When did it become a rule to not name Jellies?

It was before Auggie left; I would say about two/three years ago. There were several discussions of it in Meta.

I joined in 2010 and I asked a name question about 12 months later, and it got modded fast, but Auggie and another mod got back to me in a hurry. So that backs up janbb’s time frame.

What were the reasons that everyone came up with?

I’m not sure if it’s a fixed rule because it isn’t written in the guideline and there can be time when we can mention jellies’ names without problems. My guess is that some people mistake “mention jellies’ names” for “mention jellies’ names in a negative light or in a way that can cause flame bait”. I can’t find anything wrong with ” @DrasticDreamer may be active on Fluther”. I post some neutral things like that sometimes and I have no trouble with anyone.

Mods, don’t kill me! I mentioned a jelly’s name! ~

I don’t really remember a time when you could mention another jelly by name on anything but Meta parties.

My guess would be that it was a way of easing the burden on the moderators. No having to make a decision whether a comment was a compliment, a back handed compliment or a flat out flame bait.

As @Mimishu1995 says, you can sometimes make a neutral comment that includes a name, but you can’t really call them out when they’re not present.

Yeah, I mean… I remember that it was never okay to negatively name someone, but people used to name each other all the time, in positive ways. Maybe it always has been a rule, but the mods just never used to enforce it as much?

No – there was a definite change. There used to be threads like “Which Jelly would you like to spend a weekend with?” and at the time I mentioned, they decided no go. The feeling was that it became a popularity contest and also, as has been mentioned, some possible negative comments.

The only exception was the K parties; but as @Mimishu1995 says, sometimes one can slip one in.

@ibstubro It was well before you came here.

I recall vividly the unofficial line that folks could be named in posts other than lurve parties, so long as it was in a good light.
Around 3yrs or so ago, from Auggie’s own fair lips.

Yes, sorry, @janbb, in my mind, that’s what I said.

Edit. “When I re-joined a year ago September, it was practice [not rule] that other jellies were not named in open posts, unless it was a Meta question.”

I think the “good light” distinction was the downfall. What a nightmare moderating that would be.

http://www.fluther.com/133538/are-you-aware-of-the-so-called-fluther-code-of-conduct/

@jonsblond Rereading that thread. So many good folk gone but I won’t name them!

Apparently you cannot Al Yankovic anyone’s avatar either, except when dozens of people were Yarnlady; guess the mods missed that one.