1. May I post my art/photography here?
Answer: Yes, as long as they are hosted on your server. We have limited space available on this one. They must not have copyright violations. Also no anime or pictures of yourself or others. (see #6, 7 & 11)
2. What are the rules for avatars?
Answer:
- Avatars MUST BE 96 x 96 pixels.
- Unless the artwork is yours, be prepared to prove that it came from a public domain site (or can otherwise demonstrate it is not copyrighted). You must add a line to your signature stating who gets credit for your avatar...something like: "Avatar by ***, used with permission."
- Keep it tasteful... we censor.
- There are plenty of avatars here that are pre-approved that you can pick from. Please look for them in the Photos section.
- No personal photos of yourself
3. What's all this crimson text in my post?
Answer: That'd be Tinkerbolg the spelling fairy. She's here to keep our post quality high. She corrects your spelling and grammar and keeps YOU from looking foolish.
Here are some suggestions:
- Use a word processor like Microsoft Word or Wordperfect to check your spelling and grammar. Then copy your text to the boards. (Sometimes word processors add formatted text that wont work in a web application. If you use this method, before you hit the post button, select all of your text and click the "Remove All Formatting" button.)
- Use Google Docs (Free online text editor with spell check).
- Use ieSpell (Free, but only works with Internet Explorer).
- Use As-U-Type (Best, but costs money).
You should also try to proofread everything before you hit the post button. Spell checkers don't catch everything.
4. May I post Fan Fiction?
Answer: Absolutely not! ANY violations of copyright will be deleted. This includes fan fiction from any published author, as well as Elizabeth Haydon's work.
5. Why can't I post in other languages besides English?
Answer: Because if the Administrators can't read it, they can't be sure that it's OK for the Cauldron. So all posts with something besides English in them will be deleted. Stick with English here.
6. May I use my real name here?
Answer: Please don't! We try to make this a safe place for all. But there are all types of people out there on the Internet. Don't make it easy for the predators. Use an alias.
7. Why is there no Anime here?
Answer: There are a number of reasons for this. First and foremost is that this is a site about Elizabeth Haydon's work, not anime. Second, experience has shown us that a lot of talk about anime takes away from the overall likability of the board and we start to lose members. Finally, it's the preference of the board owner. (Loophole: If you draw your own avatar and it has the anime style you may use it here. But only if you drew it and the characters depicted are not otherwise copyrighted.)
8. Where did all of these pre-approved avatars come from?
Answer: Most of them have been donated by members and pre-approved by our administrators. Some are the result of previous contests here at the Cauldron, others were just created for the fun of it by our members. There are many talented artists among our membership. If you ask nicely they may make one for you. Although the avatars are moderated, please do not submit any that are copyrighted...we will not approve them. And you must give credit to the artist in your signature stating that is is being used with permission.
There is a group of 3D artists here who work in Poser, DAZ|Studio, and Vue. Check out the Loritorium for more of their work.
9. What makes up a quality post?
Answer: GOOD QUESTION! Here are some guidelines:
- Good spelling and grammar.
- Easy to read. No "l33t speak" or chat abbreviations, text broken up into distinct paragraphs (no long text blocks), etc.
- It contributes to the discussion and is on topic.
- It does not make things difficult for the moderators and administrators. i.e. English language, not too inflammatory, etc.
Also, when quoting another poster, limit your quoting to what is relevant to your own post. There is no need to quote a long section of text to just say, "I agree."
10. What can I put in my signature?
Answer: Up to 256 characters of text including giving credit to your avatar artist. Or a graphic that is no larger than 500 pixel wide and 100 pixels tall.
11. Can I post a link to my homepage or website?
Answer: For the same reason we do not want you posting your real name or photo, we do not want you posting a personal link. We do not want people knowing your personal information for your own security. However, we will make exceptions for site links that don't give away much personal information, i.e. as long as your real name, address, workplace etc are not on there. Please send one of us a copy of your link to check over and if it's innocuous enough, we'll be happy to keep it in your profile.
12. What is the "Posts You Have Not Read" option?
Answer: There is a "Posts You Have Not Read" option on this board. As the name implies, it will show you all the posts that are new, or unread, since you last logged on. You can find the links to use this on the first home page after the lists of works by Elizabeth, on the Forums page in the Shortcuts section and at the bottom of every page. However, keep in mind that using this option will show you posts that contain story spoilers, so pay close attention to what forum the post is listed in. It is also advised that when making a new post yourself, please do not enclose any spoilers in the thread title.
13. Can I post a thread about politics and/or religion?
Answer: While we are glad that people are so passionate in their opinions about politics and religion, for that reason we do not allow threads about either subject here. These two subjects all too often lead to flame wars and hurt feelings, and we wish to avoid both here at the Cauldron on the public boards. You can of course use the PM system to discuss your opinions anytime if you wish, however.
Avi is my family crest.
