Curious about banning procedures

My regular username, TenPercenter, was banned last week and I haven't figured out why. I didn't get any kind of warning or question, no PM or email of any kind. I was hoping someone could explain it to me here?

At first I tried to log in and figured I had a password problem. I proceded to look for a way to contact an admin and couldn't find a way! No email address was listed for the top three admins in the members list. Of course I couln't PM... I couldn't log in!

While looking for another admin, I noticed one of my posts said this in the signature line:

{Solicitation removed from signature. Member has been banned.}

Needless to say I was flabbergasted, since I was banned for "solicitation" when I don't sell anything! If I remember right, my signature had information about many "dealer's choice" poker games listed on my family's webpage (nothing for sale I assure you).

I run a poker forum myself, and I can understand having to ban someone. I had to ban one person on my site, and I still feel bad about it. It's like firing someone, you just hate to do it. But I can't figure out what offense I could have committed here. I frequent MANY poker forums and I have had no one mad at me, much less comitted a banning offense.

Can someone enlighten me please?


Thanks.

Greg Cagle
TenPercenter

http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=649

I just noticed the above Sticky. It was posted just about the same time I was banned. I never saw it before since I rarely leave the "Home Games and Gear" forum.

Included in the new rule is, "Use of our FlopTurnRiver.com forums for ... off-site traffic is STRICTLY PROHIBITED." If I am reading it right, it is a blanket ban of ANY URL of any kind right? Or is it just commercial sales type links?

I like FTR, just like I like all the many forums I frequent. If I was given a little time (more than a day or so) to have noticed the above new rule, I assure you I would have complied (assuming this was the reason I was banned). Is there any chance in revisiting your decision to auto-ban for this?

If I am wrong about this being the reason I was banned, then I still ask, what was I banned for?

Thanks again,

TenPercenter

[a500lbgorilla]

Yah, It was Xianti.

We have strick anti-solicitiation laws in this land. We identify who's looks like their soliciting and discuss the hazy gray area ones. When I first saw your posts, you were linking things left and right and your avatar was an advertisment for your new chips. It was probably the culmination of all that and the website in your sig that did it. If you come back to fight it, then you're probably alright.

Maybe we're too strict, but that's just how it is at FTR.

-'rilla

Yah, It was Xianti.

We have strick anti-solicitiation laws in this land. We identify who's looks like their soliciting and discuss the hazy gray area ones. When I first saw your posts, you were linking things left and right and your avatar was an advertisment for your new chips. It was probably the culmination of all that and the website in your sig that did it. If you come back to fight it, then you're probably alright.

Maybe we're too strict, but that's just how it is at FTR.

-'rilla

Ahh, I see. I remember that first post last March where a mod was upset about me posting about my custom chips. I've now made two sets of custom chips, and the ones I had posted were the old set, as you can see in my avatar.

NOTE: I do not sell chips. I assure you that I was posting pictures of them because I was proud of the designs. People post photos of poker chips all the time on a couple other poker forums, I guess I just assumed too much in this regard.

Again, I am not trying to sell anything on FTR! Promise! If you want my custom chips (my design, I don't sell them) out of my avatar... say the word! It'll be done!

Also, Let me clarify: Are we allowed to post links in direct response to people's questions or posts? Like if someone says "where can I get labels for my chips" can we answer with a URL to a label seller?

Thanks again,

TenPercenter


Edit: Can you activate my old member name, TenPercenter? I like it better Any rules I am breaking, please get with me and I'll do whatever you want to rectify it.

[a500lbgorilla]

I like FTR, just like I like all the many forums I frequent. If I was given a little time (more than a day or so) to have noticed the above new rule, I assure you I would have complied (assuming this was the reason I was banned). Is there any chance in revisiting your decision to auto-ban for this

I don't think Xianti has ever unbanned someone but I know it's common practice to allow innocent or ignorant (of the rules) to post under a new name and not be IP-address banned.

-'rilla

[FyrFytr998]

I'll see what I can do. I mod the home games section and you've never given me any reasons to red flag you. And I've seen you at other sites and you remain low key unless approached.

I'll see what I can do. I mod the home games section and you've never given me any reasons to red flag you. And I've seen you at other sites and you remain low key unless approached.

Thanks man, I appreciate it. I honestly just try to be helpful, that alone makes me feel good. I just need to get a real handle on the new rule posted last week.. need details to be sure I comply.

TenPercenter

[Xianti]

What's the account name that you'd like unbanned?

[a500lbgorilla]

What's the account name that you'd like unbanned?

TenPercenter

-'rilla

[Xianti]

Okay. TenPercenter has been unbanned.


TenPercenter: Once you've logged in with your old TenPercenter account, please post and let me know, so I can delete this 10percenter account.

http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=649
I just noticed the above Sticky. It was posted just about the same time I was banned.

Wrong. That "No Soliciting" policy was posted in May of 2004 -- one year before you were banned, not "about the same time" you were banned. It's your responsibility to know our policies and abide by them. It was the URL in your signature that appeared to be solicitation.

[Xianti]

No email address was listed for the top three admins in the members list.

There's an "email" button at the bottom of every one of my posts.

Like this one.

[LeFou]

in other news, here's a belated warm welcome. Whereabouts in Dallas do you play?

[arkana]

Is it just me or is there no email button underneath Xianti's posts?

[Sykedupp]

It's Just you... see the "www" icon? That means email.

-Chris

[Sykedupp]

Oh wait, no its not.....


/me stands corrected

-Chris

[Xianti]

Is it just me or is there no email button underneath Xianti's posts?

Oops. Sorry. I had the option turned off. I didn't realize that I could see it only because I'm admin.

It's on now.

[TenPercenter]

TenPercenter: Once you've logged in with your old TenPercenter account, please post and let me know, so I can delete this 10percenter account.

Great Xianti, thanks a lot for your attention to the matter. You can now delete 10percenter.

Just to clarify the rule, is it "any URL" in a signature or avatar that is disallowed? Or only certain type of destinations that are not allowed to point to? If I remember right, the URL in my sig was pointing this FTR relevant (IMO), non commercial link to a list of poker games that I've had online for many many years:

http://thecagles.com/poker/

(Feel free to edit that URL out if it's not allowed)

Thanks.

Ten

[TenPercenter]

in other news, here's a belated warm welcome. Whereabouts in Dallas do you play?

Thanks for the welcome. I've been here a while, I just haven' made it out of the Home Games and Gear forum.

Since I had a kid about 8 months ago I play very seldom. If I do, it's just at home with family and friends. Before that we would rotate the 40-50 man tourney between a few guy's houses. We are anywhere from Mesquite to Allen, most of us being in Plano.

I've gotten many offers to play at the Redmen's club on I35, but I never took them up on it. There is going to be a $300 buy-in charity tourney in Addison soon that gives a WSOP main event seat for 1st place. I think I might do that one.

Where do you play?

Ten

[Xianti]

Welcome back, TenPercenter.

The 10percenter account has been deleted.


RE: policy clarification

TenPercenter, to be honest, I may have been busy that day and was a little haste in my decision. For that, I apologize.

Basically, any URL that contains competing affiliate links, other conflicting-interest sites, or any site that is seemingly benefitting by driving our traffic to it and that is neither in direct reply to nor in context with another post is a violation. While your URL does not itself contain any commercial content, the soyouwanna site that it links to does.

This typically would not warrant an immediate banishment (which is why I am apologizing), but it's not exactly desired in your signature, which is repeated every time you post.


Hope this clears things up. And again, sorry for my haste action.

[TenPercenter]

Welcome back, TenPercenter.

The 10percenter account has been deleted.


RE: policy clarification

TenPercenter, to be honest, I may have been busy that day and was a little haste in my decision. For that, I apologize.

Basically, any URL that contains competing affiliate links, other conflicting-interest sites, or any site that is seemingly benefitting by driving our traffic to it and that is neither in direct reply to nor in context with another post is a violation. While your URL does not itself contain any commercial content, the soyouwanna site that it links to does.

This typically would not warrant an immediate banishment (which is why I am apologizing), but it's not exactly desired in your signature, which is repeated every time you post.


Hope this clears things up. And again, sorry for my haste action.

Cool.

[Xianti]

Is it just me or is there no email button underneath Xianti's posts?

Oops. Sorry. I had the option turned off. I didn't realize that I could see it only because I'm admin.

It's on now.

Must turn off again. Junk mail sucks.

[pokerfanatic]

i have soo many spam filters it's funny...

[1rainbow]

i've never been banned from anything b 4, hope i never do lol