No speaking with applicants for the commoners?

[Captain Maltese]

I seem to be outdated on the terms of engagement, so to speak. I was honestly shocked to learn that since I am not a mentor, I was not allowed to be in the Doormat. I have no idea when this rule came into law, but then again I am more an irregular here than a regular so I accept that it passed me by.

So I am not posting to discuss what is evidently the way of things. I am posting to ask if there are such rules for the other areas where applicants are too. Are commoners to avoid posting in applicant threads? How about the non-adult story threads where the applicants can play?

I am not trying to start a discussion about the policy. I just want to know where I stand as a commoner.

[Lilias]

The Introduction Policy section 03 is pretty clear on the issue.

You can ask new applicants questions (within reason - see above). Of course you can comment if they put up stories in the Non-Adult section, or offer to RP with them there. Just remember it's their moment in the spotlight. Don't spoil it :-)

[Captain Maltese]

O7: We would prefer that idle chatting and light conversation take place in the Doormat and not in an introduction thread, as the approval team uses introduction threads for approval purposes. :-) Thanks.

- I propose rewriting this to specificially forbid commoners to use the Doormat, since the current wording indicates that "idle chatting and light conversation" is in fact allowed in the doormat.

[Trieste]

The use of the word 'commoner' draws a false line between Mentors and other members. While Mentors are volunteers who specifically tend to the intro section, they are not some special elite class of member. It does both you and them a disservice to try to put that divide in place with your language.

As I said in my post before, you have the socializing area. It's been known to intimidate new folks on the Doormat if there is a chitter-chatter back and forth between two approved members, not to mention the frustration of trying to post and continually getting the red "There have been posts made!" warning.

The forum games and socializing area is still open to you and whatever newbies want to join in.

[Oniya]

The use of the word 'commoner' draws a false line between Mentors and other members. While Mentors are volunteers who specifically tend to the intro section, they are not some special elite class of member. It does both you and them a disservice to try to put that divide in place with your language.

As I said in my post before, you have the socializing area. It's been known to intimidate new folks on the Doormat if there is a chitter-chatter back and forth between two approved members, not to mention the frustration of trying to post and continually getting the red "There have been posts made!" warning.

The forum games and socializing area is still open to you and whatever newbies want to join in.

Perhaps indicating that the Doormat is a place specifically for new members (rather than differentiating between Mentors and other members) would clarify things? 

[Captain Maltese]

The word 'commoner' appeals to me because, to quote Nanny Ogg, I am common as muck. What is the better way to describe a non Mentor/Siren/Goddess member of this site? I did consider 'default member' and 'standard member' but neither rolled well off my tongue. I will be happy to learn the proper term. I wish to underline that I was not hinting at a class divide since I am very well aware that the, um, noncommoners have taken on a lot of extra work and have precious few privileges to show for it.

[Nico]

The easiest way to describe it would be Member. Mentors included, because we are, in fact, Members like all the others. :-)

[jouzinka]

Well, that would kinda contradict the Captain's original question in the first place, no? Since he -is- a member, yet he was advised not to speak to the newbies in the Doormat, since he wasn't a Mentor.

I rather find this to be a Catch-22. Non-staff (for lack of a better term) are generally discouraged from activity in the intro boards and interactions with the newbies in their designated areas (or so it seems to me), BUT if you volunteer in the Mentor Volunteer Thread, then your activity in said areas is going to get pondered...

[Trieste]

The Mentors specifically watch their activity in intro threads to leave room for other members to post there. We just shoo people off the Doormat because of the reasons I already listed. :)