Visitors Center

The following rules and conditions are the dos and don’ts of the forum so we all understand the guidelines that the (hard working and volunteer) Online Forum Committee members will apply to posts contained on the forum and its related services.

The services offered by the NCRA Online Forum include the message forum as well as ancillary features, content, and applications. You are authorized to use these services only if you agree to abide by all applicable laws and by the rules and conditions described in this document.

Messages that do not comply with these rules and conditions may be removed or modified.

1. Respect, encourage, and help new arrivals.
2. Make the subject line of your messages specific and descriptive. This forum platform lets you add descriptive words, called tags, to your post. Use the tagging feature to further identify what your post is about. Doing so will help everyone find the information they are interested in as the site grows.
3. Messages on the NCRA Online Forum and related services may be posted in the first person by registered participants. Messages posted for or on behalf of someone else may be removed or modified.
4. When a message thread drifts away from its designated subject, you can continue the discussion by posting a new message with a new subject. If significant thread drift occurs, NCRA’s forum administrative staff may split an existing conversation into new threads or move the topic to a more appropriate section.
5. Dissenting opinions, disagreement, and debate are welcome, but participants are expected to express their views in ways that avoid giving offense to others. Messages whose apparent purpose is to offend, insult, or incite may be removed or modified. Discussions should focus on issues, not personalities.
6. By posting, you warrant and represent that you own the copyright with respect to the material posted, that you have received permission from the copyright owner, or that the material is in the public domain. You also warrant and represent that you can prove you have the right to post the material and that posting it will not infringe on the rights or interests of others.
7. There are several types of materials that are prohibited to post and therefore may be removed or modified. Prohibited content includes but is not limited to material that is abusive, profane, threatening, or defamatory; that promotes bigotry, hatred, or physical harm against any group or individual; or that harasses or advocates harassment of another person.
8. Content that violates federal or state antitrust laws or other laws prohibiting anticompetitive practices is illegal and prohibited.

   We have often been asked why we don’t allow discussions about prices. Trade and professional associations, as groups of competitors, are under particular scrutiny with regard to pricing behavior. No express agreement or understanding is required; one can be inferred from statements or patterns of conduct gleaned from many sources, including online bulletin boards and message forums. If forced to defend ourselves, the costs in time and money to you and to NCRA would be enormous even if you and NCRA eventually were cleared of wrongdoing. Therefore, you may not post any information regarding specific prices or fees charged or paid, and you may not post information concerning prices, pricing practices, discounts, or other terms or conditions of sale either obtained from or offered to another entity.

9. It is a violation of federal antitrust law to advocate or organize a boycott of a vendor or customer.
10. Forum posts are not transcripts and are not bound by the same standards of spelling and punctuation. Many messages are written and posted in a hurry, possibly from mobile devices with tiny keyboards. Do not post messages that are critical of another person’s grammar, spelling, punctuation, etc.
11. You, and you alone, are responsible for your words, and the same is true for other posters. NCRA makes no warranties as to the accuracy or reliability of information posted in the forum and its ancillary services.
12. Do not post duplicate messages in multiple sections. Choose the most appropriate section and post your message there. If you are unsure of which section your message belongs in, post it in The Porch. The forum staff will move it as needed.
13. The NCRA Online Forum is a professional gathering, and people are entitled to know with whom they are communicating. Therefore, you must use your first and last name in the “from” or “by” line of the message. The use of an alias, “handle,” or other identifier in the “from” or “by” line is not allowed.
14. The Product Announcements area is provided as a courtesy to vendors. Product announcements should be limited to one or two paragraphs and directly relate to a product or service. Contact information must be included so forum users can obtain more information directly.
15. The Classifieds area is for individuals (not vendors) to post messages regarding equipment sought or for sale and for job openings.
16. Content posted in any part of the NCRA Online Forum or its related services may not be reproduced or distributed in any manner without obtaining written permission of the author.
17. By participating in the NCRA Online Forum and its related services, you agree to hold harmless NCRA and all persons associated in any capacity with its administration and operation from and against any claims, damages, losses, liabilities, costs, or expenses resulting directly or indirectly from your participation in the NCRA Online Forum and its related services.
18. NCRA Online Forum reserves the right to remove any postings at any time without notice and to revoke or refuse to accept the forum registration of any individual at any time. Removal of any messages by NCRA Forum administrative staff does not represent an NCRA position on the content of any removed messages, nor is it intended to squelch discussion. The sole purpose of removing messages is to ensure compliance with these rules and conditions.