My method's change depending on what server I am on, and what the server is hosting.
For example, if I'm hosting a roleplay server, then I don't have much tolerance to people misbehaving and ruining the roleplay.
I often have rules associated with my roleplays, such as no hammer-killing. I will generally have it as a written rule, if the build accomodates such a thing, or, under the first circumstances that it occurs, I will warn the person not to do it again.
But I will also include that warning to mean anyone else in the server too.
So, if Blockhead 3, 4, 5 and 6 are on the server, and #3 hammer-kills, I give a warning. If #3 hammer-kills again, it's a ban. If #6 hammer-kills, it's also a ban since they were around for the warning. If #7 joins and then hammer-kills, I give them a 1-time warning, and if they or anyone else currently on the server hammer-kills, they're banned.
If I've given out loads of warnings, and #4 suddenly then hammer-kills, then they'd likely get a bigger ban, because they've sat through a number of warnings to everyone else.
If I also find that people are arguing at each other, and it's getting heated and out of control, then I give a warning. I ask politely for it to stop.
If either one of them then continues, they get kicked. If they come back and do it again, they get a ban for being roostery.
I'll also remove people from the server who, although they might not be stupid or annoying or abusive, aren't really fit for the server.
If it's a roleplay, and someone is being stupid, not really following what would be quite obvious cues, is suggesting things that really obviously don't fit in with the server, then I'll tend to ban them for 5 or 10 minutes (Generally to prevent them coming right back, and to let them decide to try some other server).
If it's building though, I'm probably more sympathetic to people who aren't very good. I'll give tips and advice and things, and if they're not catching on, then I'll probably ask politely that they do what I say.
If I'm building a project or a roleplay, it's quite common that during the building period I'll invite others to join and build, so that they can actually do something on the server, but also so that if what they build is good, it might be incorporated into the roleplay. If a really bad builder is trying to help, and isn't building especially brilliant stuff, I'll leave them to it for so long as they're around, but I'll likely destroy the building once they're gone.
I like to be fair to newer players and those not good at building, because otherwise they don't get much of a chance to improve.
Generally, I give bans for most things. They're not often permanent (unless you're really disruptive, or you've been disruptive previously before), and they're not often for excessively long times.
Usually it'll be for 5 or 10 minutes, because anyone banned for that long is going to get bored of waiting, and is either going to find another server to play on, or they'll stop playing Blockland for the meantime.
It just means that they don't come back and continue to cause havok.
I think I only ever give kicks on my own server if it happens to be a friend, or someone who I know is normally very good on the server, and they're misbehaving a little bit.
For example, someone who's normally on the server frequently, helps out a lot, is good to play with, yet has an argument with someone that is gettng out of hand. I'll kick them from the game as a means to warn them, but also to get their attention.
I won't give them a ban, because generally, I still want them on the server. I just want them to listen and stop causing a problem.
If I'm on someone elses server though, I'm much more cautious. I don't know how most server hosts rule their servers, and everyone is different, so I'm less likely to give bans for smaller things, and I'm more inclined to kick someone being disruptive than I am to outright ban them.
I don't think I ever permanently ban someone on another person's server though, just incase it comes back to bite the host in the bum. (For example, someone who just pesters via the Forums or RTB at the host to unban them).
Most of the time though I'm on my own or my close friends' server, and they're either on mine or their own, so we have very common administritive methods.
Anyway, you should come up with how you think you should deal with people.
Some people put up server rules on the server, make them very prominent, and if they're broken, they take no excuses and flat-out ban.
Others will watch a person forever, constantly reminding someone until they leave, stop their problem causing, or force the admin's hand.
You can't always plan for every occassion, so you should come up with a comfortable way of dealing the justice on your server. Whatever you feel right with, you should go for. If it's your server, it's your own personal domain, so do what you want.
If it's someone elses server, perhaps follow their lead. But if you've been given Admin and trusted with it, then you should be prepared to take actions into your hands as part of your responsibility.
Try not to be too tough or harsh, but don't try to be too gentle.
/massivepost
I haven't been posted something large in absolutely ages.
Feels good. :3
