ABS Forum Terms of Use

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American Bonsai Society, Forum Terms of Use

This forum is intended for the discussion of bonsai and is operated by the American Bonsai Society (ABS).

Please remember that this is a public forum. Any information posted here is accessible by anyone in the world. Exercise caution when disclosing personal information.

Each user is solely responsible for the contents of their posts. ABS assumes no liability for the validity of information posted by forum users. ABS does not endorse any opinions or beliefs expressed in the forum. While this is a moderated forum, we do not monitor the contents of every post, nor are we under any obligation to do so. ABS reserves the right, but is under no obligation, to remove, edit, or move, at any time, any posts or materials displayed in the forums as we see fit.

Users acknowledge that the contents of their posts are not the express or implied views of ABS, it's members, affiliates, or any entity or person associated with ABS. Posted content is the express views of their authors. Users also acknowledge that the use of any posted information is done at their own risk. Bonsai is understood to be an undertaking of the individual using living material and as such carries with it an implied risk to your trees an any living material nearby. ABS does not, and is under no obligation to, evaluate or endorse the techniques, methods, or care recommendations posted by any user. Users assume all risk when following the advice of other forum users.

Access to the forums is subject to compliance to the following rules of conduct:

1. Legal Issues:
   1. You will not post any copyrighted material unless you own or control the copyrights to said material.
   2. You will not use the forum to post any material which violates or infringes upon the rights of any other persons or entities, including, but not limited to, rights of privacy, publicity, copyright, trademark, or other intellectual property rights.
   3. Site your sources. Material copied from other websites, or other media must be accompanied by a link or reference to the source material, along with an author credit.
   4. ABS reserves the right to backup and store all posts and attachments, transfer it to other media, modify it, delete it, or move it around the forum as ABS sees fit to do so.
   5. You will not post or transmit any software or computer files that contain a virus, worm or other disruptive or harmful component.
   6. You will not use more than one forum account irrespective of the number of ABS registrations you possess. Falsified identities will result in the banning of individuals from the forums.
2. Advertising, Promotion, and Self-Promotion:
   1. Except where expressly allowed, this forum is not to be used for commercial purposes, including, but not limited to, advertisements or solicitations.
   2. Message content must conform to the guidelines, title, and/or description of each forum area.
   3. Message "bumping" is not allowed.
   4. Signature information should go into your signature box (accessed through the User Control Panel) and not in the body of your message.
   5. Signature information cannot contain overly large text, or distracting elements; and of course must follow all other posting rules.
   6. Political and religious discussions are not allowed. Nor is the promotion of any such '-ism' in your signatures or avatars. This is a bonsai board. It is an international hobby. Views are guaranteed to be different.
   7. No chain letters, spam, pyramid schemes, multi-level marketing posts.
   8. No pornography or links to pornographic or similarly offensive sites will be tolerated.
3. Forum Etiquette:
   1. Have fun!
   2. You will not use this forum to post or transmit any material that is: abusive, hateful, racist, bigoted, sexist, harassing, threatening, inflammatory, defamatory, knowingly false, vulgar, obscene, sexually-oriented, profane or is otherwise in violation of any applicable law, rule or regulation.
   3. Bonsai is understood to involve multiple techniques and approaches to the same problems. We encourage healthy debate, but not personal attacks. Ideas CAN be attacked but members CAN NOT. Moderators will determine where the line has been crossed and act accordingly.
   4. People will read your text, not your body language. Sarcastic? Re-read your posts and use the smilies often.
   5. You will not stalk or otherwise harass other members. No personal vendettas.
   6. No "Goodbye", "I'm Leaving", or such "Forum Suicide" posts are allowed. All such topics will be locked and deleted from the forums. Users engaging in such behavior may be banned from the forums. If you want out, contact a moderator and we'll delete your account.
   7. No "cross-posting" (opening threads to promote other threads).
   8. 1. If you know the answer to a question, answer the question. Do not simply point users to other threads. This is allowed when a user asks "Where's the thread where we discussed ...?"
      2. Moderators may close duplicate active threads if both threads are running the same direction.
   9. You will not attempt to access restricted areas of the forum, or use any program, hack, or exploit to do so.
4. Moderator Issues:
   1. Administrators and Moderators are constantly reading the boards and will, at their discretion, remove objectionable posts. Warnings to the offending parties may be sent out.
   2. Repeated warnings, severe violations, and abusive users may result in account suspensions or permanent banishment.
   3. You will, if directed by a forum moderator, cease any behavior which has been deemed in violation of the forum rules. First warnings may be the only warning.
   4. If you suspect that something you are about to post may be offensive, and wish to discuss it ahead of posting, feel free to send a private message (PM) to any of the forum moderators to discuss it.
   5. Personal messages between you and a forum moderator are not to be discussed in the open forum.
   6. Banned users, deleted posts, and other moderator disciplinary actions are not to be discussed in the open forum. PM a moderator if you have a question. Moderators are not under any obligation to discuss the issue, however.
   7. Moderators are free to discuss disciplinary matters with other moderators and ABS board members.
5. Contacting A Moderator
   1. To report a message which violates the rules of the forum, click on the triangular exclamation point "!" image which appears at the top of each message. Then just fill in the form on the following page.
      
      1. This is the preferred way to report a message.
      2. You must be logged in to report a message.
   2. To contact a forum moderator on any other issue:
      
      1. Select a moderator from the moderator link on the forum's main page "Board Index". At the bottom of the page find the text "Legend: Administrators, Global moderators" and click on "Global moderators". Then select a moderator's profile.
      2. Moderators can be contacted via email or Private Message (PM) from their profile page.

Without limiting any of our other rights or remedies, a violation of any of the above rules of conduct may result in removal or redaction of a user's posts, suspension of forum access, and/or banning of a user from any future forum use. This is irrespective of their current standing as a member of the American Bonsai Society.

ABS will cooperate fully with law enforcement officials and comply with any court order with respect to any claim or investigation arising from your participation in any of the ABS forums and any material posted by you, including, without limitation, furnishing such material and information regarding your identity and any other information we may have about you.

You assume total responsibility and risk for your use of and participation in any forum on this website. ABS shall not be responsible or liable under any circumstances for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of or in any way related to any forum on this website. If you are dissatisfied with this website, including any forum thereon, your sole remedy is to cease use of the website or forum, as applicable.

ABS does not warrant that the functions contained in the materials on this website will be uninterrupted or error-free, that defects will be corrected, or that this website or the servers that make such materials available, are free of viruses or other harmful components. ABS does not warrant or make any representation regarding the correctness, accuracy, timeliness, reliability or any other aspect of the use of any of the materials.

You agree to indemnify, defend and hold ABS harmless from and against any and all claims, losses, liability, costs and expenses (including attorneys fees) incurred by ABS in connection with or arising out of your participation in any of the forums on this website and any material posted by you thereto.

You acknowledge that by participating in any forum on this website, you are granting ABS the unrestricted right, throughout the world and in perpetuity, to copy, sublicense, adapt, transmit, display or otherwise use, at no cost whatsoever to ABS, any and all material you post to any such forum, including, without limitation, all intellectual property rights embodied therein.

We may change, modify or supplement these terms of use at any time without notice. You are encouraged to consult this document as you will be expected to comply with any changes.