Judgement 178:4 INVALID -1

From: Aron Wall (aron_at_wall.org)
Date: Wed Feb 27 2002 - 14:57:26 PST


Jonathan Van Matre wrote:

> I am not wearing a cow hat.
>
> All future rules will use the Exquisite Cow method of generating rules.  Exquisite Cow bears a marked resemblance to the surrealist composition method known as "exquisite corpse", and is played in the following manner:
>
> A new or valid player submits a private e-mail to a valid player containing exactly one word for the rule-in-progress.  That player adds one word and forwards the rule-in-progress privately to another valid player.  Each player should also add eir initials in parentheses following eir word, to keep everyone honest.
>
> This process continues until a player in possession of the rule-in-progress deems it complete, at which point the player sends the rule to the author of the first word.  The author of the first word then submits the rule to the FRC forum and receives credit for its composition, unless e believes it to be INVALID, in which case e may circulate it again for further revision.  The author of the first word may also punctuate as necessary before submitting the rule.
>
> --Jonathan
>
> --
> Rule Date: 2002-02-27 22:26:34 GMT

Judgement: INVALID.  This rule violates the Regular Ordinances:

#1: "Fantasy rules shall have no effect on play except as provided for in the regular ordinances."  Yet this rule restricts players in a domain (their private emailing), which is nowhere allowed by the R.O.'s.  The only effect a rule can have is that caused by its status (VALID, INVALID, UNSUCCESSFUL) and being inconsistant with future fatasy rules.

#10: "All actions under these rules must be accomplished by a public posting in the official committee forum."  This seems to be problematic with respect to this method of generating fantasy rules, as the forum is currently the FRC mailing list, and private email is not part of that forum.   I might be prusuaded to take a lighter view of this R.O., that only the actual actions specified in the R.O.'s, (submitting rules, proposals, etc.) must take place in the
forum, and that this does not mean that rules cannot make other rules consistant or not based on non-Forum information (i.e. websites, stock quotes, ancient Earth history, etc.).  But in this case it would be impossible for the Judge to determine whether a rule has been constructed according to the Exquisite Cow construction, so this rule is unworkable.

Also, what on earth is a "new or valid" player?  Only rules are VALID or INVALID.  Players are eligible or ineligible, and new players are automatically eligible.

Style: -1 due to multiple inconsistancies with the Regular Ordinances, confusion of terminology, and for failure to wrap the rule's text around after a reasonable number of characters.

The Wizard

--
Rule Date: 2002-02-27 22:57:12 GMT


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