Code of Conduct
(Updated 8 May 2017)
Community standards
We are a community of volunteers working together to preserve public domain works. In order to maintain an atmosphere of teamwork and camaraderie, we strive to treat each other with respect.
The most basic expectation of Distributed Proofreaders members and guests is to be considerate in all Distributed Proofreaders-related communications. This includes posts in our forums, Private Messages (PMs), email, Project Comments, volunteers' notes (aka Proofreaders' notes), wiki articles and any other form of communication written or verbal. None of us is perfect, however, and we are likely to be less than pleasant once in a while. When you are angry or upset, it is always better to delay reacting or ask someone else to post a message on your behalf who can do so in a calmer tone.
Our membership includes a wide range of ages and cultures. Communications should be appropriate for all audiences.
This site encourages the sharing of different viewpoints and ideas. Many of our best innovations have come from such discussions. These can sometimes become controversial and argumentative; an amount of self-restraint or a cooling off period is always more productive than responding in haste.
If the primary reason for composing a post is to stir up discontent or controversy, it is best not to post it at all.
Provided it's not at someone's expense, witty is great. Abusive is not. Personal attacks, libel, harassment, or public shaming are never appropriate.
Links to interesting articles, news, promotional ideas, anything of community interest or related to our mission are appropriate. Posts containing spam or links to spam are not.
Please do not post content that is subject to copyright without the permission of the copyright owner. Quoting from copyrighted content is acceptable, as long as it is clear that it is a quotation. It is not acceptable to suggest or share information on how to illegally obtain copyrighted material.
You also must not post material that could violate International Law.
Volunteers or guests must not intentionally harm or subvert DP processes or systems.
Corrective measures
Reports of abusive communications will be investigated. Forum moderators or administrators may ask a poster to revise or remove a post that violates the above standards. Refusal or failure to do so may result in the post being edited or removed. If a post seriously violates the Code of Conduct, it will be removed or edited immediately by the moderators or administrators. If there are serious or repeated abusive posts, that volunteer's forum postings may be placed under moderation.
Spam will be removed without comment.
Moderators or administrators may lock and/or split discussions which have become flame wars.
Serious or repeated failure to abide by the Code of Conduct may result in a written warning from the General Manager. In extreme cases, that volunteer could lose access to the site temporarily or permanently.
Where to report problems
To report offensive or inappropriate forum posts or Private Messages, you may use the "Report this Post"/"Report this Message" function or send a Private Message (PM) to a forum moderator (the responsible moderator group is listed on most forums) or a forum administrator. If one doesn't reply, please try another. Please do not compound the problem by responding to the poster(s).
You may also report inappropriate conduct or communication to the General Manager (email dp-genmgr @ pgdp.net or via private message to lhamilton).
To report inappropriate conduct by the General Manager, please contact the Distributed Proofreaders Foundation Board President.
The Fine Print
This Code of Conduct may be revised and expanded as necessary in order to adjust to circumstances, experience and an ever-changing membership. Future updates will be announced in site News items and/or through DPF Board or General Manager announcements.
Maintaining a congenial atmosphere depends upon the conduct of all our members. If you do not agree with this Code of Conduct, Distributed Proofreaders may not be the right site for you.
Establishing and continuing to use a Distributed Proofreaders account will be considered an agreement to abide by this Code of Conduct.