'll let you know if something is out of line.
  
  
• SPOILERS: You are welcome to post info about episodes that others might not have seen yet, but you should take precautions not to spoil them. Use the [spoiler] spoiler tag [/spoiler] around portions of your post that you wish to conceal.
  
  Any thread that contains plot info, surprise developments or character appearances, etc., for episodes in any current or future season should indicate in the first message (or the first message and thread title) that the thread includes spoilers for that episode(s). (Spoiler tags are NOT required for dedicated episode discussion threads created by GateWorld.)
  
  For the forum's complete spoiler rule and further details on using the [spoiler] tag, click here.
  
  
• Treat actors and production crew with respect. This falls under the first rule -- but it's important to remember that we owe the casts and crews of the shows we love at least as much respect as we owe our fellow fans. Criticizing creative decisions is fine; cutting down the people that make the show is not. Some of these people take time out of their day to read and participate here, and they should not be met with personal attacks because of their creative decisions.
  
  
• Politics & religion. Topics specific to politics (including hotly contested social controversies) and religion are not permitted at GateWorld Forum. Keep your posts kind, and keep them focused on Stargate and other in-bounds topics. (Note that politics and religion as depicted on the shows is, of course, still permitted.)
  
  
• No SPAM. Do not post advertisements that are not related to Stargate or other sci-fi -- especially sales or money-making schemes. Also, do not repost the same message in multiple threads or folders. Definition of "SPAM" lies solely with the moderators. Spammers will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of a Goa'uld pain stick.
  
  
• Copyrighted material. Do not post a copyrighted article or other material in its entirety on the forum, without permission from the copyright holder. Instead post an interesting selection, citing the source, along with a link to the full story if it's available online. This includes news stories and other material from GateWorld itself.
  
  
• Episode downloads. Do not use GateWorld to request, trade, or advertise illegal downloads of copyrighted films or television programs, including Stargate. This includes BitTorrent and Web sites offering to stream or sell TV shows and movies illegally. (You can usually recognize these when the episode is offered for free, with no advertisements, sometimes including episodes that have not yet aired in your country, and not in connection with the broadcast network or a recognized service such as Hulu, Amazon, or Netflix.)
  
  
• Photo manipulations. All manipulations must be appropriate for all ages. This means no compromising positions, no nudity, and all manipulations must be in good taste (at the sole discretion of the moderators). Manips that create two actors kissing, or the like, should not be posted here. Putting a person's head on another person's body is also inappropriate. Respect the actors, and make every effort to honor their right to control their likenesses.
  
  
• Character bashing. Every main character and cast member has a devoted fan following, so it's not conducive to the atmosphere we want to foster to outright bash one of the show's main characters. You can criticize a character to your heart's content, but please keep it constructive and tactful.
  
  
• Stay on topic. If your post is drifting from the thread topic, feel free to start a new thread in the appropriate folder.
  
  
• Look for the right thread. If you can find a thread already discussing a topic or episode, post there instead of starting a new thread. Every episode already has its own thread in each season's "Episodes" sub-folder. (If you can't find it, look for the "Discuss" link on that episode's page in GateWorld's episode guide.) Moderators may merge or close redundant threads from time to time, so that members aren't confused and conversations aren't schizophrenic. Please don't take it personally!
  
  If your topic doesn't already have a good thread and is worth a thread of its own, feel free to start it in the appropriate folder. Do not create multiple copies of the same thread.
  
  
• Post your own words. Feel free to quote articles, TV shows, other fans, etc., but do not re-post copyrighted material in its entirety. Also, do not post on behalf of someone else -- let them visit the forum and post for themselves. And please do not copy and paste someone else's post made in another forum to this one without the author's permission. One person per user name, please.

All rules apply to posts, user signatures, profiles, Social Groups, private messages, and Reputation comments.

The moderators reserve the right to remove, edit, move, or close any thread for any reason. Should a post you make be found in violation of the rules you may be asked to edit it yourself, or the moderators may choose to edit or delete it without notice. Grossly negligent or repeated violations of the rules will result in restricted access to the forum, including banning.

The moderators have final say over interpreting the rules, and their decisions are final. You can always ask the mods for an explanation of a decision and appeal your case in private. But once the matter is settled we ask that you let it rest and move on. Badgering the moderators or making a public case of a moderation decision -- on or off this site -- may result in your being banned from the forum.

It is the policy of GateWorld Forum not to discuss private moderation decisions impacting specific users with others, or in public. If a moderated or banned member is attempting to court sympathy elsewhere, please bear in mind that you are only hearing one side of the story.

In addition to these rules, please read the GateWorld Community Vision. Before you post, please consider whether what you are saying contributes to making GateWorld the sort of place we want it to be.

Starting January 2009, and following lengthy discussion among the community, GateWorld adopted the following statement regarding what we want our community to be:


Please let this statement guide you as you participate here at GateWorld Forum and post comments on the main site. Each word has been carefully chosen. While it is not a "rule" per se, the moderators are charged with the task of holding it as the standard by which posts, signatures, and other public interactions should be measured. If your words are seen to be detrimental to what we want the forum to be, you will be asked to make a change.

You will need a free GateWorld Forum account to post, create a unique profile page, and access other special features -- but not to read messages. Click the "Register" link above to sign up, if you haven't yet. It's quick and painless, and we'd love to meet you!

Lurkers (regular visitors who read but don't post) are more than welcome to cruise the forum! But please do consider signing up for an account and introducing yourself so that we know you're out there, and so that you can vote in polls.

Your username can be just about anything you want, within the bounds of the forum rules. Please keep it "PG" or lower -- no profanity or sexual suggestiveness in your username. Also, do not choose the name of a real-life person associated with one of the shows, such as an actor or a writer. We don't want anyone else confused or misled about your identity.

Your username plays a big part in your identity here at GateWorld Forum. Choose something that is fun, that represents you and your personality. (If you can't think of anything, just try your first name and see if it's taken!)

Username changes are rare, and must be manually done by a forum administrator. Be sure you are 100 percent happy with your username before you sign up -- and that you think you will be for years to come!

GateWorld's moderation team includes volunteers from different parts of the world. (If they must contact you with a mod-related request -- often by Private Message or e-mail -- please don't take it personally.) Current mods include: Skydiver - Forum Manager
Bagpuss - Forum Manager
Darren - The forum's founder, GateWorld's owner and managing editor

You can identify a real mod (as opposed to the pretend kind) by the word "Moderator" directly beneath their username on a post. They're here to play, just like you, but also to keep the rules in force.

We're also grateful to those who have served terms as moderators in the forum's long history. You can recognize them by the tag "Moderator Emeritus" below their username.

GateWorld Forum is family-friendly, meaning we have a low tolerance for profanity and off-color conversation. Keep in mind when you post that several of our regulars are under 18 years old, and the forum has an active profanity filter set by the moderators.

"PG-13" means that we have a reasonable tolerance for what might count as "family-friendly." It's below "R," meaning that the contents of what you post should be suitable at least for older kids.

This guideline applies not only to words and images you post, but also to off-site links. Do not post questionable or adult-related images or off-site links, be it in public posts, private messages, your personal profile, signature, or anywhere else on the forum.

Yes! If the site is Stargate-related or otherwise of specific interest to GateWorld members, feel free to post a link or include it in your signature and/or profile page. Stargate-related links can be posted in the "Stargate Fandom" folder. Other sci-fi links probably belong in the "Sci-Fi and Fantasy" folder.

Two caveats:

(1) Do not post SPAM. If a link isn't Stargate-related, and it's from a brand new member ("hit and run" posting), or if it's related to money-making or commerce, it will be deleted faster than you can say "I'm a spammer!" Read the forum rules for more on this.

(2) Do not post links to another site for the express purpose of dodging GateWorld Forum's rules. For example: Pornography is not allowed on the forum, nor are links to pornographic sites. In the same way, personal attacks on fellow forum members are not welcome on the public board, nor are links to another site where you attack GateWorlders.

The GateWorld staff assumes no liability for any off-site links, and does not actively monitor the contents of other sites that members link to. So click on them at your own risk!

If you are selling or auctioning something directly related to Stargate or science fiction, you may post about it. Your post must follow these simple rules:

• The item MUST be of interest to our community -- Stargate or science fiction. Products or services that are not directly applicable to our forum will be treated as spam.
• You may post ONE copy of the ad and/or link. Do not cross-post to multiple threads or folders.
• Post it in either the "Stargate Merchandise," "General Sci-Fi and Fantasy," or "Off-Topic Chatter" folder -- whichever is most appropriate.
• Try participating in the forum a little. Advertisements posted by a new member with no other posts are more likely to be treated as spam -- even if the item is Stargate-related. We are first and foremost a community.

Posts that do not meet these guidelines will be deleted at the moderator's discretion. If you are deemed a spammer, your posting privileges may be suspended.

GateWorld is NOT responsible for any transactions that may be arranged through the forum. Use good judgment when buying or selling an item on the Internet. To help safeguard your transaction, use a third-party arbitrator such as eBay.

That's entirely between you and your transaction partner. Buyer beware! If you arrange to buy something online, the seller may not come through on his end of the deal. Seller beware! Your buyer may not come through with the payment.

GateWorld is NOT responsible for any transactions that may be arranged through the forum. Use good judgment when buying or selling an item on the Internet. To help safeguard your transaction, use a third-party arbitrator such as eBay.

You may hotlink to images in the Stargate Image Gallery ONLY on GateWorld Forum. Please do not hotlink on other sites, as it can have a significant impact on our bandwidth.

You can link the thumbnail-sized or regular-sized images, but please DO NOT hotlink the large, hi-res images.

As this is a public forum, assume that all threads and posts will remain open to the public indefinitely unless the moderators find a reason to close the thread or remove it from public view. This rarely happens, and is reserved for threads that degenerate into arguing or other rule violations, or when it is deemed that a thread has run its course and nothing further of value can be added. In case of the latter, threads will be closed but left in public view to be added to the forum's archive.

Closing or removing threads, and deleting posts, is solely at the moderators' discretion, and is based solely on the contents of the thread or post and not on the member(s) involved. Please do not assume it will happen, and remember that you bear the responsibility for what you post. The moderators will not close or delete a thread, or individual posts, just because you regret saying something later.

Difficult issues regarding a deletion or thread closure are discussed by all moderators and a consensus reached before a final action is taken.

From time to time you may find a post you believe might violate the forum's rules, and need to report it to the moderators. Just look for the black and white triangle icon in the top-right cover of the post. Click on it to access the Report Post dialogue box. The report post feature has many uses:

(1) The main use is to report posts that break the forum's rules. This includes posts that contain language inappropriate to a PG-13 forum; posts that have photos that are too wide (over 700 pixels) and are breaking the bounds of the forum; posts that contain personal attacks upon other users or members of the cast and crew; etc. It can also be used to report spam and other posts that simply have no place on a science fiction fan forum.

(2) The Report Post feature should also be used to report threads that need to be merged, moved to another folder, etc.

(3) It can also be used to make other requests for action, such as the changing of titles of a thread, or requests to edit some aspects of a thread such as adding a poll, closing a poll, inserting spoiler tags, and other maintenance procedures.

We do have an "Ask the Mods" thread in the Welcome & Announcements area. However that thread is for non-maintenance related issues. When the Report Post feature is used, every mod will receive an e-mail containing links to the pertinent thread along with whatever information you type in. When at all possible, please use the Report Post feature for any calls to action or needs for action in a thread and preserve the Ask the Mods thread for questions about the forum as a whole.

Moderation is a tool utilized by the moderators to curb rule violations and to head-off potential rule violations. It simply means that all of the user's posts must be approved by a moderator before they appear to the public. Other forum privileges are also affected.

Moderation is not punishment, and being placed on moderation does not necessarily mean that you have done anything wrong. It simply means that you have done something to give the moderators reason to keep a closer eye on you for a time. All new members also begin on "Probie" status, meaning a moderator must approve your message before it appears. (This has become necessary due to aggressive attacks from spammers. It is temporary, and once the moderators see that you are not a spammer they can promote you to regular posting status immediately. The fastest way off Probie status is simply to begin posting and enjoying the forum as normal.)

What's the best way to get off moderated status? Play as normal! If your posts consistently demonstrate that you aren't a troublemaker and are not violating the forum rules, we'll return you to normal posting status (usually within a few days). Screening and approving posts is one extra thing that the mods would rather not have to do -- so we want you off moderation too!

In rare instances, a more forceful moderation may be employed, such as when a user has demonstrated that his or her desire to break the rules is ongoing or not limited to public posts. Higher level moderation prevents those users from using other forum features, such as signatures and Private Messaging.

Here's a quick guide to common Internet shorthand, as well as some of GateWorld's own unique lingo:

Thunk - The sound made when one hits the ground due to a superb male/female specimen
TPTB - The Powers That Be (producers, writers, network execs)
PTB - Powers That Be
LOL - Laughing Out Loud
ROFL - Rolling On Floor Laughing
ROFLMAO - Rolling On Floor Laughing My Ass Off
IIRC - If I Recall Correctly
IMO - In My Opinion
IMHO - In My Humble Opinion
FWIW - For What It's Worth
UST - Unresolved Sexual Tension
PIMPing - Peeing In My Pants (because you're laughing so hard)
CKK - Chunky Kit Kat (Big Kat in the USA), the chocolate bar of choice in the GateWorld lunchroom
PM - Private Message (a forum feature)

Cast members:

RDA - Richard Dean Anderson ("Jack O'Neill")
AT - Amanda Tapping ("Samantha Carter")
MS - Michael Shanks ("Daniel Jackson")
CJ - Christopher Judge ("Teal'c")
BB - Ben Browder ("Cameron Mitchell")
CB - Claudia Black ("Vala Mal Doran")
CN - Corin Nemec ("Jonas Quinn")
DSD - Don S. Davis ("General George Hammond")
TR - Teryl Rothery ("Dr. Janet Fraiser")

JF - Joe Flanigan ("John Sheppard")
TH - Torri Higginson ("Elizabeth Weir")
DH - David Hewlett ("Rodney McKay")
RSF - Rainbow Sun Francks ("Aiden Ford")
RL - Rachel Luttrell ("Teyla Emmagan")
PM - Paul McGillion ("Carson Beckett")
JM - Jason Momoa ("Ronon Dex")
RP - Robert Picardo ("Richard Woolsey")

LDP - Lou Diamond Philips ("David Telford")

A "shipper" (short for "relationshipper") is a fan who is particularly interested in the personal (often romantic) relationship between two particular characters. Sam-Jack Shippers, Daniel-Janet Shippers, Sam-Martouf Shippers and others are common in Stargate fandom.

"Slash" refers to shipping between two characters of the same gender, e.g., Jack/Daniel Shippers. "Slash fic" refers to fan fiction written to depict those relationships, between characters of the same gender, that are not depicted on screen.

After you've logged in, click "My Controls" on the main forum toolbar at the top of each page to access your personal control panel. Then look for the "Edit E-mail & Password" option on the left. Enter your password, then change your e-mail address and click "Save Changes." You should receive an e-mail asking you to verify your new address, just like you did when you first signed up -- so make sure you have access to that inbox before you change your address!

User name changes require intervention on the part of the forum administrator, and will be considered (but not guaranteed). Multiple (especially frequent) requests from the same user will not be granted -- so be sure you like your user name when you sign up!

To request a user name change, send a Private Message to Skydiver or Bagpuss, requesting and authorizing the change. Remember: Once the change has been implemented, you will no longer be able to log in with your old user name! (Your password will remain the same.) If you find yourself unable to log in, try your new requested name. (If you still have problems, e-mail [email protected])

In GateWorld's long history our community has benefited from the participation of numerous Stargate cast and crew. Others lurk without telling us ... and a few, including the writers and executive producers, have told us on the QT that they do visit and read what fans are saying. There are specific rules for respecting your fellow users, especially when it comes to the show's cast and crew. Be sure to read the forum's complete list of posting rules and regs.

The following cast and crew members have identified themselves and had their accounts verified by GateWorld.

JMallozzi - Joseph Mallozzi, Executive Producer (Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis, Stargate Universe)
gumboYaYa - Torri Higginson, "Dr. Elizabeth Weir" (Stargate Atlantis)
Rainbow Sun Francks - Rainbow Sun Francks, "Lt. Aiden Ford" (Stargate Atlantis)
MartinGero - Martin Gero, Writer and Co-Producer (Stargate Atlantis)
ken_is_here - Ken Cuperus, Writer (Stargate Atlantis)
2BAM - James Bamford, Stunt/Fight Coordinator (Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis)
puddleboy - Bruce Woloshyn, Digital Effects Supervisor at Rainmaker Digital Several official Stargate novel authors, and representatives from various Stargate merchandise licensees, are also members.

In accordance with U.S. child privacy law, only fans 13 years and older can sign up for a GateWorld Forum account.

GateWorld is committed to members' privacy, and will not sell or share your personally identifiable information. Read the site's full privacy policy here.

If you've decided that you need to leave the forum, we are sorry to see you go! There is no need to do anything to close your account -- just visit the My Controls panel and unsubscribe from threads to avoid receiving further notices. If you are sure you will never want to return and access the account again, you can also scramble your password to a random string of characters and then log out. This effectively locks the account.

We do not delete accounts from the database, since our forum software would then reset all of your posts to "Guest" and wreak havoc on current and past discussions.

If you want to change your username rather than deleting a new account, just send a private message to moderators Skydiver or Bagpuss instead. They can do a one-time username change for you, so you don't have to start over with a new account.