IgNomic - Initial Ruleset

This is the set of rules that was in effect at the beginning of week 0.

Rule 1 - Obey the rules: All players must abide by all of the rules in effect at the time they post, in the form that they are in effect at that time.

Rule 2 - Becoming a player: A person may become a player by publically declaring himself one. His status as a player is effective immediately upon making the announcement. A player may cease to be a player by publically declaring himself no longer a player, the change taking effect immediately upon making the announcement.

Rule 3 - Domain of influence on the game: Only statements posted publically to the mailing list by players have any direct effect on the game. private communications are permitted between any players and any non-players on any subject not specifically prohibited, but have no direct effect on the state of the game. Public statements by non-players have no direct effect on the game, except for the process of becoming a player.

Rule 4 - Timekeeping: Each week begins at 11:59 PM Sunday, GMT. The time-of-posting for all proposals shall be the date and time listed in the posting's "Date:" header.

Rule 5 - Proposing rule changes: Players (and only players) may propose changes to the rules at any time. The proposal is open for voting for the period of one game week, starting at the beginning of the next game week after the game week in which the proposal was posted. Votes cast before or after the voting period are not valid.

Rule 6 - Voting on proposals: Each player may cast no more than one valid vote on any given proposed rule change. Only players may vote. A valid vote may be "Yea," "Nay," or "Abstain" and must unambiguously identify the proposal the vote is being cast for. At the end of the voting period the proposed rule change comes into effect immediately if there are more valid votes of Yea than there are valid votes of Nay. A valid vote cannot be retracted or changed once cast.

Rule 7 - Types of rule changes that may be proposed: A proposal can be to repeal an existing rule, to amend an existing rule, or to add a new rule. The exact text of the proposed amendment or new rule must be included in the proposal. Proposals can be amended or retracted by the player that proposed it before its voting period begins, but cannot be amended or retracted once its voting period begins.

Rule 8 - Record keeping: All rules and proposals shall be consecutively numbered for reference purposes. Proposals shall be numbered by their proposers in the order that they are posted, and new rules shall be numbered in the same order as the proposals that give rise to them as soon as they are adopted. Numbers shall never be reused within their categories. Proposals must include a one-line title summarizing the topic of the proposal, and proposed rules must include a one-line title summarizing the topic of the rule. Proposals which do not conform to the rules are invalid, and cannot be adopted.

Rule 9 - Nitpicking: Unambiguous synonyms shall be considered to be equivalent for purposes of interpreting these rules. Likewise, spelling errors that are obviously not inentional and differences in capitalization are not relevant to the meaning of these rules. Errors of grammar are not accorded the same benefit of the doubt as errors of spelling.