Netiquette made easyIn an effort to make the rules of netiquette more accessible to members, especially beginners, I have written this short text outlining the most basic concepts, and explaining them best as I can.
The rules, as they stand, are linked in at the bottom of this post if you are interested.
The following examples circle around three people; Jake, Mike and John. Mike will always be the guy breaking netiquette, and always be the “bad guy”. Pay attention, class.
CopyrightCopyright-protected information is protected by law against copying or redistribution. This means we can not, nor will we provide access to such information. It is just breaking the law. We are not criminals, nor do we wish you to be. So just don’t ask, ok?
Jake: Hey! I bought this cool book. It has all sorts of neat info in it.
John: Nice. Is it any good?
Jake: Sure. You should go buy one.
John: I will.
Mike: I don’t want to. Can’t I just have yours?
Jake: No! It’s mine. Get your own.
Mike: Oh come on man!
See how this behaviour could be annoying? Now, here, at EO/40k.ca we CAN’T give you the book, even though we would want to. It is illegal. We are not, as I said, criminals. If you endeavour to be, you will get a warning, and if you can’t follow the rules (and law) you will be kicked out of here.
SpamSpamming is posting things just for the sake of posting it. Spam lacks relevance, constructive input, momentum for the discussion, or any other redeemable feature. It is just wasted breath, or bandwidth, in this case.
Jake: Hey! John, Mike! Look at this new model I just got! Cool huh?
John: Yeah, nice. Did you paint this?
Mike: Blargh blargh!
Jake, John: What?
Mike: Boogla boogla! My father is an aardvark!
See how unconstructive this is? A person who does this is called a “spammer” and usually get a title for it, telling everyone of his/her inability to post constructively. If they cannot improve, they are kicked out.
Account-securityDon’t give away your password, or let anyone else use your account. Simple, huh?
John: Hey Jake?
Jake: Yeah?
John: (punches Jake in the stomach, then runs away)
Jake: Oooph!
John and Mike: What happened?
Jake: What do you mean John? You punched me!
John: No I didn’t!
Mike: (giggles, having impersonated John)
Post with your own account, and let noone else do it. This steers you clear of many problems.
LanguageThis site is for gamers, and gamers come in all sizes. The oldest are really old (geezers) while the youngest have hardly gotten through their first grades in school. This is why we do not allow abusive or offensive language, not to upset anyone. This also includes racial and sexists slurs, as they are aimed at hurting people. Also posting personal attacks is unacceptable. If you disagree with someone; fine. You can disagree as much as you want to, but you can’t resort to personal attacks against the person you are disagreeing with.
Jake: Hey! You have to play the game according to the rules.
John: Yeah, smart up Mike. That’s cheating.
Mike: No I don’t. You’re all a bunch of unwashed bastards anyway! Go to hell!
This is clearly not the way to resolve anything.
No adsPlease don’t post ads for other sites, forums, or such, on EO/40k.ca. We can’t have this place turn into an advertising-board for people who do not pay for the adspace. This would make us a “free lunch” as a lot of money goes into maintaining and running this site.
John: Extra! Extra! Read all about it!
Jake: Step right up, buy the Herald! Only 25 cents!
John: Buy it here!
Mike: Buy the Times!
John, Jake: What?!
Mike: Buy the Times!
John, Jake: Hey! We’re selling the Herald here.
Mike: I don’t care!
A pretty silly attitude, wouldn’t you say?
Digging“Digging” is finding an old since long dead, thread of discussion, and posting in it, placing it on top of the forum, often without adding very much to it. The discussion is dead; let is rest.
This is harder to exemplify than the others, but imagine John and Jake discussed the weather yesterday, and the weather is the same today, and Mike comes up with a comment about the weather (which would probably have fitted in the conversation yesterday) which is now obsolete. The discussion is over.
Generally, if the last post in a thread is two weeks old, or older; leave it alone. It is unlikely you will revive it, and whatever input you might have you can share another time, when the topic is discussed the next time.
Bumping“Bumping” is “reviving” your own topic which is falling into forgetfulness by posting in it, again. This is like digging, only about your own post. You might think that your topic is so important that it merits continued exposure at the top of the board, but it does not. Threads of such vital importance are often “stickied” (that is, prevented from sinking into forgetfulness at the bottom of the forum) by a moderator.
Again, this is hard to exemplify, but let’s imagine Mike starts a conversation about cars, which then moves on, like conversations do, into travel, vacations, and other things. Half an hour later, Mike starts bugging the others about the cars again. Clearly the topic was exhausted the first time, and Mike just wants to show off his knowledge about cars. Silly.
If noone responds to your thread, and it sinks; leave it be. If noone else has anything to say noone will say anything. If your topic was so interesting that it merited continued exposure, it would never sink; people would continue posting on the subject. Leave it to the others to decide whether what you post is important enough, or not.
Off-topicPosting off-topic is interjecting irrelevant material into a thread. This is considered very poor netiquette, and akin to spam.
John: So, what did you think of the show last night?
Jake: It was great. I can’t believe we got such great seats!
John: I know. Next time that band is in town we have to see them again.
Mike: What do you guys think of firehydrants?
John: What? We’re talking about the show last night, Mike.
Mike: Yeah, but I’d rather talk about firehydrants!
You can clearly see how this is rude.
Hi-jacking threadsHi-jacking is very much like off-topic posting, only slightly more sneaky. It is posting in a related subject, but still not on topic.
John: So I take a left at the beach, then up the hill, and then hang right?
Jake: Yeah, only don’t go too far, passed the farm, or you will have missed it.
John: Right. Ok. I think I got it now. Left, up, right, not too far.
Mike: How do I get to the cinema?
Jake: We’re talking about the directions to the mall.
Mike: I know, but I figured you could just stop that and tell me how to get to the cinema instead.
Also, clearly rude.
CrosspostingCrossposting is posting the same subject several times on a board, or the same topic on several boards. Just read the descriptions of the forums, and pot your question in the relevant one, and never, ever, in several ones.
Again, hard to make a good example, but I think you can agree with me that asking the plumber to teach you how to play the piano is ill-advised, and a waste of time for both him and you, even if you ask the piano-teacher as well. Just ask the appropriate person in the first place, ok?
OnelinersPosting without adding constructively to a subject is poor netiquette, and if you have nothing better to say than “Yeah” or “I agree” or “I disagree”; don’t post. Be sure to post things that makes sense, stays on topic, and elaborates on your thoughts, rather than just to give this kind of scrawny response.
Also hard to give an example on, but imagine if you will that John and Jake are discussing the weather, and Mike just sits beside them, saying “Yeah” or “I agree” to everything John is saying, without adding why he thinks the same way, or why he is disagreeing with Jake, only that he is. This makes the conversation just harder to maintain, and pointlessly long.
FlamingNow we are getting to the more malicious parts of netiquette-breaches. Up until now, things might have happened by accident, but flaming is a planned assault on someone, made to provoke and attack, and possibly make someone breach netiquette in retaliation.
John: So you’re sure you have enough money?
Jake: Yeah, I’m sure.
Mike: Haha! You’re poor!
John: What? No he said he did have enough money.
Mike: Haha! Haha! You’re just poor. I have more money than you!
Jake: So what? I have enough.
Mike: Poor! Poor!
If you see nothing wrong with Mike’s behaviour you can send me your parent’s phone number and I will call them and talk to them about your upbringing, and social skills.
TrollingTrolling is posting with the sole intent of annoying someone over something. It is much like a flame in that respect, and is not tolerated here.
Mike: Brown-haired people are stupid. All people with brown hair are dumb!
John: What? What are you talking about?
Mike: All I am saying is that it is a scientific fact that people with brown hair are more stupid than others, that’s all!
Jake: That’s just stupid. Whatever gave you that idea?
Mike: I know it’s true. You’re both brown-haired and see how dumb you guys are!
Clearly a malicious and unconstructive way to communicate.
Here ends this short presentation. For the rules in full, please read