i think that when ppl sign up for the site they should have to read a list of the rules (with no piracy underlined, made bold, and huge)
then they should click yes they understand the rules and have read them over. When they click yes a little screen should pop up saying that if they break the piracy rule even once that they will be banned

this will stop all of the piracy junk thats on this site
everything in the garbage bin is about piracy
its annoying
don't u think ppl would get it though their thick heads by now???

Just an idea

Way to strict because you do realize that people don't read those agreements and crap!

i no its strict and that no 1 reads them
but if most of the time they wont just post 1 topic on piracy they will do it many times

fine the first time they get a warning and the second they r booted
i think the contract thing should still stick

No one reads them period.

Hell.. I signed up on 3 sites today and didn't read those entry notices.

So.. from now on.. first offence is last offence. Rules are clealry posted.. and if people can't read before posting.. too bad.

Don't be so harsh...

You have to remember that there are fine lines you tread here... there are many things that are "welcomed" here that are technically not legal in most countries.

There are also times when the lines blur...

Question: "How do I burn this Xbox iso I have?"

That question could be "perceived" as a question relating to piracy... OR someone could have made a "backup" (the almight catch phrase) of the disk they own. There is too much grey area to say first offense, last offense...

You know I could go on with this argument for hours... but just be smart and don't alienate the people who frequent this place.

Opinion noted

It's hard to tell if the person is really doing piracy, but let's face it alot if people become interested in modchips because of piracy. And about those rules noone really reads them as they are long and useless, but the are there for the security or the site.

QUOTE (N00bvin @ Nov 30 2003, 10:19 PM)

There are also times when the lines blur... Question: "How do I burn this Xbox iso I have?" That question could be "perceived" as a question relating to piracy... OR someone could have made a "backup" (the almight catch phrase) of the disk they own. There is too much grey area to say first offense, last offense...

That's also not something we would consider "piracy". If someone says they downloaded game X or rented game Y and copied it...so long.

QUOTE (X2Gamer @ Nov 30 2003, 11:23 PM)

And about those rules noone really reads them as they are long and useless, but the are there for the security or the site.

Evidently there are varying interpretations of "long and useless", eh? I find these rules both brief and concise.

DVD/CD Burning & ISO extraction/creation Rules
* Discussions about Backups are fine, including details on methods, and software required.
* Discussions about downloading BACKUPS/COPIES from Newsgroups, IRC, and other third Parties is strictly forbidden. (this includes discussions about SCENE PIRATE releases.. and their related CRACKS/PATCHES)
* Remarks like “why does PX /WAM / RIOT crack work/not work?” would be forbidden.. as XBOX-SCENE.COM does not condone or endorse the use of SCENE RELEASES and their related CRACKS/PATCHES.

Stuff that will get Postes Deleted, Edited, Censored and/or Locked:
* Direct Links to XBOX Software (this includes Retail Games, Backups, and MS XDK produced Homebrew Software)
* Requesting or Offering Links to Cracked Bioses, regardless of Modchip!
* Requests or Offers for PC, MAC Commercial software (including OS, NON-Shareware/Freeware Utils, etc)
* Requests or Offers for Game Console Roms (including, but not limited to XBOX, PSX, PS2, GameCube, All GameBoy, Nintendo, SNES, All Sega, ARCADE, etc.)
* Requests or offers / pointers to PORN pictures or sites.
* No links to shops (post those in the "Sell Stuff / Shops" forum)

Stuff that will get a Thread/Topic LOCKED:
* Lame Flame posts... including clear attempts to goad others into unconstructive and abusive arguments. (to be determined by the MODS).
* Questions repeated often. These threads will either be deleted, or merged to existing topics.

Stuff that will get a Topic MOVED:
* Threads posted in the wrong forum. Whether intentional or not

I think both Noobvin and Xeero make truly valid points

A)The majority of tech posts here could be percieved as "piracy" to some extent
B)The rules are VERY clearly stated now although many of us don't read it

but the rules also have evolved because we used to be able to openly speak of scene releases. I actually think in most cases that it's a good precedent that xs doesn't support/condone piracy but it shouldn't be locked on the preface of legality rather on the condonement part . Just like a thread shouldn't be locked because it says iso.

P.s i swear i wasn't meaning to bitch at the new rules but it kinda sounds like that

Remember that when choosing the lesser of two evils, the one you didn't choose is punishable by death.
Again, it's funny that the whole scene is a grey area, but the scene as a whole finds the need to act morally rightous. In a purely legal sense, however, it is understandable why piracy talk isn't condoned here. So, if there's going to be banning on the first word of piracy from someone's mouth, the rules on what is and isn't discussion of piracy clearly need to be laid out.
For instance, N00bvin's point. I'm not sure if Xantium (as I understand he's the only one who can ban) tries to make sure someone is banworthy or if he just trusts the admins to tell him the truth on the matter. If it's the latter, then the whole "one time, you're out" policy could be abused by careless or wrathful moderators with a vendetta (for instance). What if a moderator doesn't "like" a member for whatever reason, and said member makes a comment in a topic along the lines of, "Yeah, newsgroups are great, really fast download speeds". That can be construed as piracy (many believe that's all that's worth looking at on Usenet), and then this hypothetical moderator could get this member banned by simply mentioning it.
Anyway, sorry to slip into a speech here. I hope I wasn't too confusing, and don't get me wrong- the talk of piracy 'round here needs to be addressed one way or another. If you click on the link in my sig, I got a wonderful idea for it....

Any and all Admins have the ability to BAN. All moderators have the ability to request a ban (as long as they show just cause.)

Shortly.. the moderators will be given TEMP BAN and TEMP Mute access (via new site soft we're testing now)

Real perm bans are still up to me, Xan and Syrus. I trust my mods to not abuse the power they have.. and they ones they'll soon get. I can also remove the power.. or them if abuse occures.

I don't believe that will be a problem.

As the site grows.. I'll need to add more mods. Adding the 3 new Head mods was only a temp measure. Post count is going up.. and so is abuse.

I just got up an hour ago (6:30ish Toronto Time) and my mods had a fuck of a time with 12 users spamming, flooding, posting porn, posting bit torrent links to warez, posting links with spacing to their backup selling sites, etc.

Bully for them.. that they were diligent through the night.. moving and removing such posts. They would have had alot less work to do if they had those TEMP Ban and TEMP Mute powers now.

All of my mods actions are logged.. and even better logging methods are in the new soft. There isn't abuse now by them.. and there won't be in the future.

I'll agree that most of the moderators are mature and thoughtful of their actions, but even you have to admit that there have been a few 'wars' between users and moderators in the past couple of months, and a few instances where topics made by a certain user(s) were locked by a moderator with a vendetta, and little reasoning beyond that. There's always going to be bad apples in the ranks, moreso if there's a large team of moderators. Not that I'm ragging on your ability to moderate, of course, as you've never done anything remotely questionable.
But, again, it comes down to the fact that you're the Admin, and I'm a user. In the end, you (and the rest of the Admins and moderators) run the board, and there's little that any user could do about any action that is taken. I could rant and rave all day, but it wouldn't change your mind. I'd just hope that the faith you hold in your moderators isn't misplaced or blind.