I know that this codes rule, with the one that says that the code should reflect the subject and not just say "fan" is a pretty old one. Well, I mean, it was made sort of recently but not too recently. But I would like to just address some questions about it, because I know I'm not the only one who finds it quite troublesome, and a bit too strict in my case.
First of all, codes aren't even required by TAFL rules. I looked everywhere and there is no mention that codes are required for a fanlisting. Then, fanlisting owners go out of their way to make codes because generally, people like to use codes, but now with this new rule it's really troublesome since there are restrictions on how you can design them.
I know that it is because the codes should not be ambiguous or what not, but I think it's kind of unfair to crowd a code with so much of small text that it looks more like a text link then a pretty button that people who join like to use. Furthermore, I can understand if you asked us to have at least ONE code of each size that abided by this rule, but to ask that of all the codes I think is really weird, because many of my fanlistings, per say, are old and I made like hundreds of codes ages ago. And every time I go on troubles I have to IMMEDIATELY (for fear of removal and only a few days allowed to do it) change every single one or remove ALL of them, leaving users with only one or two codes until I have more time.
Even if it is ambiguous, many, and I mean MANY, like maybe 80% of the people who use these codes ALREADY have the codes divided into sections, like "series", "relationships" etc. so it really isn't that ambiguous to them. Plus, rules of TAFL state that we must link back TAFL, but the codes really have nothing to do with TAFL itself per say, it has to do with our fan listings, and how our codes stand out etc. I know that all fan listing owners don't want their codes to be ambiguous and we in different ways try to make that possible. But it is really hard, especially when you have a series such as "Howl's Moving Castle" to fit all that on one code, even the smallest of fonts are hard to read as it is, and fitting that all in there is really hard. Even with abbreviation it can be considered just as ambigious as before.
Generally, I think that rule should be looked over a bit, and perhaps asked about because codes aren't even required of fan listings for one thing, for a second thing, users aren't required to use them, and we can't remove them from the listing if they don't post a code up, so it seems sort of ridiculous to put a restriction on something that isn't even required, and we as owners of the fan listings do of our own free will. It just sort of makes it harder for us, and annoys the hell out of us, especially when we are in the middle of exams or something and suddenly a bunch of our fan listings are on the verge of removal because of something we aren't even required to have on our fan listings. It just has become a trend to keep codes, but it seems weird to put a rule on something that isn't even a rule to have in the first place. That's like saying that the url for a fan listing should mention the title of the subject to be less ambiguous for the user who links back to it, even though there is no rule of urls anywhere in the main rules. If we even had one "proper" code, that would allow the user who joins to choose for themselves what is ambiguous or not, since it really is their choice in the first place to put a code up. People who join fan listings like to have unique codes to represent the subject they are joining for of course, so it should be left up to them.
Anyways, sorry for bringing this up ;_; I'm always the weirdo who has to speak my mind. If this gets shot through totally I suppose I'll understand but I think it should be given at least some thought to. I mean the rule came up out of nowhere for me at least, since many of my fan listings were approved BEFORE that rule was formed, and I think that there should be at least some consideration for that, since I know that in TFL and stuff, some certain rules that were invented after certain fan listings were approved did not hold true to those old fan listings that were established before the rule was stated.
My two cents ^_^ Gomen for being such a ... weirdo... it's really been bugging me for a while. It would be great if there were some changes made to this, and as for me, if not, I love my subjects too much to let them die because of a rule like this. But overall, I really think it's a bit ... you know...
