Carbonite

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Member Rules

 We have broken the rules down into various parts, assigned to the rights of users on Carbonite.  As you know, we have a few different types of users, as in normal users, VIP members, Resellers, Retailers and Staff (Moderators, Super Moderators and Admin).  As your permissions grow, so do we relax the rules on you a little bit.  

 

    The rules pertaining to all members, unless otherwise specified, are as follows:

    Core Rules:

    • We generally don't moderate too much on the forums. We have one Simple Core Rule - don't be an asshole.
    • In respect to the aforementioned, however, we will intervene when we feel things are heading downhill fast. As such, we explicitly do not allow discrimination, including racism, sexism, and/or any other negative, derogatory, or otherwise degrading posts, speech or insinuations. We also do not allow religious discussions or debates, because time has taught us that people can't behave when the topic is touched.
    • As a final note, we won't allow the discussion, insinuation, trading, or dealing in anything illegal. This includes piracy of software, pirated/counterfeit goods, (ie: replica goods of any variation. t-shirts, shoes, watches or similar), blacklisted hardware (such as cellphones), as well as any and all items or software that might be questionable in nature. This is not negotiable.
    • We will generally delete posts that contravene the above and issue a first and final warning, but should we feel the offense is excessive, a permanent ban will be issued. Access to these forums is a privilege, not a right, if we believe you are a negative influence to our community, your access will be revoked forthwith. As such, if you're not sure if you should post it, rather don't. Stick to our Simple Core Rule.
    • User accounts:

      • Multiple user accounts for whatever reason are not allowed.
      • You don't need an account or 2FA to contact support. You simply log out, click on contact us and fill in your story along with the email address you used to sign up with.
      • The user must be older than 18 or if the user declines to state their age then it is assumed that they are over 18.  If the user is under 18 then it is assumed that the user has received permission from their parent/guardian and that all dealings on Carbonite are done with this permission.  The user also understands that due to the adult nature of conversations that may take place on Carbonite and that they indemnify the forum for such content.

       

      Signatures & Avatars:

      • Only Text/link signatures are allowed. Please note that links to retail sites or shops will be seen as advertising. See Reseller requirements for more information.
      • Normal users are not allowed images in their signatures. Bypassing this rule with a link that displays an image is not allowed.
      • The maximum file size of avatar images is 20KB with a maximum resolution of 80x80 pixels.  Neither of these constraints may be breached.
      • Normal users are not allowed animated avatars. Any religious slogans/text/anything religious really will be removed ad hoc without warning.

       

      Classifieds:

      These rules pertain to buying, selling and trading threads on Carbonite:

      • The official template is to be used for ALL adverts placed on Carbonite, whether for buying, selling, or trading.  It is automatically added into your post, complete all lines and remove the portion you are not using, ie: if it is a sale post, remove the wanted portion, if it is a wanted sale, remove the sale portion, as well as removing the portions with # on them. Any threads not using the template fully will be deleted without warning.
      • The sellers may ask any price he chooses, even if ridiculous.  If the seller wishes to sell a 128 MB flash drive for R 1,000,000 he may do so. Do not post in the thread that you think the seller price is ludicrous, mad, etc....
      • There is to be NO negative interference in the seller's thread. This could be interference towards either buyers or sellers. If a post can be construed as deconstructive, even if it wasn't meant as such, then the staff will act on it.  Keep it to PM if it needs to be said.
      • Any price discussion, including but not limited to making offers, asking if a price is negotiable or if it's the lowest price is to be kept to PM and out of the eye of the public.
      • The seller may provide links to any online store he wishes on condition that they sell to the public and are not a distributor/supplier/dealer.
      • Distributor/supplier/dealer prices are not allowed to be shared on the forum under any circumstances.
      • Sales on behalf of a third party are not allowed unless the person is immediate family (parent, sibling, or child).  Even in these instances, you are required to act as if the item is yours - should anything go wrong it will be a reflection on you and not the third party.  Should you not wish to accept the risk, rather get them to sign up on Carbonite.
      • Auctions are not allowed.  All sales must include an asking price which may or may not be negotiable, but there will be no sales asking for offers to be made via PM.
      • Piracy/counterfeit/replica related items are strictly forbidden.  Refer to core rules.
      • Spamming classifieds threads are not permitted.
      • Duplicate threads are strictly forbidden.  If you want to move a thread, ask a member of staff or close the old one and open a new one.
      • You may only bump up your thread once every 3 days.  The exception is threads of people looking for employment.  We will allow daily bumps on these threads.
      • You may update your thread once a day with a new price, as long as the price drop is significant to the sale price.  We will not allow R1 price drops daily to circumvent the 3-day bump rule above.
      • You may update your thread with relevant information as often as you like, as long as the information is relevant to the item or sale.  Posting one image every hour will be seen as trying to circumvent the rules above.

       

      Software, Games, and Game Accounts:

      • Beta keys for games or other software may not be sold.  They may, however, be given away freely.
      • Selling/bundling of any pirated software/media is strictly forbidden and will result in an instant ban from the forums without prejudice or warning.

       

      Virtual Currency Sales:

      Virtual currencies such as Bitcoin, Litecoin, Darkcoin, Dogecoin, Peercoin, etc. may be sold without a Classifieds Reseller subscription if ALL of the following criteria are met:

      • You do not have at least one dedicated mining computer, FPGA, ASIC or similar.
      • You do not run a business specializing in virtual currencies.
      • If you do any of the above or if the staff feel that your selling behaviour appears to be of a business nature, you will be required to purchase a Classifieds Reseller subscription.

       

      Reseller requirements:

      A normal or VIP member will need to purchase a Classifieds Reseller subscription under the following circumstances, or if a member of staff decides you need one:

      • If more than one new item is advertised at a time.
      • If more than one new item is advertised within a six month period.
      • If we detect a pattern of buying with the intention of reselling to turn a profit.
      • If services are being offered.
      • If we decide that you are using Carbonite as profit-making endeavour such as a business, however small it may be.
      • If you would like to advertise for an outside company.

       

      Keep in mind the above is a guideline, and a guideline only. If, for example, you sell second-hand computers or cellphones on Carbonite and you make a profit on that, you require a Reseller subscription. The items advertised do not have to be new for the Reseller requirement to be applied.

       

      Forum Reporting:

      ALWAYS make use of the Report button located at the bottom left-hand side of posts and Private Messages to report any issues such as Price Discussion, Early Bumping, Suspected Scammers, No Template posts, Thread Title Changes, Moving Threads, Deleting Threads, etc.

      Always be as descriptive and thorough as possible when submitting your report so that the attending member of staff is aware of what the issue is and doesn't have to PM you for more info.  The report function needs to be used instead of mentioning staff or sending individual or specific staff members Private Messages.  This is because the specific staff member you tagged or PM'd might not be online/available, and the issue might not be resolved ASAP, while another member of staff might see the report and action it.

       

      Bad Deals:

      • The Bad Deals Template is to be used for ALL Bad Deals threads. The template can be found in the Bad Deals section as a sticky.
      • A deal has to have been concluded. You may not open a thread in the Bad Deals section because the other party called off the deal, didn't pitch up or sold the item to someone else.
      • There is no waiting period before a thread may be started.
      • The accused has one week to respond to a Bad Deals thread to begin the process of resolving the issue. If no attempt is made, the accused will be permanently banned.  The exception is where we will suspect a member of scamming others as well, where such an account will be banned permanently and immediately.
      • The Bad Deals thread is between the two parties involved and for those with relevant information only (scammer details, assistance with warranty check, etc).  No posts of any other kind will be tolerated in a Bad Deals thread.  Circumstantial information is allowed, users that are willing to assist or have information/experience with RMA process, contact details of repair centers, etc.  Transgressors will be dealt with swiftly and strictly.
      • No name-calling or flaming will be allowed.  Tempers tend to flare when someone feels wronged, but the global core rules are to be obeyed and any transgressions will be dealt with accordingly.
      • The Bad Deals section of the forums is to be used as a last resort, you must have made reasonable attempts to get the issue resolved before opening a new thread.  It doesn't take a lot to permanently tarnish someone's reputation, and non-compliance with any of these rules may result in action being taken against you.

       

      Feedback

      Feedback is a system that we use for tracking a user's reputation with regard to online dealing. It can be accessed by viewing a user's profile and clicking the Feedback Score tab.

      • A Feedback rating must be used to rate the experience of a completed deal.  For the purposes of Feedback, the deal may be reviewed once both parties have agreed on the deal and the only step left is payment/delivery/collection.  Feedback ratings given for deals not reaching this point will be removed. FOR EXAMPLE: You must give a neutral/negative rating because the other party called off the deal, didn't pitch up, or sold the item to someone else once you've reached an agreement and they did not reasonably communicate a decent reason for the change of circumstances. There must be proof of the communication or lack thereof. For clarity: there is a distinction between asking someone to hold an item before they make up their mind (not a completed deal) and asking someone to hold something because they have made up their mind and are waiting for something to happen after which they will definitely take it (completed deal). Remember this applies to both seller and buyer.
      • Feedback is not to be used for personal grudges.
      • Feedback is for sales that have a thread.  Should a deal be done via PM or via means other than a thread in the relevant section on Carbonite (such as via WhatsApp, email, Facebook, telephonically, or via any other means) a Feedback rating cannot be given.
      • No sale/wanted/trade threads may be made after the fact for the purpose of giving or receiving a Feedback rating.  This is a bannable offense, and the rating will be deleted without warning.
      • Feedback ratings are not to be given for free/give-away items, virtual currency sales, or in-game items.
      • Making of and return of Feedback ratings is compulsory. If you do not provide feedback, you will be facing a ban (this is at the discretion of the Administrator dealing with your case) and all previous Feedback ratings may be deleted as such

       

      Rules pertaining to VIP members:

      All the rules pertaining to all members are relevant to VIP members, apart from the following:

      • VIP Members are allowed to bump their sales threads on a daily basis, and not only once every 3 days.
      • Signature images are allowed, both plain and animated.  The maximum file size of signature images is 100KB with a maximum resolution of 500x150 pixels.  Neither of these constraints may be breached.

       

      Rules pertaining to Reseller members:

      All the rules pertaining to VIP members are relevant to Reseller members, apart from the following:

      • Resellers are allowed to have both a personal as well as a Classifieds Reseller account on Carbonite.  They will, however, be required to cross-reference the account in their signatures. If you have an account called Person123 for personal use and Company123 for business use, Person123 must link to Company123 in its signature. Likewise, Company123 must link to Person123 in its signature.
      • Reseller members are allowed to bump their sales threads on a daily basis, and not only once every 3 days.
      • Reseller members must use the Reseller tag on all the sales threads they wish to sell in their capacity as Classifieds Reseller.
      • Signature images are allowed, both plain and animated.  A maximum of 3 images is allowed, with the maximum combined file size of signature images being 150KB and a maximum combined resolution of these images being 1,000x200 pixels.  Neither of these constraints may be breached.

       

      Rules pertaining to Staff members:

      LOL, we don't have any.

      No, I'm kidding.  Staff also has to abide by rules.  We have the same allowances as Resellers with some extra benefits, like being allowed animated avatars.  If you feel like a member of staff is abusing their power or overstepping their boundaries, please do report the action and we will act on it.  As a general rule, where members of staff are personally involved (like a bad deals thread, for instance), they will "lose their power" in the context of the complaint and they will be treated as a normal member.  As such you can rest assured that staff members will not and can not abuse their power when they can personally gain off of it.

      The forum owners are not staff, these rules do not apply to them, they have carte blanche over all things Carbonite. Question and challenge them at your own risk.

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