Show & Forum Standards

FTB 9000 Compliant
Usually shortened to FtB 9000 Compliant. One of the early jokes that became a meme for the show and the site. There is even a logo that is available for purchase at the [Fear the Boot Store.]

The hosts of the show have, since the beginning, adhered to the time honored truth that once an opinion is presented over the internet it is irrefutable fact. It was determined early on that, since the podcast was being distributed over the internet, once something was said on the microphones it must also be fact.

The term describes any expressing of unsubstantiated opinion first on the podcast, and later on the forums, especially if the opinion is presented as being absolute and authoritative. Also, any information presented as fact, with no or questionable citation, would qualify. Wikipedia became the best example of appealing to a questionable authority as the person who expressed the opinion could simply edit Wikipedia, repeating their point of view there. However, since Wikipedia is online, any information on there must be accurate and factual as well, particularly if it supports information presented through Fear the Boot. This creates the ultimate example of information that is FtB 9000 compliant as it is presented in not one but two places on the internet. At least, it used to be the ultimate example of FtB 9000 Compliance, but the [Wiki] has replaced Wikipedia as the best reference to be sited. Now, information that is presented on the podcast or forum and backed up by the Wiki is the greatest example of FtB 9000 Compliance.

FtB 9000 Compliant could also be a statement to describe the quality of an item. Since anything expressed by the hosts on the podcast or the forums was fact the tastes of the hosts, and by extension the show, would be the measure of all that is good and true for geek culture and the world. For something to be deemed satisfactory it was ruled as FtB Compliant. For something to be truly great it had to satisfy the rigorous and exhaustive criteria of the much higher standard FtB 9000 Compliant.

The phrase was first used fuck who knows when.

Forum Guidelines
Below are the rules and standards taken directly from the FtB forums.

GENERAL RULES

1. To use these forums, you must be at least 13 years of age or have parental consent.

2. Use of these forums to convey any material that is obscene, intentionally offensive, damaging to computers, or illegal is strictly forbidden.

3. Please be polite and respectful to everyone. This is a podcast about a hobby, so people are probably here to have fun.

3a. Any action taken with the specific, obvious intent of distressing another user will not be tolerated. This includes trolling, flame wars, personal attacks, harassment, and inciting conflict.

3b. We respect a wide variety of opinions, and you are free to disagree with anyone. However, such disagreement should always be expressed with decency and courtesy.

3c. Hosts, contributors, and moderators do not fall outside these rules. Neither statements made by them nor toward them may violate the standards that apply everywhere else.

4. All users are expected to abide by the Forum Decency Standards, as described in the following post.

5. Please refrain from discussion of extremely divisive topics (such as politics and religion) unless they are directly related to Fear the Boot and the topics we discuss. Even then, please only discuss them with the utmost care and respect.

6. Please keep any advertisements that are not directly related to Fear the Boot or the topics we discuss in the "Shameless Plugs" section.

7. When starting a new thread, please post under the forum that most closely fits what you want to discuss.

8. While we will do our best to enforce these rules, we can't be aware of everything that's posted. We encourage you to inform site admins and moderators of any infractions you see. But please understand that ultimately you use this forum at your own risk.

9. Sockpuppets of any kind will not be tolerated and will be punished harshly.

10. Respect the moderator's decisions. It's not fun chasing down bad posts and chastising people. It's not a power trip; it's an annoying job. The mods are here to make sure this forum is enjoyable for everyone, please keep that in mind.

FORUM DECENCY STANDARDS

If people listen to our podcast, it's reasonable for them to expect our forums to adhere to the same level of decency as the show. Therefore, posts in any of our forums should conform to the same standards we adhere to on the podcast. Any pictures, movies, or content posted or linked on this site should be no worse than what can be shown on American broadcast television during prime-time hours. If you're unclear what that means, feel free to contact any moderator or administrator.

Some profanity outside of those standards will be tolerated, but please keep it to a reasonable minimum. For example, using the f-word here and there is ok, but f-word laden posts are not acceptable.

If you mark a thread with "NSFW" (meaning "not safe for work") in the title -- or post an off-site link with "NSFW" clearly indicated above the link -- you may post content that goes a little bit beyond the standards set above. It may include realistic or graphic depictions of violence, or pictures of people in suggestive clothing. All individuals in pictures must be clothed - at minimum regular size bikini top and panties for women, underwear for men. If you are offended by such content, or it might get you in trouble at work, please use common sense and don't open the thread or click the link.

Under no circumstances may anyone post or link to nudity, sexual acts, "hate" material, or pictures that are obviously meant to disgust or offend. Images should not contain religious or politically inflammatory material. These restrictions include both real pictures and illustrations/cartoons.

We realize that many of these standards are subjective. The moderators reserve the right to remove any posts or images they feel violate the letter or spirit of these guidelines. If you have any question whether an image you'd like to post violates these guidelines or not, please PM a moderator requesting their go ahead before you post it. Reasonable people can disagree on matters such as these, and we'll be happy to discuss any decision made. But please understand that we must ultimately conduct these forums by our own judgment.

Note:
Violation of the guidelines is at risk of provoking the wrath of The Cos