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Author Topic: Netiquette made easy - ALL new posters READ!  (Read 18375 times)

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Offline Rasmus

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Netiquette made easy - ALL new posters READ!
« on: April 21, 2004, 03:26:33 AM »
Netiquette made easy

In 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. 

Copyright
Copyright-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.


Spam
Spamming 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-security
Don’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.


Language
This 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 ads
Please 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-topic
Posting 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 threads
Hi-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.


Crossposting
Crossposting 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?

Oneliners
Posting 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.


Flaming
Now 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. :) 


Trolling
Trolling 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


« Last Edit: February 8, 2005, 09:47:44 AM by Rasmus »

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Offline Dark Flame

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Re: Netiquette made easy - ALL new posters READ!
« Reply #1 on: April 21, 2004, 10:35:48 AM »
  Very good.  Now we have something concret to refer people to.  I just hope that people actually start reading this on their own.  Oh, and where did you get some of those examples?

Offline Rasmus

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Re: Netiquette made easy - ALL new posters READ!
« Reply #2 on: April 23, 2004, 09:12:00 AM »
Where did I get the examples? I write things, it is what I do. Coming up with this stuff was simple, rudimentary.

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Offline Chrspy640

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Re: Netiquette made easy - ALL new posters READ!
« Reply #3 on: March 14, 2005, 10:26:41 PM »
I have a question about Digging.  I've always heard that it's better to post in a topic that already exists, rather than to start a new one.  Isn't it better to bring up an old thread than have a bunch of threads that are all about a single topic?  I'm a little confused.

Offline Rasmus

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Re: Netiquette made easy - ALL new posters READ!
« Reply #4 on: March 15, 2005, 01:55:03 AM »
If you are discussing the matter at hand and the discussion is ongoing; yes.
However, if there have been no posts in the thread, and your post won't add anything substatian to the discussion which is now more or less dead then you should not dig it up, nor should you post a new thread.
Basically; if you have something so good to say that it would warrant digging up a dead thread you are better off making a new thread. If you don't you should not post in either (new or old).

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Offline Intrinsic

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Re: Netiquette made easy - ALL new posters READ!
« Reply #5 on: April 1, 2005, 02:34:01 PM »
deres too many rools. who do you think follows all that crap?!
:) :) ;D :) :) ;D :) :) :) ;D :) :) :) ;D ;D ;D :) :) ;D ;D :) :) :) :) ;D ;D ;D :) :) :) :) ;D ;D :) :) ;D ;D :) ;D ;D :) :) :) ;D ;D :) :) :)  ;D

Offline Arcas

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Re: Netiquette made easy - ALL new posters READ!
« Reply #6 on: April 1, 2005, 02:45:41 PM »
Well, you have no choice. You either accept these rules, or it's only a matter of time until you get banned - and currently you are heading straight towards that.

Offline Mr.Peanut (Turtleproof)

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Re: Netiquette made easy - ALL new posters READ!
« Reply #7 on: April 24, 2005, 12:05:36 PM »
*Takes a screenshot- tee tee. 

Would it be pertinent to add a list of common acronyms and abbreviations to this thread?  I try not to use to many acronyms out of respect for new players that would not recognize them, (I'm bad at recognizing even the acronyms I'm familiar with) but they're still used on a regular basis, leaving some new posters in the dark.  I'm thinking of things like:

BGB:  Big Grey Book, or the 4th Edition Rulebook.  The 3rd Edition Rulebook was referred to as the Big Black Book, or BBB.
DA:  Dire Avengers or Dark Angels, depending on the context.
BL:  Brightlance
TL:  Twin-Linked
Shurican, Shuricat, Shuripistol: Shuriken Cannon, Shuriken Catapult, Shuriken Pistol, respectively. 
MC:  Monstrous Creature
IC:  Independant Character
SS:  Striking Scorpions, less commonly, Shining Spears.
WS:  Waveserpent
IW:  Iron Warriors
DL:  Dark Lance
HB:  Heavy Bolter
Bassie:  Basilisk
Chappie:  Chaplain
IIRC:  If I recall correctly
AFAIK:  As far as I know
IMO/IMHO: In my (humble) opinion

Etc., et cetera.  ;)  My memory is kinda pants, so I could add more common items to the list as I come-across them.
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Offline Chuckles, The Space Marine Clown

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Re: Netiquette made easy - ALL new posters READ!
« Reply #8 on: April 24, 2005, 12:21:30 PM »
I agree with the vast majority of these, but I have to say the "digging" rule can be mightily irritating if, for example you joined relatviely recently, and encounter a thread that could be considered dead, which you, had you been able to at the time, would have been interested in getting involved in. The point I'm trying to make here is that as a newbie, I have done a bit of digging, and the warnings come more or less instantly. It would be good to give people a chance to see if their posts are good, before beating them up (metaphorically speaking) for getting involved in a topic that they're interested in which they have been unable to get involved with. And also, yeah, isn't it better to avoid posting the same stuff on different threads over and over again by posting on one thread, even if it's a bit stale? Otherwise, a bang up job Rasmus, even if you're music taste is a bit suspect (JOKE!  ;))
The forum rules are fair and just. *twitch*

Offline Rasmus

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Re: Netiquette made easy - ALL new posters READ!
« Reply #9 on: April 24, 2005, 02:10:40 PM »
Mr.Peanut - there is another sticky about abbreviations allready. What's wrong with that?

IHaveTheQi - You don't have to like the rules; you just have to follow them. Honestly.
However, I see your point and can tell you this: Threads are discussions. Joining in when evreyone else has gone home is just not right, as they won't/can't respond, and it is just not constructive.

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Offline Chuckles, The Space Marine Clown

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Re: Netiquette made easy - ALL new posters READ!
« Reply #10 on: April 24, 2005, 02:51:47 PM »
Very true, to both answers. Cheers for clearing that up
The forum rules are fair and just. *twitch*

Offline Ares

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Re: Netiquette made easy - ALL new posters READ!
« Reply #11 on: May 5, 2005, 09:16:13 PM »
Quote
No ads
Please 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?
If you can't do this on 40konline, then why do some people get away with it?  Because I've seen a few people with ads for other forums (some of the forums are sister sites, like Relm Of Ruins).

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Offline Rasmus

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Re: Netiquette made easy - ALL new posters READ!
« Reply #12 on: May 6, 2005, 02:38:30 AM »
Realm of runes is a sistersite, essentially part of the structure of the site. It is the exception to the rule. If you see any other ads then just hit "report to moderator" and if it is inappropriate we will remove it and warn the offending poster. That lets you help out with the Community.

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Offline InfinityCircuit

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Re: Netiquette made easy - ALL new posters READ!
« Reply #13 on: May 30, 2005, 07:24:11 PM »
Nice job Rasmus!  However I wouldn't necessarily call spamming 'accidental.'  The same goes for Account Security ;)

By the way, those names are pretty sexist! ;)

Offline Mein Fuhrer, Herr Vathek

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Re: Netiquette made easy - ALL new posters READ!
« Reply #14 on: June 8, 2005, 12:14:31 AM »
If double posting is wrong, then why isn't it here?
And why is double posting wrong?
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Offline Rasmus

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Re: Netiquette made easy - ALL new posters READ!
« Reply #15 on: June 8, 2005, 03:20:21 AM »
If double posting is wrong, then why isn't it here?
And why is double posting wrong?
  Double-posting is most often accidental or a glitch. Those are just removed.
  Serial-posting, however, is just spam as it is two posts instead of just one, when one is all that is needed. It does not require a special entry, as it is essentially spam. I hope this answers your question.

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Offline Mr.Peanut (Turtleproof)

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Re: Netiquette made easy - ALL new posters READ!
« Reply #16 on: June 8, 2005, 11:55:01 AM »
And if you're referring to making two subsequent posts in one thread, before anyone else has posted, see Rasmus's signature.  The Modify button keeps clutter down, and negates the need for replying to your own reply.
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Offline interpretivechaos

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Re: Netiquette made easy - ALL new posters READ!
« Reply #17 on: June 8, 2005, 12:38:33 PM »
On digging I have a question.

The Common Topics check before posting stickied thread on the Eldar Tactics Forum links to a bunch of threads that (I got the impression) would be stickied but would take to much space. Is it digging to post on one of the links of that post(And reference stickies like that post)

Offline Rasmus

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Re: Netiquette made easy - ALL new posters READ!
« Reply #18 on: June 8, 2005, 02:04:23 PM »
Not normally, unless you post something utterly inconsequential like "Yeah, I think so too": Such a post will be removed.

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Offline Inquisitor Yoda

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Re: Netiquette made easy - ALL new posters READ!
« Reply #19 on: June 13, 2005, 12:02:02 AM »
Here you can find a humorous and exiting way to learn about posting guidelines, as oposed to reading a rather long set of rules.
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