The Energon Pub

*Notice: I know these boards may not be the best place to discuss the creation of a new TF newsgroup, but where else can the discussion take place where TF fans are already so prominent? Should this topic be unacceptable here you all have my sincere apologies. Any suggestions on where to take this discussion are appreciated.

What I am trying to accomplish with this post is to gauge interest in a new TF newsgroup bring created, one that is moderated. My current proposal would be to create alt.toys.transformers.moderated.

The current charter, as of the date of this posting is as follows:

(Suggestions to improve this charter are welcome)

A moderated newsgroup dedicated to the discussion of past, present and future Transformer cartoons, comics, toys, and other media. Off-topic posts are not entirely forbidden. Off-topic meaning articles that are not related to the Transformers either directly or indirectly. Such topics will be allowed on a case-by-case basis. If a topic is rejected a moderator should send a rejection letter stating the reason it was rejected. If there is any way to make the topic more acceptable, then suggestions can be made by the moderator in the rejection letter and the article can be resubmitted, once theproper corrections have been made.

No marketplace-style postings will be acceptable, considering the fact that there are two existing groups, alt.toys.transformers.marketplace, and rec.toys.transformers.marketplace, specifically for such posts.

Fanfic is welcome. All Fanfic and other creative efforts are of course subject to the moderation policy.

Moderation policy summary:

ATTM will accept all articles that are on-topic as defined by the charter, provided they do not contain personal attacks, or unprotected spoilers. Spoilers are defined as any piece of information that will give away major plot points within a cartoon, movie, comic, or other media. Readers should be able to read the newsgroup without any fear that doing so will spoil an upcoming cartoon, movie, comic, or other media. In order to protect readers from spoilers any poster who submits an article that contains such information must either include the word "spoilers" in the subject, or write out a warning that a sentence or paragraph will contain spoilers before it is written out.

ATTM supports an "all or nothing" policy for posting articles. An article is either approved, or a rejection letter is sent back to the poster.

ATTM supports a swift resolution process for complaints against specific moderators or instances of rejection. Each complaint shall be forwarded to all active moderators, and a consensus will be reached.

Additional ATTM moderators can be added to the team by initiating an election to be handled by the members of ATTM. One moderator will post to the newsgroup a list of candidates to become new moderators. Whoever receives the most votes, via replies to that post, will be accepted into the group of moderators.

ATTM moderator rotation will be handled when one moderator is either removed from the moderation group, or one decides to step down. Should rotation be initiated the remaining moderators will post a notice about an available position and ask that the members choose candidates to fill the gap. After a list of possible candidates is chosen, then the voting in process will begin, just as previously stated in the
charter.

1 - Isn't there one already?
2 - Aren't newsgroups dead?

There is alt.toys.transformers, which is not moderated.

No. Newsgroups are not dead. They are just as valid and useful as any modern web forum.

Ultra Magnotron wrote:No. Newsgroups are not dead. They are just as valid and useful as any modern web forum.

Wait for the "what are newsgroups?" posts and see otherwise.

Burn wrote:Wait for the "what are newsgroups?" posts and see otherwise.

Ah, but people's ignorance is not a gauge for usefulness. Some enlightening education is all is required for them to see that their ignorance is unwarranted.

Ignorance sounds harsh, I think it's just a case of people not being aware of a rather obscure (and some would say outdated) part of the internet as it lacks the flashyness of a forum.

I personally haven't touched them in years. But to help people out, can you posts links to where people can access newsgroups? (Some ISP's might still offer them, I don't think mine does)

Ignorance is nothing to be ashamed of. I'm ignorant on a lot of things, but that implies that I can educate myself on them and no longer be ignorant about them... should I choose to do so. Now stupidity, other other hand, is another matter entirely.

As far as accessing newsgroups it's as easy as accessing Google Groups.

You can find alt.toys.transformers on Google Groups at the link below:

https://groups.google.com/forum/?hl=en# ... ansformers

Once there you can search for other newsgroups. It's all very simple.

So you joined here just to plug a "possible" group off of this website?

Plz read the rules up top in the General discussion area.

Wouldn't be for me as I'm happy with what I've already got.
-Three TF forums.
- Moving towards trying out a RP game.
- Facebook.
- TF groups on DA.