Computer-Chess Club Charter, November 2024

[chrisw]

Computer-Chess Club Charter, November 2024

Important Information - Please Read Carefully

The Computer-Chess Club (CCC) is a free service that was originally set up in 1997 by a group of individuals (known as the Founders Group, FG) who became concerned with the persistent breaches of netiquette occurring on the newsgroup, rec.games.chess.computer, namely a very high level of off-topic posts and a very high level of personal insults and abuse.

It was felt that a group where a full range of computer chess ideas could be discussed, and, if necessary attacked, without also making personal attacks on the deliverer of the ideas, would be productive, and might well encourage various well-known figures who were no longer posting in rec.games.chess.computer to return to the arena of discussion without fear of insult or abuse.

In 2024, the hosting of the CCC changed and a new Founders Group, based on the original FG, was formed, the CCC data safeguarded, and the forum reconstituted.

Thus, the Computer-Chess Club is a moderated message board which is open to the general public (known as "members"). Its purpose is to allow the members to disseminate and exchange information as it pertains to computer chess without the distractions of personal attacks and off-topic posts.

Much of the board is open to the general public for reading.

Registration:

Computer Chess is a small field and some of its members know each other by name from real life, academia, commercial activities and/or tournaments. We therefore prefer that new members sign up with their real name. The CCC uses the real name as a validation for its voting lists. Voting or polling may or may not take place from time to time. New members are expected to sign up using their real name as indicated in the registration agreement, unless permission is obtained in advance from the website administrator.

Do not attach a website link to your profile unless it relates to chess or is your personal webpage. Do not refer to other persons in your signature.

Failure to observe these requests will void activation of your account.


Once a member registers and gains access to the full message board, he may read all messages and post new or response messages with the proviso that these new or response messages:

1. Are, within reason, on the topic of computer chess
2. Are not abusive in nature
3. Do not contain personal and/or libelous attacks on others
4. Are not flagrant commercial exhortations
5. Are not of questionable legal status
6. Are not bullying, or vicarious bullying
7. Do not advocate the banning, exclusion or expulsion of individual members
8. Do not spam, swamp or degrade threads with noise. Respect the right of members to start a thread that they wish to remain on the topic they wish to discuss.

Please note that unsubstantiated cloning or copying or plagiarising accusations are considered insult / libel, and that substantiated accusations are allowed only in the Engine Origins section.

From time to time, The Founders Group will appoint or co-opt or call for a voting selection or renew a panel of moderators which has the power to erase specific messages that violate the spirit of the charter of the Computer-Chess Club, and to take, if necessary, suitable sanctions against offenders. Moderators moderate the message board and agree to uphold the charter and here expressed constitution of the CCC. The Founders Group is bound to uphold the charter, the constitution and the well being of the CCC forum.

Members of the Computer-Chess Club are solely responsible for their own posts on the CCC Message Board. The only recourse members have against any legally dubious or abusive material is to ask and assist the moderators in identifying any such material so that it may be removed swiftly.

By participating here you agree to abide by all of the conditions set forth in the registration terms and in this charter, and you waive any and all rights of litigation against the hosting organizations or the moderators of the CCC message board or the Founders Group for any messages that may appear within or for any moderation action or policy.

You are further agreeing to abide by the decision of the moderators should a post of yours be deleted or moved. If you should lose your membership or posting privileges after due consideration of the moderators you agree not to re-enter the forum under an alias or assumed name or by using a friend's account. You also agree that the decisions of moderators are final.

Thank you, and we look forward to your contributions.

The Founders Group, CCC.
Chris Whittington
Ed Schroeder
Harm Geert Muller