22
votes

Note: This is intended as a joke post and is not representative of the rules of Stack Overflow / Stack Exchange. For the actual rules of the site, please see the tour or the help center.

I felt like expanding the first rule Jeff posted on the blog a while back.. They are all based on the original Fight Club rules.

The Rules of Stack Overflow.

  • 1st RULE: You do not talk about Stack Overflow on Stack Overflow
  • 2nd RULE: You DO NOT talk about Stack Overflow on Stack Overflow. That's what Meta is for.
  • 3rd RULE: If someone votes to close or reports to the mod, the question is over.
  • 4th RULE: Only one accepted answer to a question.
  • 5th RULE: One answer from a user at a time.
  • 6th RULE: No shirts, no shoes.
  • 7th RULE: Questions will go on as long as they have to.
  • 8th RULE: If this is your first time at Stack Overflow, you HAVE to read the FAQ.
  • 9th RULE: Paint whenever you can.
  • 10th RULE: Don't use soul-less circles!
  • 11th RULE: NEVER EVER make up rules for Stack Overflow!

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  • 1
    @John the original 8 rules are straight from Fight Club, just changed to fit SO. – Ólafur Waage Nov 5 '09 at 10:02
  • @Ólafur: I'm stretching the rules ;) – Ladybug Killer Nov 5 '09 at 10:10
  • 4
    man that's a lot of downvotes. why do you people hate fun so much?? – Jeff Atwood Nov 5 '09 at 10:17
  • 1
    They just hate volcanoes and vikings! – Ólafur Waage Nov 5 '09 at 10:20
  • 1
    I like vikings! Especially when they laugh! (And I upvoted) – Ladybug Killer Nov 5 '09 at 10:42
  • 1
    Rule 11: NEVER EVER make up rules for Stack Overflow! is a self-destructive rule! – o.k.w Nov 5 '09 at 10:53
  • @o.k.w: Surprised? – Ladybug Killer Nov 5 '09 at 10:54
  • @John: After all these, not really :P – o.k.w Nov 5 '09 at 10:58
  • 2
    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruces_sketch – waffles Nov 5 '09 at 11:47
  • 3
    I like vikings. They taste like chicken. – squillman Nov 5 '09 at 16:02
  • I don't understand. The 6th rule should be "No pants," because we are all on computers, after all... – Mark Rushakoff Nov 5 '09 at 22:48
  • About rule 6....my cubicle is next to the window, and this is Minnesota. In the winter, it gets cold in here, and wearing neither shoes nor shirt would be uncomfortable. – David Thornley Dec 4 '09 at 22:07
  • Might be nice if the mention of the FAQ was a link ;) – GreenAsJade Sep 19 '13 at 5:04
  • 1
    This brings back memories of when I was younger and stupider. – Ólafur Waage Sep 20 '13 at 16:24
  • 1
    Is their any list of site enforced rules? Like one cannot comment unless having some n reputations. One cannot edit unless having m reputations. And more complicated once like revert downvotes if someone downvoted same person straight on 3 different places? Is their one place documentation for this? – Mahesha999 Sep 20 '17 at 12:09
6
votes

7th RULE: Questions will go on as long as they have to.

  • +1 for providing such a great example of this :) – a_m0d Nov 5 '09 at 10:59
3
votes

How about no soul-less circle on SO and Meta? :P

3
votes

We're missing "don't be a jerk."

Of course, this list is all in good fun, so maybe the one real rule should be left off of it. :)

2
votes

Rule 12: Animals automatically beat out humans. This goes for ponies, cats and lizards, but not dogs because they drool.

  • 1
    Rule 12.1: This does not apply to Jon Skeet because he's not really a human. – mmyers Nov 5 '09 at 19:06
2
votes

Rule 12 (or maybe 11, and move 11 to 12): Clear your cache.

-1
votes

If the 4th rule is true, then why does the system allow the selection of more than one answer?

  • 2
    what gave you the idea you could select more than one answer? – Joel Coehoorn Nov 5 '09 at 17:59
  • 1
    There can only be one accepted answer. – Ólafur Waage Nov 5 '09 at 19:31
  • 1
    @Olafur: Too many words in your comment. Just, "There can be only one." – David Thornley Dec 4 '09 at 22:08

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