Key Items: Many of the filters are automated on the server, a real person will never see a posting that trips one of these filters.
1. Spam Filter - Using all caps or odd punctuation will trigger the spam filter and the post will be rejected. We have a problem with Spam being post to the boards (just like the kind that comes by e-mail) and the filters are set to reject these.

Please do not post in all capital letters, the spam/spell check software will reset these to lower case or reject the message. Use proper punctuation and not odd characters. Using nicknames or incorrectly spelled names can also trip the filters. Do not post the same message to multiple boards, our the software will flag these as spam.

One method for checking a message is to compose it in a word processing or e-mail program where it can be spell checked. Once composed you can paste the contents to the discussion board form.

2. Shipping questions/discussions/memories etc. are welcomed and encouraged here. Please stick to the topic in a serious and direct manner. The Regional Discussion board is a good place to take these off topic, add amusing comments or start an opinion based thread. Items for sale (including private sellers) may not be listed on any discussion board and is filtered by the software. Too many problems with people expecting us to resolve a dispute because they saw a link to an auction on the site. Eventually we will have a Classified Ad section.

If you have news to contribute please send to the News Page. While the boards offer instant posting the news page reaches a much larger audience. The News page is among the top Five most visited pages by viewers while the Search page does not even rank in the top twenty.

3. Posts soliciting general links should not be added here, instead to the Links Page. Links to specific content (like news articles or pictures) are encouraged. Please do not post a link to a main page of a site and force people to search for it, we get many complaints on this. Example: If someone wanted a picture of the Michipicoten instead of posting "go to Boatnerd.com" we would post "http://www.boatnerd.com/pictures/fleet/thumb/Michipicoten-at-Algoma-Stee.jpg" and the link would take them to it with no searching.

4. Replying to a message - When replying to a message please open the original post and click on the "Post a Reply" link at the top of the original message. When a post is made out of a "thread" the server tries to match the post to a recent thread. At busy times this can cause the post made outside the thread to be lost.

5. Content. Please keep in mind your audience when posting. This site is rated for all age groups (including children) and the content should be acceptable for that type of audience. Your comments are read by the shipping industry, ship crew members and government agencies. Please do not make inappropriate comments about those groups, it reflects negatively on all those who call ship watching a hobby not just the individual making the comment. In the past an "off" comment on the board would get back to a ship or company as "Boatnerd said"  and not "a commenter using a public discussion board said".

6. Customer service questions, some posts have been made of a customer service type nature questioning a product or service that is of the boat nature. This is not a proper posting for the discussion boards. Few if any question can be resolved by posting to a discussion board, the companies for the most part do not read these pages. A good example of this would be if you had a problem with your phone bill and went to a local mall and started asking everyone you encounter if they too are having a problem with their phone bill. To resolve an issue please contact that company directly.

7. Don't fall for flame bait. If a controversial post is made with out an e-mail address it is likely flame bate. Don't take the bate, e-mail the moderators. Please refer to the Terms of Use  for information on your use of this site.

8. Please don't add posts directed to one person or a message for one person, e-mail is a great use for this. The Regional board is also the place if you wish to post repeat messages (i.e., "where is the _____ freighter?", "I live in _____ when is the next freighter due?",  "I collect ______") or random vessel passage reports meant for a specific person.

9. Please leave Computer Security/ Virus Warnings to security web sites. These types of post in the past have confused many into thinking there was a virus coming from the web site (this is impossible) and worse case gave advice that would cause a user to damage there computer. A good practice is never to trust advice given on a public discussion board and to visit www.symantec.com for this type of information.

10. Questions about the use and operation of the site, technical questions, content or errors should be directed to Moderatoratboatnerd.net and not posted to a board.

Thank you, by following these guidelines you are doing your part to keep the boards useful and entertaining.

Updated 9/2004