We strive very hard to have a fair and fun community here at 'A-Dohring Crowd.' With that goal in mind, we have rules and expect those rules to be
followed. If they are not, there will be a five-step consequence of rule non-compliance that will come into play.
** I know these are long, but it's just one long read and then you're good to go with how things run here as clear as can be. Also, I did try to make them, for the most part, an interesting read. So, do please read them. At least once. **
1. This is a DISCUSSION board.
If the only commentary you have to offer is a one-line "I agree" type, please don't. This is a discussion board and we want to read discussion. Don't apologize for lengthy posts; we prefer well-written, well-thought out lengthy posts that give us all something to discuss. I'm not saying that all posts need to be lengthy, but most posts should have some meat to them.
On that note, this is not a teenage-based board. Both of Jason's main projects (Moonlight and Veronica Mars) contain mature themes all around. As such, this board allows profanity and discussion of mature themes. Teenybopper type posting (including the rule below about netspeak) is not encouraged on this board.
All posts that you create should have subjects that make it clear what the post is about. A post entitled, "Jason" tells the community nothing except that it is a post about Jason (presumably Jason Dohring). For example, if your post is about a role you'd like to see Jason do, title your subject on some variation thus: "Jason in the Logan's Run remake ... Yes/No?" With that in mind, before posting a topic, please look first to see if a similar topic has not already been started. By all means, feel free to start a topic if there is something specific you want to discuss, just make sure that topic has not already been started.
Regarding episode topics. There will be one main thread per episode, however, if you would like to discuss something specifically about an episode, do start a thread specifically about that topic, but remember that general discussion of the episode belongs in the episode thread.
2. Do not use netspeak/Do use proper grammar
Netspeak is very difficult to read, so please avoid using it. "I luv it wen he sez that 2 u" takes much more time to decode than reading, "I love it when he says that to you." We are not the grammar/spelling police, but please try your best and make an effort at readability for everyone. Using the 'Spellcheck' function is also an effective tool in making posts easier to read.
On that note, we want to see a semblance of proper grammar on this board. Such as capitalize your "i's" when using it as a personal pronoun, as well as capitalizing the first letter of people's names (Jason, Logan, Josef, etc.). This also includes using proper punctuation -- periods, commas, etc.
One other grammar-related thing is that we ask that all posters use breaks between paragraphs. Breaks between paragraphs makes posts much easier to read and thus makes it more likely to be responded to.
3. TYPING IN ALL CAPS IS CONSIDERED SHOUTING AND IS ALSO VERY DIFFICULT TO READ! Caps should be used for emphasis only.
Remember the easier your posts are to read, the more likely it is that someone will read and respond to your thoughts.
4. Do NOT hotlink images. Linking to another website is fine (provided you give credit); posting a picture from another webiste using their address is called hotlinking and is essentially theft because by posting their image on another site, you are using their bandwidth without their knowledge or approval. Do not hotlink.
5. Before posting in a thread, please do your fellow posters the courtesy of reading the entire thread. If you wonder why we request this, ask yourself this question: Is it fair to expect everyone to read your post if you don't read theirs?
6. Avoid double-posting if possible. If you have additional thoughts to add to a topic and no one has responded after your last post, please just edit your post to add those new thoughts. If you are logged in, you will see an "edit" function under your username. Please use it.
If no one has posted in over 24 hours, feel free to start a new post as the previous one was mostly likely already read by most interested in the topic.
1. Do not bash anyone ... ever. Do not bash fellow posters, other boards, actors, directors, executives, etc. If they are a real person, do not bash them.
2. Characters are fair game. Feel free to bash any character at any time. They aren't real; their feelings will not be hurt.
3. Criticism of actors is fair game as well. Actors get reviews all the time, it's part of the job ... and as long as your criticism remains just that ... criticism, it is allowable. If criticism steps over the line to bashing, you will be edited and receive an email from an administrator or moderator.
Jason Dohring is a Scientologist. Yes. This is disturbing to some people and it's simply more fun to focus on the other aspects of Jason than his religion; for others it is not an issue. However, because it is an issue for some and because the hope is to make this a welcoming community to all, we feel it is best to leave the discussion of Scientology off-board for the most part. After all, 'A-Dohring Crowd' is dedicated to Jason Dohring, the actor and not his religious beliefs, therefore I'm going to ask that we refrain from discussing Scientology-related matters unless it has a direct bearing on his acting.
Signatures/Buttons Note: If these guidelines are not followed, signatures/buttons will be disallowed.
1. The following guidelines include the combination of all pictures and text.
2. Signatures themselves may be no more than two pictures.
3. The combined width of the picture(s) may be no wider than 625. That specific number is due to the fact that any wider a picture will stretch the page.
4. The combined height of the picture(s) may be no taller than 300.
5. There are no more than 2 quotes, and 3 lines of text allowed. Take advantage of the ezboard sig assistant, that allows you to decrease the text size in order to fit more on each line.
Again, the combination of pictures/text can have a width no greater than 570 and have a height no higher than 300. The reason for these rules is that on some computers it will cause readers to have to scroll left to right, a very, very annoying thing when trying to read a post. In addition, too many images or images that are too big make it harder for older computer models to open pages and can cause them to crash. And frankly, too many buttons/sigs/text is unattractive.
6. Your screenname should be no longer than 20 spaces (that includes letters and symbols of any kind). Screennames that are longer can cause the page to scroll.
Spoiler Talk
We have a spoiler forum -- Have Spoilers, Will Speculate -- where all spoilers and spoiler discussion/speculation can be found. Spoilers for Moonlight or any future, potential projects belong there. For other forums, spoilers are allowed when warranted provided you respect the community in terms of tagging your spoilers and follow the guidelines below.
If everyone just bears in mind that there are people on the board who do not wish to be "spoiled" about upcoming events on the show, we should be fine. Simply do not put spoilers in the subject line of a post if you are posting in any forum on the board other than the spoiler forum. There are posters who frequent this board that do not see the show at the same time you do and its unfair for those who have already seen the show to ruin the fun for those who wish to be surprised.
Remember a spoiler is ANYTHING, absolutely anything, that has not aired first-run on US television. If you are posting a spoiler in the non-spoiler forums, use spoiler brackets or white text to make the spoiler tagged:
1. Using spoiler brackets creates a spoiler + sign that you simply click which then reveals the spoilers. All you have to do is type [ spoilers ] (without spaces) at the beginning of the spoiler text and then [/ spoilers ] (without spaces) at the end of the spoiler text.
It should look like this:
2. To make your spoiler text white, follow these directions:
Click and drag here -- This is a spoiler! -- to here.
3. If a thread subject specifically cites the thread as "non-spoiler" -- do NOT put ANY spoilers anywhere in that thread.
4. When you are posting spoilers, please try to post the source of the spoiler, to avoid copyright violations.
5. If a thread does not have SPOILER in the subject title and your response includes a spoiler, use spoiler tags (as explained above) to hide the spoiler for those who do not want to be spoiled.
If you do NOT use a spoiler tag when posting in the non-spoiler forums, you will be given one written warning. If you do it a second time, you will be banned for a week. A third and you are banned for a month. One more time and you're banned, period. We take this rule very seriously because disobeyance of it could decrease the pleasure of viewing the show immensely for non-spoiled viewers and that is just not fair.
1. The subject line must clearly state the character and/or pairing.
2. When you post, include all of the following in the subject or in the top of your post (if there is no room for more than the title):
Note: If a reader wants to create a feedback link because a writer hasn't -- they may do so.
We do feedback a little differently here. The authors are the only ones who should be posting in their stories' threads. Comments, feedback, etc. should not be posted there. Authors please create a feedback link in the Feedback Forum and provide that link at the bottom of each story/chapter you write. Feedback, comments, etc. should be posted in the thread made especially for them according to that story (i.e. FEEDBACK: Name of Your Story).
If it's just one chapter:
1. Go to the Fanfic Forum.
2. Open a new post. Put the rating, summary, spoilers and disclaimer before posting your story, then in the same post, put your story. Don't post it yet though, first --
3. Open a new window (if you can) and go to the Feedback Forum and create a new post entitled: "Feedback: Name of Your Story." In the message put whatever you want to to entreat people to leave feedback. Post that. Once it's posted, open the post up and grab the address in your address box, copy it.
4. Go back to your story post and go to the bottom of your story, then hit the link button on the toolbar above the message box, paste the link from your feedback post, it will prompt you for what to name your link, go with something along the lines of "leave feedback here." Hit enter. That should pop up at the end of your story.
5. Post your story.
For multiple chapters:
1. Go to the Fanfic Forum.
2. Open a new post. Put the rating, summary, spoilers and disclaimer before posting your story in the first post. Post it. Then open that thread again and hit "add reply" then put the first chapter in that message box. Don't post it yet though, first --
3. Open a new window (if you can) and go to the Feedback Forum and create a new post entitled: "Feedback: Name of Your Story." In the message put whatever you want to to entreat people to leave feedback. Post that. Once it's posted, open the post up and grab the address in your address box, copy it.
4. Go back to your story post and go to the bottom of your story, then hit the link button on the toolbar above the message box, paste the link from your feedback post, it will prompt you for what to name your link, go with something along the lines of "leave feedback here." Hit enter. That should pop up at the end of your story.
5. Post your chapter.
6. When you update with following chapters. Go to the last chapter you updated, edit the post, grab the feedback link, add a reply to the thread, insert your next chapter and then put the feedback link at the bottom of the chapter. That way people can go to that link as soon as they are done reading.
Note: Authors DO follow our rules in setting up feedback links or after a warning any feedback will be deleted. Readers note that you can set up a feedback link yourself if you don't see one, but writers, again, note, that any feedback placed within your story thread because you did not create a link will be deleted after one written warning.
In regards to plagiarism, please read the following to gauge where 'A-Dohring Crowd' stands on this issue and what consequences will follow for those who do plagiarize.
'A-Dohring Crowd' has a no-tolerance plagiarism policy. We understand that this issue can be very confusing, considering that all fanfic is essentially writing literature with someone else's imaginative property. However, as plagiarism is a serious issue that can have huge legal ramifications, we felt that it was important to clearly define our standards with respect to this issue in the fanfic forum.
To clarify, our basic definition of plagiarism is: If you include frequent or significant extracts from another author's work (in television or literature or fanfic) without disclaiming a) that the reference exists and b) who is responsible for the original work. These extracts may take the form of 'paraphrasing' (abbreviating longer sections but maintaining the same order, point or plot structure) or direct quotations. We only condone extracting quotes that are a couple of lines long. Not paragraphs and definitely not pages. No disclaimer will save you from a plagiarism penalty if you copy to that extent.
In order to avoid any possible legal ramifications, all authors are required to post a disclaimer at the beginning of any story. Although it may seem obvious, every fanfic author must clearly state that that the characters in the story are not their intellectual property, and should clearly identify any other references to existing works. A standard disclaimer for Veronica Mars/Moonlight fanfic would be:
To summarize, a reader should never be confused about who is responsible for what they are reading, who put the creative effort into thinking it up and who is ultimately responsible for what they are praising in their feedback. If an author takes a really clever line from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and gives it to Logan in a fanfic, then someone leaves feedback saying "that line was SO funny; you are so good at dialogue!" then that author is being paid a compliment that isn't truly theirs. They didn't write that line. You can be complimented for a great reference, a great pop-culture quip so it shouldn't matter that the line doesn't belong to you if you think it works in that context. AS LONG AS YOUR READERS KNOW IT ISN'T YOURS.
It is because plagiarism is such a serious issue that we have established a firm no-tolerance policy. If the moderators at 'A-Dohring Crowd' find any claim of plagiarism to have merit, the story in question will be immediately deleted, and the author in question will be suspended from the forum for a period of no less than one month. A second offense will result in permanent banning. This may seem harsh, but plagiarism is too serious an issue (with a slew of legal ramifications) to take lightly.
If you suspect that a fanfic author is guilty of plagiarism, please contact one of your friendly neighborhood moderators immediately. We will investigate the claim thoroughly before making a decision, and offer the author an opportunity to defend themselves without disclosing your identity. Please note that the fanfic in question may be removed from the forum in its entirety while the claim is investigated.
1. Put the name of the song used in your subject line.
2. At the top of your post, provide the name of the song's artist as well.
Please do not discuss, nor speculate about the personal lives of Jason or his cast mates on this board. Information that is revealed by the actors in interviews, chats, and other public forums, may be discussed as long as the discussion is in good taste. The board administrator and the moderators will be the judge of what is good taste and any post that violates this rule will be deleted.
Please be aware that *trolls* may lurk here. There are two ways to deal with trolls. The first is to ignore them. The second way is much more fun and just as (if not more) effective. Simply take every single word they say seriously and respond as if they are genuinely seeking enlightenment. It's a LOT of fun.
We try and make this community a welcoming place that invites all members with open and free-flowing discussion and respectful debate. However, sometimes the nature of our fandom dips into areas with which not all current members are comfortable. When such times happen, it is perfectly understandable that said members would no longer want to be a part of this community. It's not something we're particularly happy about, but it happens. And it is fine.
What is NOT fine, however, are posts from said members who feel that they have to share with the rest of us that they are leaving, that they don't like us anymore and that they are taking their toys and leaving for a different sandbox. Any such future post will be deleted immediately and summarily without response or explanation. If you want to leave, that is your choice -- announcing it serves only to create an atmosphere of negativity.
1. Any member breaking a rule will have their post edited, with a reason why edited into at the bottom of their post with a warning to check their ezmail. If the entire post has to be deleted, we will move automatically to step two.
2. If a member breaks a rule a second time, their post will be edited with a reason why and a notation that this is their second offense, if they break a rule a third time they will be suspended for a week.
3. If a member breaks a rule a third time, the post will be edited with a note explaining the offense broken and that they have been suspended for one-week.
4. Upon their return, if ANY rule is broken in the first month, they will suspended for a one-month period.
5. Upon their return, they will have a clean slate with which to start over again. However, if rules are broken quickly and consistently, that poster may find themselves banned permanently.
If we just all follow these rules, this will be a happy, thoughtful, fun community.
Thank you,
A-Dohring Crowd Administration
** I know these are long, but it's just one long read and then you're good to go with how things run here as clear as can be. Also, I did try to make them, for the most part, an interesting read. So, do please read them. At least once. **
** Know the rules. Follow the rules. Period. **
- Board Etiquette
- Do Not Bash
- The Scientology Rule
- Signature/Buttons/Screennames
- Spoiler Talk
- Fanfiction Posting Rules
- Fanfiction Ethics
- Fanfiction Feedback Rules
- Music Video Posting Rules
- Discussing the Personal Lives of Jason Dohring and any of his Cast Mates.
- Dealing with Trolls
- Leaving Our Sandbox
- Consequences of Rule Non-Compliance
Board Etiquette
1. This is a DISCUSSION board.
If the only commentary you have to offer is a one-line "I agree" type, please don't. This is a discussion board and we want to read discussion. Don't apologize for lengthy posts; we prefer well-written, well-thought out lengthy posts that give us all something to discuss. I'm not saying that all posts need to be lengthy, but most posts should have some meat to them.
On that note, this is not a teenage-based board. Both of Jason's main projects (Moonlight and Veronica Mars) contain mature themes all around. As such, this board allows profanity and discussion of mature themes. Teenybopper type posting (including the rule below about netspeak) is not encouraged on this board.
All posts that you create should have subjects that make it clear what the post is about. A post entitled, "Jason" tells the community nothing except that it is a post about Jason (presumably Jason Dohring). For example, if your post is about a role you'd like to see Jason do, title your subject on some variation thus: "Jason in the Logan's Run remake ... Yes/No?" With that in mind, before posting a topic, please look first to see if a similar topic has not already been started. By all means, feel free to start a topic if there is something specific you want to discuss, just make sure that topic has not already been started.
Regarding episode topics. There will be one main thread per episode, however, if you would like to discuss something specifically about an episode, do start a thread specifically about that topic, but remember that general discussion of the episode belongs in the episode thread.
2. Do not use netspeak/Do use proper grammar
Netspeak is very difficult to read, so please avoid using it. "I luv it wen he sez that 2 u" takes much more time to decode than reading, "I love it when he says that to you." We are not the grammar/spelling police, but please try your best and make an effort at readability for everyone. Using the 'Spellcheck' function is also an effective tool in making posts easier to read.
On that note, we want to see a semblance of proper grammar on this board. Such as capitalize your "i's" when using it as a personal pronoun, as well as capitalizing the first letter of people's names (Jason, Logan, Josef, etc.). This also includes using proper punctuation -- periods, commas, etc.
One other grammar-related thing is that we ask that all posters use breaks between paragraphs. Breaks between paragraphs makes posts much easier to read and thus makes it more likely to be responded to.
3. TYPING IN ALL CAPS IS CONSIDERED SHOUTING AND IS ALSO VERY DIFFICULT TO READ! Caps should be used for emphasis only.
Remember the easier your posts are to read, the more likely it is that someone will read and respond to your thoughts.
4. Do NOT hotlink images. Linking to another website is fine (provided you give credit); posting a picture from another webiste using their address is called hotlinking and is essentially theft because by posting their image on another site, you are using their bandwidth without their knowledge or approval. Do not hotlink.
5. Before posting in a thread, please do your fellow posters the courtesy of reading the entire thread. If you wonder why we request this, ask yourself this question: Is it fair to expect everyone to read your post if you don't read theirs?
6. Avoid double-posting if possible. If you have additional thoughts to add to a topic and no one has responded after your last post, please just edit your post to add those new thoughts. If you are logged in, you will see an "edit" function under your username. Please use it.
If no one has posted in over 24 hours, feel free to start a new post as the previous one was mostly likely already read by most interested in the topic.
Do Not Bash
1. Do not bash anyone ... ever. Do not bash fellow posters, other boards, actors, directors, executives, etc. If they are a real person, do not bash them.
2. Characters are fair game. Feel free to bash any character at any time. They aren't real; their feelings will not be hurt.
3. Criticism of actors is fair game as well. Actors get reviews all the time, it's part of the job ... and as long as your criticism remains just that ... criticism, it is allowable. If criticism steps over the line to bashing, you will be edited and receive an email from an administrator or moderator.
The Scientology Rule
Jason Dohring is a Scientologist. Yes. This is disturbing to some people and it's simply more fun to focus on the other aspects of Jason than his religion; for others it is not an issue. However, because it is an issue for some and because the hope is to make this a welcoming community to all, we feel it is best to leave the discussion of Scientology off-board for the most part. After all, 'A-Dohring Crowd' is dedicated to Jason Dohring, the actor and not his religious beliefs, therefore I'm going to ask that we refrain from discussing Scientology-related matters unless it has a direct bearing on his acting.
Signature/Buttons/Screennames
Signatures/Buttons Note: If these guidelines are not followed, signatures/buttons will be disallowed.
1. The following guidelines include the combination of all pictures and text.
2. Signatures themselves may be no more than two pictures.
3. The combined width of the picture(s) may be no wider than 625. That specific number is due to the fact that any wider a picture will stretch the page.
4. The combined height of the picture(s) may be no taller than 300.
5. There are no more than 2 quotes, and 3 lines of text allowed. Take advantage of the ezboard sig assistant, that allows you to decrease the text size in order to fit more on each line.
Again, the combination of pictures/text can have a width no greater than 570 and have a height no higher than 300. The reason for these rules is that on some computers it will cause readers to have to scroll left to right, a very, very annoying thing when trying to read a post. In addition, too many images or images that are too big make it harder for older computer models to open pages and can cause them to crash. And frankly, too many buttons/sigs/text is unattractive.
6. Your screenname should be no longer than 20 spaces (that includes letters and symbols of any kind). Screennames that are longer can cause the page to scroll.
Spoiler Talk
We have a spoiler forum -- Have Spoilers, Will Speculate -- where all spoilers and spoiler discussion/speculation can be found. Spoilers for Moonlight or any future, potential projects belong there. For other forums, spoilers are allowed when warranted provided you respect the community in terms of tagging your spoilers and follow the guidelines below.
If everyone just bears in mind that there are people on the board who do not wish to be "spoiled" about upcoming events on the show, we should be fine. Simply do not put spoilers in the subject line of a post if you are posting in any forum on the board other than the spoiler forum. There are posters who frequent this board that do not see the show at the same time you do and its unfair for those who have already seen the show to ruin the fun for those who wish to be surprised.
Remember a spoiler is ANYTHING, absolutely anything, that has not aired first-run on US television. If you are posting a spoiler in the non-spoiler forums, use spoiler brackets or white text to make the spoiler tagged:
1. Using spoiler brackets creates a spoiler + sign that you simply click which then reveals the spoilers. All you have to do is type [ spoilers ] (without spaces) at the beginning of the spoiler text and then [/ spoilers ] (without spaces) at the end of the spoiler text.
It should look like this:
2. To make your spoiler text white, follow these directions:
- Once you have typed your spoiler, click and drag your mouse over the spoiler.
- In the menu above the subject box, click on the first box (a small line of colors with an A over it). A grid of colors will pop up, simply click the
white box and hit "OK."
Click and drag here -- This is a spoiler! -- to here.
3. If a thread subject specifically cites the thread as "non-spoiler" -- do NOT put ANY spoilers anywhere in that thread.
4. When you are posting spoilers, please try to post the source of the spoiler, to avoid copyright violations.
5. If a thread does not have SPOILER in the subject title and your response includes a spoiler, use spoiler tags (as explained above) to hide the spoiler for those who do not want to be spoiled.
If you do NOT use a spoiler tag when posting in the non-spoiler forums, you will be given one written warning. If you do it a second time, you will be banned for a week. A third and you are banned for a month. One more time and you're banned, period. We take this rule very seriously because disobeyance of it could decrease the pleasure of viewing the show immensely for non-spoiled viewers and that is just not fair.
Fanfiction Posting Rules
1. The subject line must clearly state the character and/or pairing.
2. When you post, include all of the following in the subject or in the top of your post (if there is no room for more than the title):
- Title
- Rating
- Length of fic, ie, if the story is a one-shot include 1/1. If it's a continuing story but you do not know the ultimate chapter end, put 1/?. Some
people are not works in progress (WIPs) fans and would prefer to wait until the story is complete before reading.
Fanfiction Feedback Rules
Note: If a reader wants to create a feedback link because a writer hasn't -- they may do so.
We do feedback a little differently here. The authors are the only ones who should be posting in their stories' threads. Comments, feedback, etc. should not be posted there. Authors please create a feedback link in the Feedback Forum and provide that link at the bottom of each story/chapter you write. Feedback, comments, etc. should be posted in the thread made especially for them according to that story (i.e. FEEDBACK: Name of Your Story).
If it's just one chapter:
1. Go to the Fanfic Forum.
2. Open a new post. Put the rating, summary, spoilers and disclaimer before posting your story, then in the same post, put your story. Don't post it yet though, first --
3. Open a new window (if you can) and go to the Feedback Forum and create a new post entitled: "Feedback: Name of Your Story." In the message put whatever you want to to entreat people to leave feedback. Post that. Once it's posted, open the post up and grab the address in your address box, copy it.
4. Go back to your story post and go to the bottom of your story, then hit the link button on the toolbar above the message box, paste the link from your feedback post, it will prompt you for what to name your link, go with something along the lines of "leave feedback here." Hit enter. That should pop up at the end of your story.
5. Post your story.
For multiple chapters:
1. Go to the Fanfic Forum.
2. Open a new post. Put the rating, summary, spoilers and disclaimer before posting your story in the first post. Post it. Then open that thread again and hit "add reply" then put the first chapter in that message box. Don't post it yet though, first --
3. Open a new window (if you can) and go to the Feedback Forum and create a new post entitled: "Feedback: Name of Your Story." In the message put whatever you want to to entreat people to leave feedback. Post that. Once it's posted, open the post up and grab the address in your address box, copy it.
4. Go back to your story post and go to the bottom of your story, then hit the link button on the toolbar above the message box, paste the link from your feedback post, it will prompt you for what to name your link, go with something along the lines of "leave feedback here." Hit enter. That should pop up at the end of your story.
5. Post your chapter.
6. When you update with following chapters. Go to the last chapter you updated, edit the post, grab the feedback link, add a reply to the thread, insert your next chapter and then put the feedback link at the bottom of the chapter. That way people can go to that link as soon as they are done reading.
Note: Authors DO follow our rules in setting up feedback links or after a warning any feedback will be deleted. Readers note that you can set up a feedback link yourself if you don't see one, but writers, again, note, that any feedback placed within your story thread because you did not create a link will be deleted after one written warning.
Fanfic Ethics: Do Disclaim, Don't Plagiarize
In regards to plagiarism, please read the following to gauge where 'A-Dohring Crowd' stands on this issue and what consequences will follow for those who do plagiarize.
'A-Dohring Crowd' has a no-tolerance plagiarism policy. We understand that this issue can be very confusing, considering that all fanfic is essentially writing literature with someone else's imaginative property. However, as plagiarism is a serious issue that can have huge legal ramifications, we felt that it was important to clearly define our standards with respect to this issue in the fanfic forum.
To clarify, our basic definition of plagiarism is: If you include frequent or significant extracts from another author's work (in television or literature or fanfic) without disclaiming a) that the reference exists and b) who is responsible for the original work. These extracts may take the form of 'paraphrasing' (abbreviating longer sections but maintaining the same order, point or plot structure) or direct quotations. We only condone extracting quotes that are a couple of lines long. Not paragraphs and definitely not pages. No disclaimer will save you from a plagiarism penalty if you copy to that extent.
In order to avoid any possible legal ramifications, all authors are required to post a disclaimer at the beginning of any story. Although it may seem obvious, every fanfic author must clearly state that that the characters in the story are not their intellectual property, and should clearly identify any other references to existing works. A standard disclaimer for Veronica Mars/Moonlight fanfic would be:
Disclaimer: The characters depicted in this fanfiction belong to Rob Thomas/Chip Johannssen/Joel Silver and his creative team at The C.W./U.P.N./CBS. The story is my own creative work and my intention is to pay homage to the universe they created, not to profit from it.Please feel free to copy and paste this standard disclaimer into the beginning of each new story you author, or create your own, as long as it contains the same information. To this disclaimer you should add and indicate the origin of any other references e.g. the plot might be based on another film/novel, there may be lines of dialogue directly from an episode that should be mentioned (i.e. 'some direct dialogue was taken from the episode "The Wrath of Con"'), there may be lines of dialogue from other shows or works of literature (THESE lines should be directly referenced because readers won't necessarily recognize them straight away, unless of course the origin of the line was mentioned/indicated some way in the actual story).
To summarize, a reader should never be confused about who is responsible for what they are reading, who put the creative effort into thinking it up and who is ultimately responsible for what they are praising in their feedback. If an author takes a really clever line from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and gives it to Logan in a fanfic, then someone leaves feedback saying "that line was SO funny; you are so good at dialogue!" then that author is being paid a compliment that isn't truly theirs. They didn't write that line. You can be complimented for a great reference, a great pop-culture quip so it shouldn't matter that the line doesn't belong to you if you think it works in that context. AS LONG AS YOUR READERS KNOW IT ISN'T YOURS.
It is because plagiarism is such a serious issue that we have established a firm no-tolerance policy. If the moderators at 'A-Dohring Crowd' find any claim of plagiarism to have merit, the story in question will be immediately deleted, and the author in question will be suspended from the forum for a period of no less than one month. A second offense will result in permanent banning. This may seem harsh, but plagiarism is too serious an issue (with a slew of legal ramifications) to take lightly.
If you suspect that a fanfic author is guilty of plagiarism, please contact one of your friendly neighborhood moderators immediately. We will investigate the claim thoroughly before making a decision, and offer the author an opportunity to defend themselves without disclosing your identity. Please note that the fanfic in question may be removed from the forum in its entirety while the claim is investigated.
Music Video Posting Rules
1. Put the name of the song used in your subject line.
2. At the top of your post, provide the name of the song's artist as well.
Discussing the Personal Lives of Jason Dohring and any of his Cast Mates
Please do not discuss, nor speculate about the personal lives of Jason or his cast mates on this board. Information that is revealed by the actors in interviews, chats, and other public forums, may be discussed as long as the discussion is in good taste. The board administrator and the moderators will be the judge of what is good taste and any post that violates this rule will be deleted.
Dealing with Trolls
Please be aware that *trolls* may lurk here. There are two ways to deal with trolls. The first is to ignore them. The second way is much more fun and just as (if not more) effective. Simply take every single word they say seriously and respond as if they are genuinely seeking enlightenment. It's a LOT of fun.
Leaving Our Sandbox
We try and make this community a welcoming place that invites all members with open and free-flowing discussion and respectful debate. However, sometimes the nature of our fandom dips into areas with which not all current members are comfortable. When such times happen, it is perfectly understandable that said members would no longer want to be a part of this community. It's not something we're particularly happy about, but it happens. And it is fine.
What is NOT fine, however, are posts from said members who feel that they have to share with the rest of us that they are leaving, that they don't like us anymore and that they are taking their toys and leaving for a different sandbox. Any such future post will be deleted immediately and summarily without response or explanation. If you want to leave, that is your choice -- announcing it serves only to create an atmosphere of negativity.
Consequences of Rule Non-Compliance
1. Any member breaking a rule will have their post edited, with a reason why edited into at the bottom of their post with a warning to check their ezmail. If the entire post has to be deleted, we will move automatically to step two.
2. If a member breaks a rule a second time, their post will be edited with a reason why and a notation that this is their second offense, if they break a rule a third time they will be suspended for a week.
3. If a member breaks a rule a third time, the post will be edited with a note explaining the offense broken and that they have been suspended for one-week.
4. Upon their return, if ANY rule is broken in the first month, they will suspended for a one-month period.
5. Upon their return, they will have a clean slate with which to start over again. However, if rules are broken quickly and consistently, that poster may find themselves banned permanently.
If we just all follow these rules, this will be a happy, thoughtful, fun community.
Thank you,
A-Dohring Crowd Administration
