JSweeney
CAGiversary!
Since there have been people running about harping about the unruliness of noobs/newbies and the harshness of long time users, it seemed like a brief refresher in Etiquette would be helpful.
From faq.comcast.net
1. Don't spam
Within the context of UseNet and discussion boards, "spamming" refers to repeatedly posting the same message on a message board. This is considered poor etiquette and will usually result in the spammer's removal from the forum or UseNet group.
A good general rule, and luckily, one we've rarely seen around here.
2. Don't be a troll
A "troll" refers to someone who repeatedly posts the same message in a forum (spamming) or someone who enters a forum purely to flame other participants. "Trolling" is not acceptable in online communities and can result in one's being banned from the forum or UseNet group. A "troll" can also refer to someone who has multiple usernames on the same forum.
While we've seen these, the worst offenders have already been dealt with by CheapyD and the Mod Squad, and are still banned with extreme prejudice.
3. Stay on topic
When you submit an off-topic post to a thread, it detracts from the discussion at hand. If you wish to discuss a new topic, you must begin a new thread.
This is a difficult one, as topics shift and mutate as they grow. If the OP does mention that they don't care for where someone has taken the thread and it truly has strayed from original intent, the polite thing is to create a new topic. Of course, there are sometimes where the original post or statement is so ridiculous that the person will draw heat and opposing viewpoints... this is the nature of the beast after all.
Making this issue even cloudier is that many germane and salient points dealing with this matter will not jive well with OP or some of the posters, despite the fact that they are topical.
Everyone at some point is guilty of this.. myself included.
The rare exception to this would be those who only post in the Off Topic threads
4. Don't type in all capital letters
Typing in all capital letters on the Internet is considered rude because it is difficult to read and comes across as very aggressive. Turn off your caps lock before posting!
This is really annoying. Don't do it.
Alternating caps and leet speak fall in this catagory of annoyance as well.
5. Try to spell correctly and use proper grammar
You should make every effort to spell correctly and use proper grammar within forums and discussion groups. If a post is incoherent, moderators and administrators may delete it.
Please do so, lest you raise the ire of the now dormant Grammar Nazis.
6. Don't get too carried away "flaming"
"Flaming", within the domain of online communities, refers to heated exchange on a message board or in a chat room. In general, flaming is permissible only when it does not involve ad hominem attacks on other participants in the forum.
Arguments are fun, even when they get heated. But don't get so carried away with it that you say something that you will end up regretting... like Dragonlordfrodo and MorganWebbLover did.
Which brings us to our next point...
7. Try not to get banned
Being "banned" means that you are barred from posting in a forum or chatting in a chat room. It usually occurs because you have violated the rules of the forum or chat room and an administrator decided to prevent you from being able to do so again.
CheapyD grants a great deal of latitude to people, and the board itself is rather free-form. Don't abuse this by going around with the explict plan to flame people or make a general pest of yourself.
Don't try to steal from people in the trade forums, raise to much of a ruckus in the boards, or create to much of a furor in the chatroom and you don't have much to worry about.
From faq.comcast.net
1. Don't spam
Within the context of UseNet and discussion boards, "spamming" refers to repeatedly posting the same message on a message board. This is considered poor etiquette and will usually result in the spammer's removal from the forum or UseNet group.
A good general rule, and luckily, one we've rarely seen around here.
2. Don't be a troll
A "troll" refers to someone who repeatedly posts the same message in a forum (spamming) or someone who enters a forum purely to flame other participants. "Trolling" is not acceptable in online communities and can result in one's being banned from the forum or UseNet group. A "troll" can also refer to someone who has multiple usernames on the same forum.
While we've seen these, the worst offenders have already been dealt with by CheapyD and the Mod Squad, and are still banned with extreme prejudice.
3. Stay on topic
When you submit an off-topic post to a thread, it detracts from the discussion at hand. If you wish to discuss a new topic, you must begin a new thread.
This is a difficult one, as topics shift and mutate as they grow. If the OP does mention that they don't care for where someone has taken the thread and it truly has strayed from original intent, the polite thing is to create a new topic. Of course, there are sometimes where the original post or statement is so ridiculous that the person will draw heat and opposing viewpoints... this is the nature of the beast after all.
Making this issue even cloudier is that many germane and salient points dealing with this matter will not jive well with OP or some of the posters, despite the fact that they are topical.
Everyone at some point is guilty of this.. myself included.
The rare exception to this would be those who only post in the Off Topic threads
4. Don't type in all capital letters
Typing in all capital letters on the Internet is considered rude because it is difficult to read and comes across as very aggressive. Turn off your caps lock before posting!
This is really annoying. Don't do it.
Alternating caps and leet speak fall in this catagory of annoyance as well.
5. Try to spell correctly and use proper grammar
You should make every effort to spell correctly and use proper grammar within forums and discussion groups. If a post is incoherent, moderators and administrators may delete it.
Please do so, lest you raise the ire of the now dormant Grammar Nazis.
6. Don't get too carried away "flaming"
"Flaming", within the domain of online communities, refers to heated exchange on a message board or in a chat room. In general, flaming is permissible only when it does not involve ad hominem attacks on other participants in the forum.
Arguments are fun, even when they get heated. But don't get so carried away with it that you say something that you will end up regretting... like Dragonlordfrodo and MorganWebbLover did.
Which brings us to our next point...
7. Try not to get banned
Being "banned" means that you are barred from posting in a forum or chatting in a chat room. It usually occurs because you have violated the rules of the forum or chat room and an administrator decided to prevent you from being able to do so again.
CheapyD grants a great deal of latitude to people, and the board itself is rather free-form. Don't abuse this by going around with the explict plan to flame people or make a general pest of yourself.
Don't try to steal from people in the trade forums, raise to much of a ruckus in the boards, or create to much of a furor in the chatroom and you don't have much to worry about.
