Message Board Netiquette and Posting Guidelines
I think there are some people that either need to learn these or need a reminder about them!
If you are a first-time poster, don't jump in with both feet and make a dozens of posts on your first day. You will only annoy people and make the old-timers suspicious. Also, don't launch immediately into negative or hyper-critical posts. Let people get to know you a little first!
Don't believe everything (anything?) you read. This is only a message board, and is not at all part of the journalistic content on the rest of the website. It doesn't take long to figure out who knows what they're talking about on these boards and who does not. By default, you should assume unsubstantiated posts are untrue and work from there!
Have a thick skin and don't take things too seriously.
Do a quick check of the board before posting to see if the question you are about to ask or the article you just read and were about to post has already been posted. Far too many folks don't read past the first 5 lines of the board before posting. In a nutshell, that is rather selfish behavior to force ALL of us to read the same stuff over and over.
Keep your posts on-topic and on the proper board.
If you can make your entire post fit in the subject line, then do so! This saves people an unnecessary couple of clicks.
Do not make 'so-and-so, check your email (or FM)!' or similar posts. This is not your personal message board, and making such posts only causes posts of interest and value to the rest of the community to roll off the board.
and last but certainly not least
Posting in ALL CAPS is considered shouting, and correcting typos, especially when the meaning is clear, is really not necessary. We all understand typo..:)
If you are a first-time poster, don't jump in with both feet and make a dozens of posts on your first day. You will only annoy people and make the old-timers suspicious. Also, don't launch immediately into negative or hyper-critical posts. Let people get to know you a little first!
Don't believe everything (anything?) you read. This is only a message board, and is not at all part of the journalistic content on the rest of the website. It doesn't take long to figure out who knows what they're talking about on these boards and who does not. By default, you should assume unsubstantiated posts are untrue and work from there!
Have a thick skin and don't take things too seriously.
Do a quick check of the board before posting to see if the question you are about to ask or the article you just read and were about to post has already been posted. Far too many folks don't read past the first 5 lines of the board before posting. In a nutshell, that is rather selfish behavior to force ALL of us to read the same stuff over and over.
Keep your posts on-topic and on the proper board.
If you can make your entire post fit in the subject line, then do so! This saves people an unnecessary couple of clicks.
Do not make 'so-and-so, check your email (or FM)!' or similar posts. This is not your personal message board, and making such posts only causes posts of interest and value to the rest of the community to roll off the board.
and last but certainly not least
Posting in ALL CAPS is considered shouting, and correcting typos, especially when the meaning is clear, is really not necessary. We all understand typo..:)
