ShadowMasterCM
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Reged: 12/07/05
Posts: 916
Loc: New York
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How to 'properly' use a forum...
#158527 - 04/20/10 02:08 AM (67.246.253.214)
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I would just like to say a few quick things about the users of this forum and its usage.
First off, I want to send out a huge 'Thanks' to everyone who has recently participated in the many forum threads. It's been great seeing all the new posters, as well as the new forum accounts created in this last month or so.
Secondly, this game's future development will be based largely on the information that is received on the forums, from player feedback and postings. I hope to see lots of new threads [topics], specifically targetting the many great ideas and concepts that have been discussed here recently, as well as in the past.
To make the best use of ANY forum though, certain 'rules' are generally applied to them. Some are common sense, others are not.
With that in mind...
Respect: You would think this was common sense, but it seems to evade even the most civilised people. Respect the users of any forum. Respect the fact that they will use their time to read your comments. Respect their opinions posted in any topic.
Read the entire post first: read all previous comments of a topic before adding any of your own to it. Often what you want to reply with was already asked, replied to, corrected etc. As much as you hate to read an entire post, others hate to read your repetitive comments that add little to no additional value to the topic. There is no time limit, so read the topics that you have an interest in, take notes as you go and then type up a reply.
Subject: Have one! There are few things more annoying than a post that has a useless subject line. 'Help', 'Im new', and 'OMG!' are examples of useless subject lines. Again, respect other users' time and dont make them waste their's reading posts that had crappy pointless subjects.
Stay on topic: I can not stress this point enough - when a thread is discussing "The Existence of Acid Rain", then why do people end up posting replies or comments about global warming, which then leads to green peace, which then leads to some tool posting a link to pictures of dead animals killed by 'the man'. Any of those topics might be valid on a particular forum, but they do NOT belong in the same topic, let alone one started about 'The Existance of Acid Rain'
Typoes: They happen to all of us, some far more than others. There is an option at the bottom of every new post/reply allowing you to 'preview my post'. Simply check that box and click continue. Now a new page will pop up and you will see what will post on the forums. Stop a minute and read what you just wrote: you will not only catch many of your own typoes, but you may realise that your choice of wording is not as clear as you thought when you typed it.
Clarity: This is the next key point. The entire point of anyone posting on a forum is to share their thoughts and opinions on a particular issue. A post that is full of gibberish and gobbledegook wastes your time and will generally be ignored. Try to think out your posts at length before posting. As mentioned above, when first reading the post, make some notes as thoughts come to you while reading.
Grammer, Punctuation, Formatting Again, this may seem obvious, but many people just dont get it. A single huge ongoing blob of a response will get ignored everytime. No one is perfect when it comes to this sort of thing, but please try. First off, please capitalise correctly - the first letter of a sentence should be capitalised, and no other letters unless there's a proper noun (a name) or an acronym (such as a unit code) in there. TYPING IN ALL CAPITALS IS ALSO VERY ANNOYING.
Some of the younger generation have become accustomed to 'txt' lingo, and that just won't fly when having a deep debate about Macro Economics.
Here you can find a refresher for Punctuation Rules, and guide for Paragraphs.
Format is just as easily ignored and makes an otherwise useful post a headache to read. Notice how I created several small paragraphs throughout the post. Formatting includes the use of spacing, punctuation and paragraphs, but it might also include the use of bold or italic type, or even underlined or coloured text. These can all be a very powerful tools used to help enforce your point, as well as allow the reader to understand it. Each paragraph can make its own statement containing a new idea. Some may lead into the next the paragraph, which might contain the details support the original idea from the previous paragraph. However, remember that excessive use of these formats is often annoying, so don't type your entire post in bold underlined yellow text. Also be aware if you use colours that the forum background may make some illegible - white and yellow for instance.
Hopefully these pointers will help everyone make better use of the forums as the powerful communication tool that it is. If I have missed any key points in this post, please feel free to drop me a Private Message here with your advice.
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Edited by mattbuck (04/27/10 06:40 PM)
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