kcab, I think that spam is a special sort of problem that probably deserves its own guideline. I could have flagged all of the posts with the links and let the mods handle it. I will do that in the future, and if I'd thought to do it this time the whole issue could have been resolved more cleanly, no question. There would never have ensued any claims of "bullying", and if found to be inappropriate by the mods the linking would have been stopped at some point.

The current rule says that users are encouraged to email the moderator if they find posts offensive. Based on what Mark wrote, there are some changes/additions to the guidelines in the offing. I think for solicitation or spam, probably an explicit definition and prohibition will be good. A suggestion or hard requirement that suspected solicitation be handled by reference to the mods could appear in the same place and be hard to miss.

If newbies are required to read the rules at sign-up, that could help clear up the problem of unintentional solicitation. That looks like an oxymoron now that I've written it, but you get the idea.

Striving to increase my rate of flow, and fight forum gloopiness. sick