Politeness to n00bs in the forums.

Cremlian

It's nice to be all cool and point out all the errors in other people's post but people should really try and be at least somewhat tolerant of other people's Internet habits in the beginning, not everyone is a uber forum posting expert, but giving rude responses to people in their first or second post (even when it really not a bad post) drives away new blood. I only point this out because over the last year over a dozen new people have come into the forums and complained that they were treated badly or rudely by people in these forums in early posts and have decided not to post anymore. We will not grow this community if we scare away people with nazistic commands of Internet forum etiquette. So please try and wait for someone to have a serial and annoying problem before pointing out the issue and try not to be rude while doing this. I would like to not scare away people who have the potential to bring more interesting discussion to the forums.

Alan

I've seen a few instances of some members being overly rude but, the rules still should be strict. They should have read them when joining the forum and when I joined I got hammered down by Mr. Period first thing. I try to post the best I can now due to the strictness and getting a little rude helps sometimes. I was told in a few replies that some of the earlier posts I made sucked and to straiten up or be banned. While it may turn some people off, it keeps the ruffians out and filters the people unwilling to change if they are in the wrong.

Li_Akahi

Yes, but there has to be an infusion of new blood every now and then to keep the forums fresh.

Cremlian

I've seen a few instances of some members being overly rude but, the rules still should be strict. They should have read them when joining the forum and when I joined I got hammered down by Mr. Period first thing. I try to post the best I can now due to the strictness and getting a little rude helps sometimes. I was told in a few replies that some of the earlier posts I made sucked and to straiten up or be banned. While it may turn some people off, it keeps the ruffians out and filters the people unwilling to change if they are in the wrong.

Spelling and Grammar is one thing. Rudeness should only be applied if someone does not listen to your inital advice. Otherwise people will just think "well these people are assholes, why should I even bother with them". Like I said, if someone makes a mistake more then once, then comment on it for goodness sake and be rude if they don't listen, but you should always start politely.

Victor Frost

I thought I was polite enough... Wasn't I?

omegafinal

Should we have a "I'm new, please don't hurt me...much." tag for all new members for a week or two then? Similar to the "On probation until I learn proper grammar and spelling". Hmm, if those "tags" are given out manually, then this idea would be too much of a hassle.

Alan

@Cremlian

I agree, when they first come be polite but if they continue that is a different story. Hopefully we will get some new people form the cons going on right now that will join the forum. So many listen to the podcast but don't participate in the forum but, it is getting more active recently and I hope more join. One of the main things I enjoy about this forum is the members enforcing the rules by trying to stick to them to the best of their ability and setting a good example to new members.

@Sonic

Never seen you be rude at all. At least to me Scott on the other hand beat me down with logic when I first joined. A mental beating that I needed though when I first joined.

Victor Frost

I got a similar beat down from Mr. Period. I've got to say, this forum has taught me more about spelling, grammar, and debate tactics than any English class or Debate club I've been to.

Σπεκωσποκ

A trial by fire is the best way to beat the bad habits out of noobs. Considering there's almost no consequence, that its' the fastest method, and that it weeds out those for whom this forum is from those for whom it is not, I see no problem with the current ways. Plus, don't you think it gives a great amount of trust in noobs to not differentiate them in any way? Personally, I think it would be dismissive, and even rude, to give noobs a free pass.

Cremlian

A trial by fire is the best way to beat the bad habits out of noobs. Considering there's almost no consequence, that its' the fastest method, and that it weeds out those for whom this forum is from those for whom it is not, I see no problem with the current ways. Plus, don't you think it gives a great amount of trust in noobs to not differentiate them in any way? Personally, I think it would be dismissive, and even rude, to give noobs a free pass.

I'm not saying give a person a free pass, but when someone initially comes to a forum they don't necessarily know the culture, and you should give them a few posts before you smack them down, unless it's a truly horrible post...(which there have been quite a few, deserved)

Johannes Uglyfred II

I agree with Cremlian. A relevant quote I heard recently: "One can point with the Sword of Truth as well as chop." It's perfectly acceptable to politely point a new poster to the thread with the forum rules, or amiably fill them in with how we do things here. It's quite another to be rude and cutting about it, which really isn't necessary.

YES: You send a whisper to Newb101lawl with the message, "Hey there, welcome to the Geeknights forums! Just to let you know, we have certain rules about grammar/spelling/etc, and here they are. Be sure to follow them or Mr. Period will come after you, and believe me, he is a scary man. Thanks for joining!"

NO: You publically reply to Newb101lawl with the message, "Hey fuckface, maybe you've never been anyplace civilized on the internet before, but here we don't type like basement-wanking 4-channers, you illiterate cum-guzzling skankwad."

There is far too much of the latter on the interwebs, so let's not treat new people like that here. ^_^;;

Victor Frost

NO: You publically reply to Newb101lawl with the message, "Hey fuckface, maybe you've never been anyplace civilized on the internet before, but here we don't type like basement-wanking 4-channers, you illiterate cum-guzzling skankwad."

There is far too much of the latter on the interwebs, so let's not treat new people like that here. ^_^;;

I don't know where you've seen that, but that would call for a retaliatory murdering!

...

you illiterate cum-guzzling skankwad."

7/10. Good insult.

Noobs won't change. Just crack a whip and be harsh on them. Newbs however can change, so use the padded sticks on them. The idiots amongst those groups will feel insulted and run away crying sooner or later anyway.

Railith

Remember where you are - this is Thunderdome, and death is listening, and will take the first man that screams.

Apreche

God, you people. Yes, the forum has rules. However, if you are not a moderator, enforcement of said rules is not your responsibility. In fact I think I will add a new rule. If you are not a moderator then attempting to enforce the rules is breaking the rules.

Kate Monster

God, you people. Yes, the forum has rules. However, if you are not a moderator, enforcement of said rules is not your responsibility. In fact I think I will add a new rule. If you are not a moderator then attempting to enforce the rules is breaking the rules.

Including quoting and editing another person's post before responding to it?

Cremlian

God I hate that... You know who you are :-p

TheWhaleShark

God, you people. Yes, the forum has rules. However, if you are not a moderator, enforcement of said rules is not your responsibility. In fact I think I will add a new rule. If you are not a moderator then attempting to enforce the rules is breaking the rules.

Including quoting and editing another person's post before responding to it?

I think it depends on the nature of the edit. An edit for humor or to make a point in an argument is fine. Quoting and editing to actually correct somebody's grammar is a little douchey. Yes, I'm pretty sure I've done that very thing, but it's still douchey.

lackofcheese

Well, despite his initial experience in a religion thread, Axel-of-the-Key is still here, so surely we must have some redeeming qualities.

If you are not a moderator then attempting to enforce the rules is breaking the rules.

No one but a moderator truly has the power to "enforce" anything at all on these fora. If you want to make a rule like that, you have to be far more specific as to where to draw the line.

Noobs won't change. Just crack a whip and be harsh on them. Newbs however can change, so use the padded sticks on them. The idiots amongst those groups will feel insulted and run away crying sooner or later anyway.

Your very presence here is testament against your words.

...

Your very presence here is testament against your words.

And your own words keep the newbies out. It's mean to compare them to me. They're not even signed up and you already insult them!

Axel

Well, despite his initial experience in a religion thread, Axel-of-the-Key is still here, so surely we must havesomeredeeming qualities.

Well, you guys give great conversation about video games and anime. So while I think you're all mean about every other opinion under the sun, where else am I going to have intelligent conversation about these topics with people who have the same knowledge as me, if not much, much more?
That's the thing you have to do. Newbies really have to be ignored when they post in these big argument threads, of which there are often many. Newbs should be encouraged to post in topics related to their interests, so they can start off by having good conversation.
However, anyone who uses bad grammar or spelling can probably not be changed, and therefore is probably not worth our time. I correct my brother's spelling whenever I can, and he still makes more mistakes than I can count. And he's 4 years older than me.

Neito

I think that the red pen needs to be brought back. I haven't really seen that many red-marked posts lately.

...

I think that the red pen needs to be brought back. I haven't really seen that many red-marked posts lately.

That's because we are no longer allowed to peer-correct.

HungryJoe

I think that the red pen needs to be brought back. I haven't really seen that many red-marked posts lately.

That's because we are no longer allowed to peer-correct.

Peer-correct? If our posts are no longer peer-reviewed, how can we vouch for their accuracy? (Okay - lame joke about the similar sounding phrases of peer-correct and peer-review, but I thought it was funny enough for a smile, and screw anyone else who thinks differently.)

Neito

I think that the red pen needs to be brought back. I haven't really seen that many red-marked posts lately.

That's because we are no longer allowed to peer-correct.

I mean the Mr. Period red pen.

Rochelle

I mean the Mr. Period red pen.

I haven't seen too many huge errors in posts, however he has been around.

Also for people who make an erroneous post and would like it to disappear from the forum, just edit the post to whisper to yourselves. ^_~

...

I haven't seen too many huge errors in posts, however he has beenaround.

I mean the Mr. Period red pen.

Stupidity correction != spelling correction. Whilst every spelling correction can be called a correction of stupidity, not every correction of stupidity is a spelling correction.

@Neito, that was pretty easy to understand, what made you think it wasn't understood? I just went with your post about red corrections and pointed out that Scrym don't want us to correct each other's spelling any more (Ha Hungryjoe! (I smiled)). Really, you can't expect Mr. Period to scrutinize over every single line. Just look at the lack of red spelling and grammar corrections!

Funfetus

So while I think you're all mean about every other opinion under the sun,

We're only mean when people have other opinions that they can't back up. And even then, only if "mean" means "holding you accountable for backing up your opinion".

Axel

So while I think you're all mean about every other opinion under the sun,

We're only mean when people have other opinions that they can't back up. And even then, only if "mean" means "holding you accountable for backing up your opinion".

Yeah, yeah...
I'm just kidding. I know by most of your definitions of mean, you're not being mean, but you come as very rude. But I will admit that I was arguing pointlessly. There's no point in me talking about those subjects here.

Kate Monster

So while I think you're all mean about every other opinion under the sun,

We're only mean when people have other opinions that they can't back up. And even then, only if "mean" means "holding you accountable for backing up your opinion".

Or if people decide that you are condescending or relentlessly negative without reading the vast majority of your posts, then insult you and when you try to take the claims seriously and attempt to correct them, they give you no true evidence and say you aren't worth the time. Yeah, everyone here is a peach.

Seriously, though, I think most people here are pretty nice and up-beat. Some arguments can get heated, some comments come across harsher than intended (because text can be limiting), and all of us have bitchy days, but most of the forumites realize this and make reasonable allowances. We all recognize that we can't see eye-to-eye on everything. Just because we might not agree on a topic (or any topic), doesn't mean that we can't still laugh together at a penis joke. ^_^

sK0pe

I've seen a few instances of some members being overly rude but, the rules still should be strict. They should have read them when joining the forum and when I joined I got hammered down by Mr. Period first thing. I try to post the best I can now due to the strictness and getting a little rude helps sometimes. I was told in a few replies that some of the earlier posts I made sucked and to straighten up or be banned. While it may turn some people off, it keeps the ruffians out and filters the people unwilling to change if they are in the wrong.

How's that for anal peer spell checking, it seems Alan hasn't learned but not enough.
Alan, there is a spell checking option just below your comment box that you can use so people don't have to correct simple English for you.
/douche