By my math this eliminates 108 words from the rules, and more importantly makes announcement default so it doesn't need to be included in new rules (and therefore can't accidentally be left out). I think this needs some careful vetting to make sure it doesn't break anything.
I submit the following proposal: { Title: No More 'By Announcement' AI: 3.0 Author: nch Amend Rule 478 "Fora" by replacing: Where the rules define an action that a person CAN perform "by announcement", that person performs that action by unambiguously and clearly specifying the action and announcing that e performs it. Any action performed by sending a message is performed at the time date-stamped on that message. Actions in messages (including sub-messages) are performed in the order they appear in the message, unless otherwise specified. with: Where the rules define an action that a person CAN perform, any attempt to perform that action is EFFECTIVE if, and only if, e unambiguously and clearly specifies the action in a public message and announces that e performs it UNLESS the rule specifies the action can be performed "without announcement". Otherwise, it is INEFFECTIVE. Any action performed by sending a message is performed at the time date-stamped on that message. Actions in messages (including sub-messages) are performed in the order they appear in the message, unless otherwise specified. Amend Rules 2609 "Temporary CFJ Setup", 869 "How to Join and Leave Agora", 2595 "Performing a Dependent Action", 2350 "Proposals", 2607 "Proposal Chambers", 2597 "Line-item Veto", 2141 "Role and Attributes of Rules", 107 "Initiating Agoran Decisions", 683 "Voting on Agoran Decisions", 208 "Resolving Agoran Decisions", 2168 "Extending the Voting Period", 1006 "Offices", 2154 "Election Procedure", 2143 "Official Reports and Duties", 2201 "Self-Ratification", 2555 "Blots", 2478 "Vigilante Justice", 2479 "Official Justice", 2557 "Sentencing Guidelines", 991 "Calls for Judgement", 591 "Delivering Judgements", 911 "Motions and Moots", 2175 "Judicial Retraction and Excess", 2492 "Recusal", 2246 "Submitting a CFJ to the Referee", 1742 "Contracts", 2577 "Asset Actions", 2579 "Fee-based Actions", 2496 "Rewards", 2499 "Welcome packages", 2585 "Birthday Gifts", 2549 "Auction Initiation", 2550 "Bidding", 2552 "Auction Termination", 2584 "Free Auctions", 2532 "Zombies", 2449 "Winning the Game", 2553 "Win by Paradox", 2438 "Ribbons", 2602 "Glitter", 2480 "Festivals", 103 "The Speaker", 2451 "Executive Orders", 2464 "Tournaments", and 2495 "The Birthday Tournament" by removing all instances of ", by announcement,", "by announcement,", ", by announcement", and "by announcement" in that order. } -- nch