[Andrew]

The discussion and/or posting of links or auction numbers to active, pending auctions is prohibited. This policy is intended to deter the possibility of a claim that a discussion on the forums soured or otherwise spoiled the auction process resulting in a financial loss to those involved.

Penalties:
Mention of or otherwise referencing an open auction.

1st offense: 10 day ban
2nd offense: 30 day ban
3rd offense: Permanent ban

Discussion of auctions should never include editorial comments about the seller. Please take those discussions to private e-mail.

and

6. SPECIAL SWAP FORUM POLICIES

You must own and be able to transfer clear title to what you are selling.

If you buy, sell or trade on the Swap Forum, you do so entirely AT YOUR OWN RISK - Vikingsword does not warrant that your transaction will be completed to your satisfaction.

If you are the seller of an item or have any financial or personal relationship with the seller of an item which, to the most paranoid among us, could constitute a conflict of interest, then any post you initiate about such item belongs in the swap forum. If your only interest or connection is as a potential bidder or buyer of the item, this restriction does not apply, however, you agree to hold all forum members acting in good faith harmless, should you base any purchase decision upon information from such a discussion.

If someone else has initiated discussion on any item for which the preceding paragraph applies in your case, you may reply to and participate in the discussion, but must in each such reply include a statement of your actual or potential commercial interest in the item.

There is no enforceable external legal constraint against posting an object for discussion in a forum such as ours and later deciding to sell the item and posting a link to the discussion in the forums. However, if a forum member does this without having received the permission of the authors of the relevant posts in advance for such commercial use of their remarks, this constitutes grounds for cancellation of the offender's forum registration.

Honestly, I don't see the confusion.

Let's get back to discussion of the weapon. I find debate over the forum rules tiresome.