"Check with your GM" is literally in the D&D 3.0 player's hand book and is number 0 in a numbered list of rules. It rarely gets more clear cut than that.
As it stands, it was only a note to check with the DM to make sure he doesn't have any house rules for character generation, like "all of your stats are 18" or "no dark elf rangers." So any other use of it in regard to D&D is a stretch.
OK.
Question: Do you think this statement places you 'for' or 'against' our position?
So, following your example, it should be possible to write a 'reasonable' definition of 'Rule Zero'.
Not really. The terms are very different. But biggest of all Rule 0 is treated as an armor plated excuse for everything. Compound that with the fact that the term brings nothing to the table and the word is uneeded.
"The single most important aspect of Gamemastering is the ability to improvise. Sadly, this ability cannot be taught. Good Luck!" ~ ROBERT KIRKMAN, QAGS Second Edition by Hex Games, Page 58.
"Rule Zero: Whatever else you do, enjoy it." ~ James "Grim" Desborough, XPress Core by Postmortem Studios, Page 4
These quotes may have been taken out of context, but I will assume they say what the author meant.
Improvisation can be taught, quite simply because it is.
Of course you should enjoy the playing of games, dumb-ass. That does not mean you ignore the game.
These are the kind of old idea fools that we at BG like to kick to the curb. No offense.