PROPER DICTION AND SPELLING ,AS WELL AS PUNCTUATION.

TarnShip

this is the type of post and response opportunity that can make people either feel included in an online community  or make people decide to leave, because they don't "measure up"

me?,,,,,,,I am one of those strange types on the modeling forums,,,,,,I believe in having MORE people stay on the forums, instead of chasing people away

I'm right there with you, Tarnship - the more participation the better. I don't want to chase anyone away. Unfortunately, the route to successful participation is through effectively communicating with the written word. Based on your arguement, I could type my responses in Polish or Greek or Mandarin, because who really cares WHAT I'm trying to say, so long as I participate and say SOMETHING...

Nathan T

Why are all your topics in capital letters and why can't I ever understand Tom Z's posts?

I can understand what tankerbuilder is saying more then what Tom Z's cooking up. 

I do agree that correct spelling and punctuation makes for a much easier read. I have a friend on Facebook who never capitalizes anything. Looks like a child typed the sentence.

and me, in all of my uneducated glory, I seem to have understood the Original Post

as did all of the people that want him to change his style or want him shut up, or whatever this weekend's agenda is

if you can understand the post enough to rally with answers,,,,,,,it was,,,,,,by definition, clear enough

you parsed it out, but, as I said, this is not exactly what it seems on the surface,,,,,,it will be read and understood with a meaning thinly veiled and under that surface,,,,,,,,by people that were "just on the verge" of deciding whether to post or not,,,,,,,,,,and even the most highly educated, most elite, most _______iest, won't ever know (or admit) that they played a part in stifling even one member

edit to add

the responses to this post are the last straw for me,,,,,,I will come here to check pm's when my email account alerts me,,,,,,,but, otherwise "I got mine already", people can just read or get answers from others, there wasn't much the group that doesn't know a Chaff door from a RAT door could help me with, anyway

This is bound to get very ugly, very fast. I'll post no more in this discussion.

TarnShip

me am be surely that you do NOT get this,,,,,,,,but, places like this are really supposed to be about the message, not the proper form of presentation

  And we are saying that if the message is not presented in an intelligible form, then it cannot be understood. Isn't that of value to you?

Nathan T

Why are all your topics in capital letters and why can't I ever understand Tom Z's posts?

Come You Nigh, Kay Shuns

FYI a classic SF story by Lawrence A. Perkins, published in Analog Science Fiction / Science Fact, April 1970. (I worked by Defense COMMUNICATIONS Agency.)

nope, I am NOT being obtuse and confrontational

I am being "inclusive" when people are trying to become or continue to be "exclusive"

this is not  "be right or be wrong" type of topic, where some poster "wins" by being the most grammatically correct

this is the type of post and response opportunity that can make people either feel included in an online community  or make people decide to leave, because they don't "measure up"

me?,,,,,,,I am one of those strange types on the modeling forums,,,,,,I believe in having MORE people stay on the forums, instead of chasing people away

me am be surely that you do NOT get this,,,,,,,,but, places like this are really supposed to be about the message, not the proper form of presentation

Rex

ps, in your vast knowledge of all things on the planet,,,,,,,,you seem to have missed how a comma gets used instead of an apostrophe, by people above a certain age

tankerbuilder

I write to all types of folks.many are HIGH SCHOOL grads.many are like me,COLLEGE grads.and others are school dropouts getting or haveing a G.E.D.. They are not worried where I put the comma,now are they? 

Just for the record... I'm worried where you put the comma.

TarnShip

this is funny

so, the word is that grammar and spelling is important?

but, it is perfectly okay to say that "all Phantom drop tanks are permanently mounted to their pylons", or "Navy Phantoms did NOT have chaff/flare dispensers behind the RAT", as long as the punctuation is perfect, and the correct "there" is used?

right, the medium is the message, content doesn't matter

C'mon Tarnship, you're being obtuse and confrontational. That is NOT what people are saying. However, what they are saying is that, yes it is important to use proper punctuation and spelling in order to clearly convey your thoughts. Consider Tankerbuilder's posts. I gave up trying to read them years ago because I find them unintelligible. His constant misuse of commas and apostrophes makes his post virtual gibberish to me and I grew tired of all the effort I had to put in trying to decipher them.

Internet forums only 'work' when people can clearly express their opinions, experiences, and views. The most effective way to do this is by following agreed upon conventions of grammar, spelling, and punctuation.

this is funny

so, the word is that grammar and spelling is important?

but, it is perfectly okay to say that "all Phantom drop tanks are permanently mounted to their pylons", or "Navy Phantoms did NOT have chaff/flare dispensers behind the RAT", as long as the punctuation is perfect, and the correct "there" is used?

right, the medium is the message, content doesn't matter

me am almostly justy about done with dis heyah college thesis online on FSM,,,,,,,that is just about as phoney as anything I have ever read on the internet

IF (see, it is a big IF) this were true, then there would have been a test to join here,,,,,,,and there surely was not one,,,,,,IF there had been a test,,,,,,there would not be so much information being corrected on the various posts, the people that passed the tests would know most of the info already

Why are all your topics in capital letters and why can't I ever understand Tom Z's posts?

Yes, it does matter.

    When you write something, the way you write it has an incredible effect on the message other people read, regardless of what you intended to say when you wrote it. When people read a message from you, they are going to frame your character a certain way in their mind. It's human nature. And that depends both on your writing skill, and their reading skills. So, if your message, or your post, or your letter to Aunt Sally to whom you've never spoken in 20 years is full of grammatical errors, how is that going to make you look? Not only that, since you've stated already that it doesn't matter to you, you're really limiting yourself. If you can't communicate well, you're stuck with others who share the same mentality and the spread of information stagnates.

   And here's where it really matters:  The harsh truth is, I ignore most of your posts because you write the titles in all caps. You could call me a grammar nazi, but, if you're not willing to make the effort to use the language correctly, why should I make the effort to read your post and possibly solve a problem you've been having? You're only handicapping yourself.

    *runs to put flame suit on*

Let's eat Grandpa!

Let's eat, Grandpa!

I guess grammar is important, at least to Grandpa.

"There, there, best friend," or  "They're there, best friend," or "They're their best friend. "  Each has a very different meaning depending on the spelling and punctuation.

Quite simply, the proper use of spelling, punctuation and other rules of grammar make communication comprehensible. Not only do misspellings, yes, we all post typographical errors when in a hurry, potentially confuse the reader, the make the writer appear less intelligent, especially in a written medium like this.

Rereading the original post. I'm not sure if it's satirical or serious. That's another reason clarity is needed. In person, one would be able to tell from inflection, body language, facial expression of tone of voice more context and know whether to take the person seriously or not.

Spelling isn't important? Forget the R in shirt and and see what happens.

I agree Tanker

I think that exact spelling and grammar is only important when we type out specific brand names and specific aircraft designations (for example)

the order of the letters and numbers in designations really do/did have a meaning, there is a world of difference between an F-4B and an F4B, and I don't know of any F4-B

it seems unimportant, but, it is pretty hard to do an online search for things with the wrong designators

but, if a sentence ain't wrote goodly, dat don't matter as much, as long as the person reeding can tell that someone is saying that the pointed end of the drop tanks goes towards the front

I always laugh when I see someone criticising another about poor "grammer"...

Punctuation is significant. This manipulation of information constitutes what people, both negative and positive, think. Elsewhere, blame it on cosmic rays.

Sometimes even with correct grammar I have no idea what some posts are about.........

tankerbuilder

 don,t

lol ......wat 

jk  eye daunt ghet wat ur saing "  tha elavater waz crooked