Standard Offer
Adapted from Wikipedia:Standard Offer
When a CollabVM user gets hit with a site ban or an indefinite block, one of the things they usually wonder is where things go from there. Is there any way to return to good standing? Or are they on the outs forever?
The standard offer is not binding, but it is usually the first step before we will consider an unblock.
The standard offer
It's simple:
- Wait at least six months, (or maybe even one year, or two, depending on how severe your violations were) without any ban evasion, i.e. Do not use CollabVM at all
- Promise to avoid the behavior that led to the ban.
- Don't give people reasons to object to your return.
How does it work?
- After you have waited six months, contact the administrators, either through the CollabVM Discord, the IRC Server (#collabvm), or via email.
- If we agree a review is appropriate, we'll discuss an unban privately.
- Discussion usually takes a few days.
Apologies and other expressions of remorse aren't necessary, but basic courtesy and a willingness to move forward productively are.
This is not a get-out-of-jail-free card, and administrators are not forced to unban you, especially if you have not provided any reason why you should be unbanned other than your avoidance of CollabVM for six months. You should still provide a clear reason why you should be unbanned.
Eligibility
The standard offer applies to bans in situations where things just didn't work out: normal people, short fuses, etc. It doesn't extend to extremes, and it is ultimately up to the administrators (on a case-by-case basis) whether the blocked or banned editor is eligible at all. Generally speaking, if the police could have become involved, then this offer doesn't apply.
Variations
The six-month threshold can be adjustable under special circumstances. If an editor shows an unusually good insight into the circumstances that led to the ban, and sets out a credible proposal for how they will deal with those issues in future, then a return might be considered sooner.
On the other hand, if the banned user continues to be especially disruptive, or has engaged in particularly serious misconduct, then some administrators may become unwilling to consider a return for a much longer time or, quite possibly, ever.