The 'rules' of polar travel

Antarctica 2006, originally uploaded by Agent_Cooper.

People often ask me about the so-called 'rules' of polar travel. What does 'unsupported' really mean?
With the caveats that I don't think expeditions and people should be judged 'better' or 'worse' because of a failure to adhere to these arbitrary details, that I don't know who made these up, nor who has the right to pass judgement on someone's dreams, plans and triumphs, here are the polar 'rules'.