rules and more

I. General Forum Rules:

Do not:
Flame or insult other members.
Bypass the swear filter or other filters.
Abuse or encourage abuse of the Reputation, Post Reporting, or Private Messaging Systems
Post personally identifiable information (i.e. name, address, email, phone number, etc.)
Bump threads
Derail a thread's topic.
Post links to phishing sites.
Post spam (i.e. +1, 10char, rickrolls) or Re-post Closed, Modified, Deleted Content.
Repetitively post in the incorrect forum (example: trade requests belong in trading forum).
Openly argue with a moderator. Contact the Moderator via a private message.
Share your account. Forum accounts are intended for the use by one person.
Create alternate, backup, or multiple accounts.
Publicly post or otherwise share PMs with other users unless you have the expressed permission of the sender to do so. Private Messages are intended to be just that - private.
II. The following topics are strictly off limits, including in external links:
Porn, gross stuff, or anything else not safe for work
Piracy, warez, Leaked content.
*Any* discussion of piracy will result in a permanent ban from the Steam Forums.
Cheating, hacking, game exploits
Threats of violence or harassment, even as a joke
Posting copyrighted material such as magazine scans
Soliciting, begging, auctioning, selling, advertising, referrals
Racism, discrimination
Drugs, alcohol
Religious, political, and other “prone to huge arguments” threads
III. No Backseat Moderating:

Let the Forum Moderators do the moderating. Backseat Moderating is when people who are not Moderators try to enforce the forum rules. Whenever you see a person breaking the rules, take advantage of the "Report this post to a moderator" link. Or simply IGNORE the offensive post(s) or thread. The most common backseat reply is the "+1 in before lock" phrase. Backseat moderating is annoying, and pointless.

IV. Report Post to the Moderators:

Should you observe a fellow forum member breaking these rules please report the post by clicking the Report Post button "" located to the left of every post, or feel free to contact any of the Forum Staff.

V. Lifetime Achievement Award:

Users who are found to be repeat offenders will be removed from the forums.