Forum Etiquette Feedback

Just an FYI, I plan on keeping this in General Discussion for a day or two and then move it to the Feedback forum.

Hmmm Feed back huh? Well its nice to know that no one did anything wrong...I think its a good idea to have it posted and visible. Other sites I belong to have thier own version of this same thing. Most of its common sense for anyone whose been online and at various forums before....however there are new people coming to the site and the net everyday! Some dont know the "Net ettiquite<sp?>" of belonging to a forum.

I would also like to remind people that reading things on the screen....and posting things are different than really speaking with people. Things can be misconstrued as rude or arrogant...that really arent meant that way. Without seeing the persons facial expressions or hearing a "tone" of voice sometimes it can be hard to decipher the actual intent. I really havent seen it done here...but on other boards many things were misconstrued and people got offended when they really shouldnt have....Deep breath and relax!

This board really doesnt have the flame wars of others Ive been involved with Thank GOD! Hmmmm RCCA comes to mind....This board has been a great big help to my modeling and everyone is nice and willing to offer comments/help/advice! I look foward to meeting everyone who is going to be in Pensacola next November!

LOL sorry like I said I dont think its a problem here but wanted to share my

Sounds reasonable to me but I do have one question.

Why is the use of capitals considered shouting. I spent 25 years in the military filling out Ops Logs. Always printed in capitals. I have never taken offence by any thing done in caps, I do however get turned off by people who totally disregard the Caps key.

English as a language is slowly dieing to be replaced by computer gibberish and icons.

My English isn't any more gooder than most and I need my Spell checker but most times I can read what is typed.

Thanks for all your hard work on this site.

QUOTE: Originally posted by Dave Toews Why is the use of capitals considered shouting. I spent 25 years in the military filling out Ops Logs. Always printed in capitals. I have never taken offence by any thing done in caps, I do however get turned off by people who totally disregard the Caps key.

I don't know the exact reason why, but it's due to the emphasis it makes when everything is written completely in capitalized letters. Since it stands out, people have come to refer to it as shouting.

I should probably reword the section about capitals (I'll be honest...I borrowed a couple of lines from other sites). It's not about a couple of words here and there, but more like what you said -- a total disregard for the CAPS Key.

A lot of joking also goes on in this site. I like to razz someone that I know understands that it is only in fun. I have also had it thrown back at me in fun. I would never do it to a new person on the site. You know who you can joke with and who you can't. It actually breaks the tension sometimes and makes the forum more enjoyable.

That makes me think, maybe I should copy this line back in.

Frivolous and pointless jokes are welcome. Healthy, humorous debate and banter is actively encouraged!

I have never figured out why "caps" are considered shouoting either. I am a drafter and everything is in capital letters. I think it is easier to read especially when some of us use a screen where text just shows up small and unreadable. My fault on the cruddy screen, got the whole computer for $50.00. It's better than nothing.

I think posting guidelines is always good. Also, there are some young ears around (sorry, young eyes):)

QUOTE: Frivolous and pointless jokes are welcome. Healthy, humorous debate and banter is actively encouraged!

It sounds like it should be in there. Shouldn't this be a fun and enjoyable pasttime?

QUOTE: Originally posted by SNOOPY I have never figured out why "caps" are considered shouoting either. I am a drafter and everything is in capital letters. I think it is easier to read especially when some of us use a screen where text just shows up small and unreadable. My fault on the cruddy screen, got the whole computer for $50.00. It's better than nothing. I think posting guidelines is always good. Also, there are some young ears around (sorry, young eyes):)

On message boards and email I hate all caps. All caps tend to hurt my eyes and make the message hard to read. I do consider it to be rude to type in all caps. I've used systems where all caps were required for legibility, but not in online forums like this.

It's good to have some guidelines to keep everything in proper order.

No problem with me with those.

Regarding capital letters, the old typewriters we used to use for transcribing radio signals had no lower case so I guess we shouted at everyone for many years!
Bruce

It's quite a sad day when those points have to be made, but there it is. Good rules, one and all. I even like the no-caps thing. I've always been a bit annoyed by that. This has always been a civil forum. Let's all work to keep it that way.

demono69

most people have no bad intend by using capitals only....ocassionally i use lowercase only...does this mean i am reserved?....they just find them easier to read.
as my captain's joke went if you could not take up a joke you should not have joined.
(when in army first day in camp smoking and boozing under the sun listening to music was the welcome...next day all hell broke lose!!!...)

I think the all caps thing relates to how poorly online communications represent emotions....that's why there are always winks after comments that may be misconstrued, etc.....the cap represents shouting here mainly because we don't hear each other's intonations....but it was always one of those weird things.....heck-- sometimes I mean to hit Tab and hit the Caps Lock key and it's all over as I am too lazt to retype!

Many of you have made excellent points. Thank you.

There's another point I'd like to interject here. I'll do my best to make sense of what I'm thinking...I feel discombobulated this morning. I actually woke up at 7am and I'm still on my first cup of coffee.

For some of us, we've learned online etiquette either from experience and/or reading similar posts. I learned things from seeing people flaming others for "mistakes" when the person didn't know better.

As in real life, if no one takes the time to teach (or by example) other people good manners or etiquette, where will they learn? Even when people know better, sometimes they need to be reminded of the basics.

Like I said, except for a couple of cases (email spamming, selling spam early on), there haven't been problems. Everyone has been friendly and extremely helpful. Some people are new to the Internet and to discussion boards. So to make it easy on them and help relieve any worries, maybe the forum etiquette thread will facilitate that.

A quick update.

Modifed the line about ALL CAPITALS to the following:

QUOTE: Refrain from using ALL CAPITAL LETTERS. ALL CAPITAL LETTERS are generally recognized on the Internet as shouting and SHOUTING IS RUDE. Please don't shout. Excessive question marks (?) or exclamation points (!) in your title or content is also rude unless to indicate that the post is intended as a joke.

Is that somewhat clearer?

Added the line about humor (humour):

QUOTE: Frivolous and pointless jokes are welcome. Healthy, humorous debate and banter is actively encouraged!

Caps can be acceptable in small doses like yelling is. Anger and attention grabbers are ok. Like HEY if a comment annoyed you or with a smile for a teaseing sort of outrage. I couple words is ok if its appropriatly framed.

from the computer generation

Maybe simpler is better in this case.

Refrain from using ALL CAPITAL LETTERS, excessive question marks (?) or exclamation points (!) in your subject or content.

There you go second guessing yourself Dave, or IS THAT THIRD GUESSING??? <- frivolous joke

I agree, an entire post in caps does seem like someone trying to get attention to me and is a bit irritating to read. I will use caps on a few words to try to inflect some tone into my typing but not a whole post. I like the guidelines as you have them and I've noticed most of the members here will mention things to newcomers if they're going against the grain. The etiquette thread will be good though, as new folks that join up can see it right off.

Go with what you've got for now I say. It can always be revised at a later date if you feel the need.

Eric

QUOTE: Originally posted by David Voss Maybe simpler is better in this case. Refrain from using ALL CAPITAL LETTERS, excessive question marks (?) or exclamation points (!) in your subject or content.

AMEN, DAVID!!!!!!!!!!!!PEOPLE WHO DO THAT ARE JUST PLAIN OBNOXIOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!AGREED????????

Here is my opinion on the CAPS and lower case issue.

I consider myself a literate person. I LOVE to read all forms of literature; books, magazines, newspapers, computer screens, and such. In the offline world and, especially, in literature one rarely sees the intentional use of all caps or all lower case in serious writing. It simply isn't done because it is not the educational standard. In school, we are taught (big assumption here for anyone outside the U.S.; I simply don't know...) to utilize capital letters at the beginning of sentences or thoughts and for all proper nouns (names). Since I learned to read and write using a civilized and educated combination of upper and lower case letters, it has become my standard as well. I've been exposed to this style for all 33 of my years on Earth and it simply seems *right* to me.

Shouting in all caps seems rude to me and writing in all lower case just seems lazy.

-Mark

Have to keep it clean and polite. Which includes content. We have several young people here to consider.

Dave,

Great job ! Everybody needs guidelines now and then. It identifies the intent and purpose upfront so when there is issues - there is a "guideline" in place. It is a nice way to say don't do the following.

You did it very well and very politely.



There's a couple you should put double stars next to.

Electronic form does not permit emotions to be expressed?
That's what smilies are for!!!!