| >This page describes one of The Vampire Chronicles' policies and guidelines. All users are expected to follow policy, except where it would damage the wiki. If you have any questions, suggestions, or complaints, please post them on the talk page. |
Users should remember that all editors are equal and maintain appropriate levels of behaviour and respect at all times.
This policy's main object is appropriate behaviour. This page is intended as a guide for users as to what is appropriate behaviour. However, common sense applies in most situations. This page simply lists examples, and does not imply that anything not listed here is permitted.
Assume Good Faith
- Main article: Vampire Chronicles:Assume Good Faith
Assume that when an editor makes an edit, it was to help the wiki, not to damage it. If a user damages a page, assume that it was an accident or test rather than a deliberate attempt to vandalise the wiki. If this situation occurs, you should help the user rather than shout at them.
Explain Yourself
On The Vampire Chronicles wiki, you are free to edit work that other users have done, and vice versa. Decent edit summaries and clear and transparent explanations are universally appreciated. Other editors need to understand your process, especially if you are altering something they have done. Edit summaries also help you to understand what you did yourself after a long leave of absence from an article. When making an edit, please state what you changed and why. If the explanation is too long, add more on the article's talk page.
No Personal Attacks
Personal attacks on other users are expressly forbidden. Do not write that user such and such is an idiot, or insult him/her (even if (s)he is an idiot). Instead, explain what they did wrong, why it is wrong, and how to fix it. If possible, fix it yourself (but see above).
When disagreeing with another user, you should be respectful even if you disagree with what they are saying. It is perfectly possible to express your disagreement without insulting them or their edits. You should work to reach a compromise rather than argue or try to force them to accept your viewpoint.
Offensive Language and Behavior
You should never resort to offensive language. This includes any racist, sexist or homophobic behavior or language. Offensive comments and personal attacks will be dealt with seriously. If you are the victim of such attacks, report the incident to an Administrator and it will be investigated. Do not retaliate in kind, as this will likely only make matters worse and can lead to punishment in much the same way as the original offence.
This policy also applies to users who are spammers or trolls. Just because someone deliberately sabotages the wiki, that does not grant you the right to insult them or use offensive language.
Many offensive words are common, and you may be used to them. Nevertheless, it is never acceptable to swear at other users, call them names, or use vulgarity in an offensive way. Swear words should not be used in articles, except as part of quotations, and excessive use will be curbed.
Don't Feed the Trolls
Quite often, the aim of a harmful user is to disrupt the wiki and its users. These users are known as "trolls", and they often post controversial, offensive or irrelevant messages, aiming to generate an emotional response from editors.
In any situation editors must be respectful — even if the user is a spammer or a troll. No matter how much damage the unconstructive edits or flame wars may have caused, all that is necessary is to block the user and move on. Any damage they have caused can be easily and quickly undone. Report trolls to an Administrator and they will be dealt with.
Attacking such trolls or vandals usually encourages them to come back for more. Remember, they thrive on disruption, and seeing users upset and panicking is what they want.
Don't Be Offensive
When participating in community discussions or conversing with other users, never go out of your way to intentionally irritate or attack other users. Doing so can be considered a personal attack, depending on the circumstances. Purposefully inciting conflict and thus causing a flame war is counterproductive and might result in being blocked. In addition, when making a point in a community discussion, do not illustrate your point in such a manner that is detrimental to the wiki. Make your point, but do so in a mature fashion and never go overboard.
Debate with Civility
When discussing a disagreement or any other topic where views differ, please try to remain civil, polite and calm. Just because someone disagrees with your views, that does not mean they have an issue with you personally. Things can quickly escalate if those involved do not mind their behavior or fail to abide by proper etiquette as dictated in this policy. Regardless of whether the individual is misinformed, forgetting something or simply has a differing opinion, you should never respond aggressively to their disagreement.
Debates should never result in anger, frustration or any other negative emotions as this simply generates animosity between users and makes differences harder to resolve. Stay civil and debate your position calmly. If you encounter a user who you consider to be belligerent or offensive during a discussion, simply report the matter to an Administrator and it will be investigated. Do not resort to similarly aggressive behavior in response.
Often, a discussion is not about who is right and who is wrong but about what is best for the Wiki, and whether there is a need to make a proposed change or reliable sources to back up proposed additions. Discussions are about consensus. If a consensus cannot be reached on a given subject, it is often best to agree to disagree.
If you make a claim that is subsequently disproven by other users (typically through the presentation of reliable sources that show the contrary) then the best thing to do is to concede the point, or agree to disagree. Arguing further will be considered disruptive and may make reflect poorly upon you, as other users may view those who argue for the sake of arguing or simply to have the last word in a disagreement in a dim light. When encountering such individuals yourself, simply agree to disagree with them. If the user continues to be belligerent or offensive, report them to an Administrator. In cases where a disagreement manifests itself as edit warring, an Administrator will likely step in to put a stop to such disruption.