While compiling a list of diaries for this post a few hours ago, I noticed that all of these developments have resulted in a wave of diaries that do not mesh with the spirit of MyDD. As a result, I just went on something of a diary purge, deleting around 70-80 diaries that were posted since last Monday. This purge included a few user bans, and was not limited to new members of the community.

In short, I deleted anything that I felt did not contribute to the development of the community. The point of a MyDD diary is to make a substantial contribution to the community. A diary is something with more depth than can be contained within a single comment on a relevant thread. A diary contains original information, whether it is in the form of commentary, links or action. A diary does not violate copyright law.

As we continue to upgrade the site, at some point we will have code and posted guidelines that will reduce the number of unproductive diaries, but for now use these unofficial guidelines in order to avoid having your diary purged in the future:

• A diary that reposts the entirety of an article that is more than 300 words in length is generally not a contribution to the community, and is frequently a violation of copyright law that could land MyDD in legal trouble.

• A diary that is less than 300 words in length is generally not a contribution to the community. Save it for a comment on a relevant thread, or for an open thread.

• A diary simply talking about something you just saw on television is not a contribution to the community. This is especially the case if you fail to provide a link or a transcript of what you saw.

• A diary that is little more than profanity and/or internet shorthand is not a contribution to the community. Save it for an instant message or an email to your friends.

• A diary that is little more than an advertisement for another website, usually seen with a quick link and one quoted sentence, is not a contribution to the community. If you want to use MyDD to sell something, buy an ad.

• Just as importantly, unless you are convinced that your diary easily avoids all of these pitfalls, don't even think about posting a second dairy in a single day. Hogging the conversation is not a contribution to the community.

Also, if you would like to know what a good diary looks like, take a look at the nineteen diaries I have collected here. These all contribute significantly to the improvement of MyDD and the MyDD community. If you wish to move forward with us, read them and emulate them.