RULES

[Nicole]

The main thing I want to say here is to please be respectful of each other. "Be Nice - Be Effective".

The Cakes and More motto is that there is no right or wrong way! We believe that Cake Decorating is ever evolving and we are interested in hearing about as many different methods as we can so that each individual can find what works right for them.

The following is a summarised version of the Forum Etiquette Guide, you should make yourself familiar with both.

• Respect others' views even if you disagree with them.
  
• Post in the most appropriate forum (and only in one forum).
  
• Before posting your question, search the forum. Your question or comment may have already been discussed, answered, or resolved.
  
• Read what's already there before posting. You may be repeating what others have already said or asked.
  
• Create a concise subject that adequately summarizes your topic. For example: "How do I cover a square cake in fondant" NOT just “How do I?” or “Please help?” (these do not facilitate the search engine).
  
• Stay on topic - try to focus on the original topic. In particular, don't change subject in the middle of an existing thread - just start a new topic.
  
• Conversely, don't start a new topic if your post relates to an existing one - reply to the existing thread instead. Make sure you reply to the appropriate post, not just the last post in the thread.
  
• When starting a new topic, make the subject line clear and informative. It makes the topic easy to find.
  
• Make sure you're understood, even by non-native English speakers. Try to write full sentences, and avoid text-message abbreviations or slang.
  
• If you've forgotten to add something to your post, use the EDIT function instead of posting a second post.
  
• If asking a question, provide as much information as possible, what you've already considered, where you've already read etc.
  
• Do not use all capital letters, excessive question marks (?),exclamation points (!) or dots (……) in your subject or content.
  
• Do start the sentence of your topic with a Capital Letter!
  
• Increase the likelihood of starting a discussion by providing details in your comment or question and by choosing a relevant category, release, and platform for your topic.
  
• Be patient. All the participants of this forum, including the forum staff, are using the forum and participating in discussions on their own time.
  
• Help others. The forum is a community and works best when people share information.
  
• Give feedback. If someone helps you by answering your question, try to add a follow-up response letting them know if it worked or not.
  
• We reserve the right to remove any topics we deem inappropriate or disruptive to our community. Please note that, from time to time, topics may be removed for being inappropriate even though your individual post in that topic may have been inoffensive. This does not reflect negatively on you.
  
• Have fun but please keep it positive and polite. We do not censor opinions or ideas on our forums but we do take action against posts and/or topics that could cause unrest in the community beyond a civil and polite disagreement.
  
• Any member who is found to have images on their personal website that is the work of another decorator and are knowingly claiming it as their own, will be removed from Cakes & More immediately.
  
• Remember to post in the correct forum. Take the time to look at other topics and see where your topic should go. If your topic is placed in the wrong forum, it will be moved by a moderator.
  
• If a topic is recognized as being posted in the wrong forum, or if the post is a violation of our guidelines then please contact a moderator via private message or the 'report post to moderator' feature; please do not respond publicly to the member - a member of staff will do what is required upon contact.
  
• Linked and locked topics are pruned regularly to reduce page clutter. If you have a question about where your topic went, please PM a Moderator or Administrator before starting a new topic asking where it went, or posting a duplicate of the original topic. We will be happy to provide you with a link to the new location, or a reason why it was locked and/or removed.
  
• Any member removed or banned from this board will lose any & all benefits associated with membership.
  
• No 'flaming' - in other words, avoid personal attacks, pettiness, abuse. Respect other users, and if you disagree with them, explain why.
  
• No 'trolling' - trolls are posts deliberately designed to provoke an angry response. That doesn't mean you can't be controversial, if you really mean it.
  
• No personal disputes - if it gets personal, take it offline. But don’t involve others in an effort to gang up on someone.
  
• Avoid typing in ALL CAPS, which is considered shouting or yelling.
  
• Learn to let go - don't keep harping on about the same thing, or harking back to previous arguments. It is rarely productive to do so, and you always end up going round in circles.
  
• If someone else's post offends you, don't immediately fight back online. Consider whether they really meant to cause offence. It can be easy to sound rude without meaning to, especially if English is not your native language. However, if you really are troubled by the post, don't respond - take it to your lecturer instead.
  
• Users may not argue a moderators decision publicly. Any and all complaints directed at a moderator must first address the moderator in question via private message. If the problem can not be resolved, then the moderator and user must send their positions to the forum admin. The forum admin will make or change any and/or all final decisions.
  
• Violation of any of these rules will result in consequences determined on a case-by-case basis.
  
• We do do clear outs of non-visiting members regularly, you are sent a warning that your account is deemed inactive, if you chose not to click the link or log in, your account will be deleted. You are able re-register if you choose to.
  

Thank you.