Meeting HallThis is the place where public discussions about Trackpads and website related issues are discussed. Please post your ideas to any thread or topic as indicated.
Please comment on any changes or errors that you see in the document. This will be open for general discussion until 26 Decemeber 2004. After that it will be put to general membership vote.
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1. Welcome to Trackpads 1.1. About Trackpads 1.2. Purpose of the Site (What is a Trackpad?) 1.3. Standards of Conduct for all Members 1.4. Changes to the Members Guide
2. Organization of Trackpads 2.1. Divisions and Logical Organizations 2.2. Members and Staff 2.2.3. Becoming a Staff Member 2.3. Ranks
3. Trackpads Membership 3.1. Registration and becoming a member 3.1.1. Age Disclaimer 3.1.2. Sponsored Accounts 3.1.3. Premium Accounts 3.2. User ‘Training” 3.3. Promotion in Rank 3.4. Awards and Contests 3.5. Karma 3.6. Signature, Avatar and Profile Rules 3.7. Problems with Users 3.7.1. Poor Conduct 3.8 Non Punitive Actions 3.8.1. Warnings 3.8.2. Masking 3.8.3. Tachy goes to Coventry 3.9 Punitive Actions 3.9.1. Reduction in Rank 3.9.2. Suspensions 3.9.3. Banning 3.10. Reporting Problems with Staff
4. Groups 4.1. Primary member groups 4.2. User Groups 4.2.1. Joining 4.2.2. Creating 4.2.3. Group Leaders 4.3. Staff Groups
5. Community Center 5.1. Division News and Events 5.2. Meeting Hall 5.3. Court House 5.4. Polling Place 5.5. Community Calendar 5.6. Library & Records 5.7. Help Center 5.8. Operations Center 5.9. Visitors Center
6. Division Specific Articles and Information 6.1. Command Group (CMDGRP) 6.1.1 Special Advisory Boards 6.1.2 Trackpads Court 6.2. Member Services Division (MSDIV) 6.3. Community Division (CDIV) 6.4. Products Division (PDIV) 6.5. Public Relations Division (PRDIV) 6.6. Hosting Services Division (HDIV) 6.7. Entertainment Division (EDIV) 6.8. Multimedia Division (MDIV) 6.9. Technical Administration Division (TDIV)
Trackpads is a website created by Jason Edwards as a test project for his B.S. Degree in Information Technology in 2002. Trackpads has evolved through 2 generations in design and functionality to the current version that you are using now. In the past versions Trackpads was a single software website that required major upgrades. Now it is completely modular so that portions of the site are added and upgraded separately. We currently utilize 19 different sets of software made by 12 different manufactures all integrated into a single membership system.
What makes this website so special is the people who run it. Every Staff Member on Trackpads is an unpaid volunteer. Volunteers make policy, welcome visitors, create new areas and even help run the servers.
1.2. Purpose of the Site
The purpose of Trackpads is to provide a rich community of thought and discussion between its members as well as serve as an informational repository (knowledgebase) for everything military. One of our first and primary goals is to assist the Armor and Cavalry Community by providing a hub for all past, present and future tankers and scouts.
Why do we call it Trackpads? Trackpads was named after the bane of all armored crewmen, the Track-Pad. The Track-Pad is a small rubber ‘foot’ that combine the most basic element of any armored vehicles tracks. The Track-Pad is both a pain and a necessity on a tracked vehicle. It is the most basic and easily overlooked item on a modern tank. Yet it is one of the most important innovations on the tank, because without it, we would have no modern tracked vehicles. Lastly, a Track-Pad only works when in sync with many others. In this way the origination and purpose of the Track-Pad symbolizes the goals and missions of the Trackpads Community.
1.3. Standards of Conduct for all Members
All members of Trackpads are expected to adhere to the standards of conduct. The points listed below are basic examples of interacting on the site. Specific forums and/or groups may have more restrictive codes of conduct and you should always consult the ‘Forum Rules” sticky thread on every forum. If none exists then these are the basic ‘rules of the road’ here on Trackpads.
1. Language. At no time will members use vulgar, racist, sexist, intentionally derogatory terms, sexually oriented or profane language on the forums. There is a word censor in place but it is still not justifiable behavior to use this type of language. Members also may not employ word tricks to overcome the Word Censor at any time. Violations will result in a warning for the first infraction and punitive action for any further violations.
2. At no time will a member harass or flame other users. ‘Stalking’ other members is also prohibited. This means following the users on the site and posting after them with the sole purpose of harassing the member.
3. As a member of Trackpads you should always treat other members as you would like them to treat you. If that still isn’t very high then treat them as well as you treat your mother or father. If that isn’t high enough then just don’t interact. Seriously, Trackpads is a community and as such you have a responsibility to act in a professional manner.
4. At no time will you post slanderous or libelous comments about any person or group. Any comment you make can be used against you in a civil court and Trackpads will cooperate with any warrant or valid and reasonable law enforcement request. We will also cooperate with webmasters and other internet service providers as deemed necessary by the Commanding General.
5. All comments and posts on the open sites must be in English. This website is based in the United States and as such only English comments can be verified to be in compliance with these site rules. Member groups that have in their approved charter the use of languages other than English are exempt from this rule.
6. No pictures, videos or audio of any ogrish material may be posted on the site, anywhere. This includes all member groups. No photos, video or audio of the dead or dying may be posted or attached. Photos of destroyed vehicles, aircraft and ships are acceptable as long as they show no bodies. Some images may be exempt if they demonstrate a proven historical application or are approved. Good examples of approved images are ones from 9-11-01 and some World War photos in the gallery. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to ask a staff member.
7. Neither free speech nor the 1st Amendment applies to this website. The stated wishes of this community and approved rules of use are the only guidance principles here. If you disagree with this application of our member’s rights to police themselves do not hesitate to leave and join another site.
1.4. Changes to the Members Guide
This guide is a living document and if you have suggestions or changes to it please post them in the Trackpads Help Center. A staff member will respond shortly. ALL feedback on this guide and the site are welcomed.
If any changes are felt necessary in the future they can be enacted with a vote of the Trackpads Membership. If more than 25 members nominate and second a change to the Members Guide then a vote will be held on the subject. However, any and all recommendations may be vetoed by the Commanding General in only the most serious circumstances.
Trackpads is divided into several sub-groups called ‘divisions’ with a volunteer staff member as the division ‘commander’ of each. Each divisions is subdivided based on the allowances when that division was created and on their own initiative. Divisions are not limited to the differences in software instead they are based on commonality. An example is the Multimedia division. It is responsible for several areas of the site across 3 different platforms of software (Photo & the Video Galleries).
2.2. Members and Staff
The Trackpads community is comprised solely of registered members and volunteer staff. Guests are not permitted to interact on the forums nor participate in discussions. The only exceptions are USENET forums which are gateways to other areas of the net and are not controlled by Trackpads.
There are no paid staff members on the site. All are volunteers who take time out of individual schedules to help on the site.
2.2.3. Becoming a Staff Member
One of the greatest things you can do for the site is to volunteer your time and effort towards a project on the site or become a member of the staff. As staff member you have the opportunity to help shape the future directions the site takes and work as part of a team. You can also use the site and your supervisors as work references. To become a member of the staff you either must complete the Staff Application form in the Community Center or contact another staff member to have them sponsor you. Once your application is complete your file will be voted on by other staff members. If you are accepted you will be assigned a staff sponsor for your first 30 days after which you will be on your own as a full member of the staff.
Certain staff positions on the site are elected positions that the membership is required to vote on. Each position will be announced on the forums and in the newsletter 30 days prior to the commencement of voting. This announcement and nomination thread will at a minimum discuss the elected term of the position and the exact requirements for the position. Anyone may nominate themselves for a position. Each nomination requires at least 2 seconds from other members. Members may not second more than 1 member for a position. 3 days prior to the commencement of voting the nominations thread will be closed and names tallied for the final vote. If there are more than 10 nominations there will be 2 separate votes with a final runoff of the winners. Votes will only be open for a maximum of 3 days (96 hours) until the winner is announced.
2.3. Ranks
Trackpads employs a user “rank” system to encourage participation and discussion on the site. Rank is based on either post count or staff status. Ranks can also be given to members of premium member groups who support the site.
Trackpads has rank but not in the traditional sense of what the military uses it for. Here no user can ‘order’ another user around. However we have seen the occasional virtual push ups being done for failing to salute ;-)
Trackpads Rank can be used to give access to certain areas of the site or groups as well. For example in some groups you might need to attain a certain rank before you can apply for membership or gain access to group member forums etc.
Registration on Trackpads is free to anyone. Our mission is to always provide a free and commercially free environment to gather and share ideas.
3.1.1. Age Disclaimer
Trackpads is an adult website. It is a fact that some discussions about the military and other adult oriented topics occasionally lead to situations that children should not be exposed to. As such Trackpads has been restricted to membership of only persons aged 13 and older in compliance with the Children’s Online Privacy and Protection Act (COPPA). In compliance we ask every member to verify their age prior to registration. Even though members may register at the age of 13+ we have decided not to accept any members that are under the age of 16. If any member is discovered to be under that age without prior parental consent they will be immediately deleted (not banned).
3.1.2. Sponsored Accounts
Sometimes a member might like to give separate accounts to family members etc who do not have the time or should not complete the initial training required for access for some areas like the arcade. If you would like to set up a sponsored account please complete the sponsorship application in the Community Center.
3.1.3. Premium Accounts
Not yet implemented
3.2. User ‘Training”
User Training has been rescinded by membership vote.
3.3. Promotion in Rank
As a reward for participating in discussions, posting photos, submitting product reviews and more your post count is increased. For certain levels of posts your status on the site is elevated by means of Rank. Trackpads has many levels of ranks to allow each user to progress along a path and earn rewards and more permissions with each new rank.
Trackpads ranks were chosen from a mix of ancient, modern military ranks and customs for a unique experience available only on Trackpads. For more information on Trackpads Ranks and user groups please see the Community Center.
3.4. Awards and Contests
Not yet implemented
3.5. Karma
Every user on the site is allowed to accumulate Karma Points in their profile. These points are only given by other users as a reward for participating in the community discussions or on the site. You may view your Karma points and comments in your Member Control Panel. To leave Karma for another member simply look under their avatar in the forums on a single post or in their public profile. Negative Karma is not currently allowed on the site.
3.6. Signature, Avatar and Profile Rules
Signatures, Avatars and Profile features are all benefits of Trackpads Membership. As such we have certain restrictions that are enforced for each.
Signatures are to be used for small expressions of personality, not as advertising mediums. Off site links (non-Trackpads) are not allowed in signatures. Signatures may be no larger than 500 pixels wide and 150 pixels tall if a graphic is used or if text only then no more than 4 small lines of text. At no time should it be larger than the 500x150 limit. Users will be warned if their signature breaks these rules, if they fail to comply within 24 hours of the warning their signature will be edited manually by a staff member. Subsequent violations may be cause for disciplinary action.
Avatars are small graphics that are either pictures or yourself or some other object or item that best represents you. Avatar size is dependent on your rank on the site as well as your Usergroup. For some user groups you are even allowed to upload your own Avatar or link to an offsite graphic. However at no time will the avatar be pornographic, indecent or used as off site advertising in any way.
You user profile is a compilation of several items from the site including some personal stats and even a profile photo for some users. This photo, like the avatar may not be pornographic, indecent or used as off site advertising in any way. These rules also apply to the website you choose to display in your public profile as you homepage as well.
3.7. Problems with Users
Trackpads is a community of users and as such is governed by the collective will of users on the site. Just like in any communal society there are certain rules of the road and acceptable forms of behavior. Trackpads members are judged by the community in a pseudo legal system on the site and by a court of peers. For more information on the Trackpads Court please see section 6.1.2.
3.7.1. Poor Conduct
Members may be punished for poor conduct on the site. This is either by violating the standards of conduct or by violating rules of a specific forum or section of the site. Any member may report other members to moderators or staff for poor conduct. However, members may also be punished for repeatedly reporting other members for little or no justification. Harassment of other users by taking advantage of the system is not tolerated.
3.8 Non Punitive Actions
Non punitive actions are not considered punishment in the basic sense but can be used by staff to herd members into the right direction from time to time. However, Non Punitive actions can be appealed with the exception of warnings. Punitive actions against a member are not announced and will not be discussed publicly by staff.
3.8.1. Warnings
Most problems on the site are usually dealt by a simple warning to a member from a staff member or moderator. Warnings are NOT punishments and are mainly used to help new members who do not fully understand the different nature of Trackpads compared to others.
3.8.2. Masking
Masking is used to deny access to a certain forum or portion of the site from a member. This can be done permanently or over a period of time. A good example is when a member has a great track record on the site but doesn’t react well to politics for example. In this case the member may have just the Politics forum removed from their access. Masking does not show up publicly to any other user and is not announced.
3.8.3. Tachy goes to Coventry
“Tachy goes to Coventry” or “Tachy” is used for a specific period of time instead of a suspension. This in effect removes all permissions from the posting in the forums by adding the user to every other members ignore list. Other members will not see this of course nor will they know a certain member is in “Tachy”. Being sent to “Tachy” is also not a public punishment.
3.9 Punitive Actions
Punitive actions are punishments given by the Trackpads Community Court for misconduct on Trackpads. Each of the possible punishments are listed below and their appeals. Punitive actions may only be recommended for users that commit violations on Trackpads and no where else. Conduct of user on another site may be grounds for a warning but cannot be used against them on Trackpads.
3.9.1. Reduction in Rank
Rank is a hard earned website reward that allows members to advance to higher and more prestigious user groups on the site. However it can also be revoked if you are found guilty of a serious offense on the site or against another user. Reductions in rank can be combined with a suspension if necessary. A reduction is implemented by reducing the number of posts in a members profile to -1 under the next lower rank. Reductions may be appealed to the full Trackpads Court after a decision is made. The reduction will not occur until the appeal is finalized by the full court. Afterwards the only way to regain rank is by either by increasing the members post count through work on the site or through a successful pardon hearing from the Commanding General.
3.9.2. Suspensions
A Suspension may occur for numerous reasons but mostly for failing to follow the code of conduct or by nuisance posting (spam etc) on the forums. The Community Division Commander may authorize an emergency suspension pending charges and a verdict from the Trackpads Court if he/she deems it necessary to prevent the member from further misconduct. A member might also be placed in Tachy as an alternative to an emergency suspension. Neither may last for more than the 48 hours required for a decision from the Trackpads Judges. The user will also be notified immediately of the suspension, the reasons and the rebuttal and appeals process.
If a suspended member tries to register again during the suspension then they are immediately subject to banning. Any further attempts will be reported to local law enforcement and the members internet service provider.
3.9.3. Banning
Banning a member from the site is the most severe punishment that can be given. Only 1 in 1000 members are ever banned from the site and it is never done lightly. If a ban is the recommended punishment for a website violation then it can only be heard by the entire Trackpads Court. If a member has been sentenced to a Ban from the court there is an immediate appeal to the Commanding General after punishment has been given.
Even after the entire process of banning members may still at any time request clemency or a pardon from the Commanding General.
If a member attempts to rejoin the website through false means after banning they may be subject to legal actions by the owner of the site not limited to reporting to their ISP, their local authorities (police report) or other means such as an injunction order from a local judge.
3.10. Reporting problems with Staff
If you ever feel harassed by a staff member or think that you are being treated unfairly you have the right to place a complaint with the Trackpads Inspector General. The Trackpads Inspector General is required to investigate all claims of wrong doing and report the member to the next higher commander in their chain of command. A certain level of anonymity is available but in some cases it may not be possible depending on the type of complaint. Staff members on the site are required to adhere to the same rules as the rest of the community and are subject to punishment as well.
Groups are used on the site to delineate between certain divisions and to promote activity on the site by rewarding higher level groups with more permissions and activities than the lower groups. Groups are also used to reward premium members or to allow members to lead their own groups. These “member” groups can be to organize gaming clans, hobby groups or just about anything else.
4.1. Primary member groups
The primary member groups are those related to rank related user groups. The groups are Civilians (unregistered), Trainees (Less than 1 post), Enlisted members, Noncommissioned Officers, Junior Officers and Senior Officers. For more information on these groups and their respective privileges see the Library and Records forum in the Community Center.
4.2. Member Led Groups
Members are allowed to request the formation of separate additional groups that can be led by them or others on the site. These groups do effect rank or the make up of the primary groups but can be used in conjunction with private group only forums and other tools. User Groups are viewable on members profiles and can be joined either by invitation or through the groups request forums.
4.2.1. Joining
Each group has specific membership requirements as stated in the groups mission page. Groups associate with games for example may require the member to own the game and the same for groups dedicated to Vehicles. Group leaders set the policy and tone for the group and can choose to make a group joinable only upon approval or open to all.
4.2.2. Creating
If you want to have your own member group then you must follow the application procedures outline in the Member Groups Creation document in the Library & Records forum in the Community Center. Since those policies may change they are not listed here.
4.2.3. Group Leaders
Group Leaders are responsible for the conduct of their members in their group and on the groups behalf. Groups may be disbanded for numerous reasons such as illegal activity, activity against the site’s code of conduct or for inactivity in the group.
4.3. Staff Groups
Staff groups are formed around each of the divisions and set access levels for each division on the site. Staff member groups are classified and only available to applicable staff members. A member of the Trackpads Staff will have their group identity listed under their avatar in their posts as well as in their profile.
The Trackpads Community Center is the hub for all information and official discussions about Trackpads and its related components. Staff, members and visitors will find a good amount of information here and in some cases help the site by providing feedback and voting on new features etc.
5.1. Division News and Events
Each Division has a separate are here that they can use to announce division news and events for review by members of the site. Rules of engagement and other issues may be posted here and linked to from the respective division. Only Division Commanders will have access to adding or removing material from these sections.
5.2. Meeting Hall
The meeting hall is where discussions are held about new features on the site, procedures and other topics that the staff would like community input and direction. Since Trackpads is a community oriented site it is important to all staff to get feedback from users about what they want and would like on the site.
5.3. Court House
The court house is where some private and some public discussions are held about disciplinary matters on the site. Depending on your access level and the courts decisions will decide whether or not you will have access to all or any court records or decisions.
5.4. Polling Place
The polling place is where public votes are held. Votes may be held for elections on the site or for feature or policy decisions.
5.5. Community Calendar
The Community Calendar describes all Trackpads and other interesting National or public events and holidays.
5.6. Library & Records
The Library & Records forum is an Archive of user guides, FAQs and other records that you should become familiar with.
5.7. Help Center
If you find ANY bug, spelling error or have a suggestion to make the site better please post them here. Nothing is too small and the site can always use improvement and feedback!
5.8. Tactical Operations Center
The Tactical Operations Center is a private forum that is available for staff of Trackpads only.
5.9. Visitors Center
The Visitors Center is where unregistered users can view threads ands screenshots related to the site before they register.
Chapter 6 Division Specific Articles and Information
Trackpads is divided into logical, not technological, divisions to ease use and management of the site for both users and staff. Listed below is every Trackpads Division and their respective missions.
6.1. Command Group (CMDGRP)
The Command Group consists of the Commanding General, Deputy Commanding General, Trackpads Sergeants Major, Inspector General, Ombudsman and Adjutant. The mission of the Command group is to coordinate between the divisions and enforce command and control.
6.1.1 Special Advisory Boards
The Commanding General also appoints or has elected special boards to assist the command group as needed. These boards can be temporary or permanent depending on their nature. An example of a permanent board is the Trackpads Advisory Board or the Judicial Board. A temporary board could be an investigatory board or a special projects board. These types of organizations are described when they are formed in the Community Center forums and have very specific functions associated with them.
6.1.2 Trackpads Court
The Commanding General has designated all judicial or punitive action on the site to be overseen by a panel of elected Trackpads Members. This panel will consist of 3 Judges one of which is appointed as the Chief Justice. It will also consist of an elected court reporter that has no voting rights. The remaining two Justices will be elected by the Trackpads General Membership (enlisted and higher) every 6 months. Election rules and announcements will be posted in the Community Center in a timely manner and announced on the site before and after voting.
When any member is recommended for disciplinary action a single judge may decide the case and levy punishment on the member if the punishment results in any action less than a 48 suspension. The member may not choose the judge; instead judges for each case are decided on a first come first serve basis or on the discretion of the Chief Justice. Any action punishable by more than a suspension of 48 hours (reduction in rank or banning) must be decided by the entire court.
Any member may appeal his/her punishment to the full court after a verdict has been reached. If Rank Reduction was the Judges decision then the member will not be reduced until after the appeal is finalized. The full court has up to 48 hours to decide the issue and either reject or amend the appeal.
During the notification of suspension the member will be informed of the appeal process and whom to send their rebuttal of the charges to. No appeal may be considered unless the user has had ample time to issue a rebuttal. Members charged with a violation have a maximum of 24 hours to issue a rebuttal from the time they are notified. Under special circumstances or if asked for more information the Chief Justice may extend this window at his/her discretion.
If during a appeal only 2 of the 3 judges can participate in the hearing then there will be no tie vote. In a tie breaker with the Chief Justice the Chief Justices’ vote will count 1.1 and will carry the verdict.
After the verdict of the full court the member may still at any time request a clemency or pardon from the Commanding General. There is no time limit in which to make the request as long as it is made by the member that has been punished. A clemency can be given to commute the sentence of the accused. A Pardon will not only forgive the punishment but expunge the violation from the users record on the site completely.
If a user has donate money to the site or paid for special programs or permissions there will be no refund when a member loses those privileges based on a guilty verdict. No premium member will be above the will of the community.
6.2. Member Services Division (MSDIV)
The Member Services Division is responsible for the recruitment, welfare, promotion and any user issues with website interaction. They are responsible for user awards and contests as well as editing user permissions.
6.3. Community Division (CDIV)
The community division is responsible for the Trackpads Forums, Journals, Chat Room, Email Services, Links System and Downloads.
6.4. Products Division (PDIV)
The Products Division is responsible for the Trackpads Store, Reviews Gallery, Classifieds and any other item sold on the site.
6.5. Public Relations Division (PRDIV)
The Public Relations Division is responsible for on site advertising, newsletters, the Trackpads Magazine, the Calendar and the Trackpads Help FAQ.
6.6. Hosting Services Division (HDIV)
The Hosting Services Division is responsible for the Trackpads Free Hosting System and the counter system.
6.7. Entertainment Division (EDIV)
The Entertainment Division is responsible for the Trackpads Bank and Cash systems, Betting and Bookies Systems, The Trackpads Arcade, The Trackpads RPG (Coming Soon) and the Trackpads Pets System (coming back soon).
6.8. Multimedia Division (MDIV)
The Multimedia Division is responsible for the maintenance and expansion of the Trackpads Galleries. This includes the Photo Gallery, Video Gallery and the Factsheets Archive.
6.9. Technical Administration Division (TDIV)
The Technical Administration Division is responsible for all of the Hardware and Software that runs the site and the management of the domains and traffic systems.
12-18-2004, 21:53
Re: [Discussion] Members Guide (Draft) 
![[Discussion] Members Guide (Draft)](http://www.trackpads.com/forum/iconimages/meeting-hall/discussion-members-guide-draft_ltr.gif)
