Post by Dave McAwesome on Jan 12, 2005 14:42:55 GMT -5
How not to post like an idiot
(or Guidelines to Good Posting)
As you know, we have been very generous in not requiring a literacy test in order to become a member of this forum. You’re welcome.
We’ve provided some guidelines to help keep this place semi-literate. The Simon and Schuster Handbook for Writers is also an excellent resource.
Our goal here is not to institute a set of nasty-sounding doctrines. Rather we want to keep this forum as reader-friendly and user-friendly as possible.
1. Please do not type in l33t (elite speak, hacker speak), text message speak or any such thing.
2. Please spell out words and refrain from using numbers or single letters as contractions. Say “See you later.” Not “C U l8r.” Please. We beg you.
3. Please do not type in all caps.
4. Use capital letters, punctuation and, yes, even the return/enter key to make your sentences and paragraphs as readable as possible.
5. Please don’t use a text color that is difficult to see.
6. When quoting another member’s post, please delete all but the relevant nugget you wish to reference and not the whole thing. Never quote really long posts in their entirety. Just say what you want to say. We’ll be able to follow you. We’re not idiots. (At least most of us aren’t. The rest will have to fend for themselves…Forum Darwinianism.)
7. Use informative thread titles. “Must read this,” and “I can’t believe it…” are not good. Use a brief phrase that tells the reader what the main content of your thread is.
8. Use the 10 second rule. We know, it never really worked in the Tom and Jerry cartoons, but we feel it can work in real life. If something makes you angry (we’re talking hot, foot-stomping mad), count to ten before writing a post. Then delete what you’ve written and try it again. You’ll be happier writing a clear-headed, constructive post than an angry diatribe about how there’s no earthly way Aliens 3 was better than 2. Start your own blog for that.
So concludes the Official McAwesome Good Posting Guidelines
(or Guidelines to Good Posting)
As you know, we have been very generous in not requiring a literacy test in order to become a member of this forum. You’re welcome.
We’ve provided some guidelines to help keep this place semi-literate. The Simon and Schuster Handbook for Writers is also an excellent resource.
Our goal here is not to institute a set of nasty-sounding doctrines. Rather we want to keep this forum as reader-friendly and user-friendly as possible.
1. Please do not type in l33t (elite speak, hacker speak), text message speak or any such thing.
2. Please spell out words and refrain from using numbers or single letters as contractions. Say “See you later.” Not “C U l8r.” Please. We beg you.
3. Please do not type in all caps.
4. Use capital letters, punctuation and, yes, even the return/enter key to make your sentences and paragraphs as readable as possible.
5. Please don’t use a text color that is difficult to see.
6. When quoting another member’s post, please delete all but the relevant nugget you wish to reference and not the whole thing. Never quote really long posts in their entirety. Just say what you want to say. We’ll be able to follow you. We’re not idiots. (At least most of us aren’t. The rest will have to fend for themselves…Forum Darwinianism.)
7. Use informative thread titles. “Must read this,” and “I can’t believe it…” are not good. Use a brief phrase that tells the reader what the main content of your thread is.
8. Use the 10 second rule. We know, it never really worked in the Tom and Jerry cartoons, but we feel it can work in real life. If something makes you angry (we’re talking hot, foot-stomping mad), count to ten before writing a post. Then delete what you’ve written and try it again. You’ll be happier writing a clear-headed, constructive post than an angry diatribe about how there’s no earthly way Aliens 3 was better than 2. Start your own blog for that.
So concludes the Official McAwesome Good Posting Guidelines