So, Eric starts a thread, Crystal locks it with the following posts; This thread is crap, but feel free to start more crap threads so we can lock them too.
Got it!
2 years ago · #1076
This thread has outlived its usefulness and purpose and will be locked.
Feel free to create threads to discuss this topic further.
Please refer to the original posting for a comprehensive explanation of new posting policies.
The thread Eric created 2 yrs ago came about as a result of a Daniel Pi/Johnny Musacha incident. I remember, it was a Thurs, it was raining.
... It is not 100% clear if Off-Topic allows the forbidden topics (some for sure are not allowed) and is or is not considered a main public forum. It is obvious from the posting rules that Off-Topic is not completely unmoderated or uncensored, in direct contradiction of the forum description in v2.
However, all that was two years ago. We are seeking further clarification and have been discussing it before this topic ever came up here. While the situation may be 100% clear to you, it isn't to everyone, not even some staff members.
What is unclear in this statement that needs further elaboration, please?
"The Off-Topic category and all Group forums are not moderated except for reports of hate speech, threatening personal attacks, or obscenity."
Source: that Erik's post that was linked already multiple times in this thread, so once more won't hurt.
See post 238 or the part in your link where he says that religious and political discussions are not allowed in the main forums.
The link you included includes the following line:
"The Off-Topic category and all Group forums are not moderated except for reports of hate speech, threatening personal attacks, or obscenity. If you are found unable to follow these rules, you may have your posting abilities restricted. "
But that was removed from the posting guidelines topic I posted the link to; the one where he gave the synopsis of that topic and would be the one people would look to for rules. Why did he remove that section from his posting rules? I don't know and it isn't clear if maybe he changed his mind somewhere in those 54 pages of posts or what.
The definitive rule post is the one I linked to, as no one would expect anyone to go and dig up erik's other post discussing his thought process. That update didn't even make it to the Off-Topic forum, where he kept the restriction.
... It is not 100% clear if Off-Topic allows the forbidden topics (some for sure are not allowed) and is or is not considered a main public forum. It is obvious from the posting rules that Off-Topic is not completely unmoderated or uncensored, in direct contradiction of the forum description in v2.
However, all that was two years ago. We are seeking further clarification and have been discussing it before this topic ever came up here. While the situation may be 100% clear to you, it isn't to everyone, not even some staff members.
What is unclear in this statement that needs further elaboration, please?
"The Off-Topic category and all Group forums are not moderated except for reports of hate speech, threatening personal attacks, or obscenity."
Source: that Erik's post that was linked already multiple times in this thread, so once more won't hurt.
So political discussions are allowed, huh?
I also remember a thread about the Malaysia Flight that crashed in the Indian ocean. When some trolls posted pictures of the pilot and said "they did it". I complained to the mods. I was given the explanation that only Eric could delete a post in "off-topic". When the Crimea thread about the shooting down of the Russian plane. Trolls posted pictures of dead people, and was given the same excuse.
" hate speech, personal attacks, or obscenity." Yeah, trump is out.
Clinton too.
What is unclear in this statement that needs further elaboration, please?
"The Off-Topic category and all Group forums are not moderated except for reports of hate speech, threatening personal attacks, or obscenity."
Source: that Erik's post that was linked already multiple times in this thread, so once more won't hurt.
So political discussions are allowed, huh?
Maybe?
There are other things in the list with politics and religion which are not allowed, even in Off-Topic, or haven't been, even with the posting rules, such as cheating and advertising.
Whats the betting forum mods spend most of their time in off topic as its the busiest forum.
off topic politics, that would be the labour party.
We can't talk about anything because all politics is local.
off topic politics, that would be the labour party.
Yey!
The have books about our threads
Commented deleted for being too mean.
Sorry.
Thank god I managed to laugh a little before you deleted it! 
...
The link you included includes the following line:
"The Off-Topic category and all Group forums are not moderated except for reports of hate speech, threatening personal attacks, or obscenity. If you are found unable to follow these rules, you may have your posting abilities restricted. "
But that was removed from the posting guidelines topic I posted the link to; the one where he gave the synopsis of that topic and would be the one people would look to for rules. Why did he remove that section from his posting rules? I don't know and it isn't clear if maybe he changed his mind somewhere in those 54 pages of posts or what.
The definitive rule post is the one I linked to, as no one would expect anyone to go and dig up erik's other post discussing his thought process. That update didn't even make it to the Off-Topic forum, where he kept the restriction.
Oh, I think I know what happened.
The original text of the rules was here: Making the Chess.com Forums Better.
The rules were copied verbatim to here, post #2 (the link goes to archive.org version from Sep 8, 2015): Chess.com Posting Rules. The archived version is identical to the original text, except has extra blank lines (a frequent side effect of copy/paste in the post editor).
Some time between the last September and now, someone changed this:
"The Off-Topic category and all Group forums are not moderated except for reports of hate speech, threatening personal attacks, or obscenity. If you are found unable to follow these rules, you may have your posting abilities restricted."
to this (the differences are highlighted in red).
"Club/Group forums are not moderated except for reports of hate speech, threatening personal attacks, or obscenity. If you are found unable to follow these rules, you may have your posting abilities restricted."
and the above is what currently appears Chess.com Posting Rules.
Hypothesis: given the fact that the original rules persisted for quite a long time, and that there was no open discussion or announcements about any changes, I suspect that what we see now is a result of an erroneous edit that accidentally removed the reference to the Off-Topic category.
The still persisting description (visible in V2) of the Off-Topic category as unmoderated and uncensored can be interpreted as an argument in favor of the above hypothesis.
There is a possibility that the change was discussed among the staff and/or was intentionally made without any notifications, but this does not sound like something chess.com would spring on everybody.
Bottom line: you're right that this needs to be clarified.
[The above was edited for typos and clarity after the original post]
... It is not 100% clear if Off-Topic allows the forbidden topics (some for sure are not allowed) and is or is not considered a main public forum. It is obvious from the posting rules that Off-Topic is not completely unmoderated or uncensored, in direct contradiction of the forum description in v2.
However, all that was two years ago. We are seeking further clarification and have been discussing it before this topic ever came up here. While the situation may be 100% clear to you, it isn't to everyone, not even some staff members.
What is unclear in this statement that needs further elaboration, please?
"The Off-Topic category and all Group forums are not moderated except for reports of hate speech, threatening personal attacks, or obscenity."
Source: that Erik's post that was linked already multiple times in this thread, so once more won't hurt.