FORUMS 101

Lesson #1

Learn Proper Forum Etiquette & the No No's of Forums...

This is not hard and just is plain ole' common sense and good manners... Just be nice and earn the respect of other forum members with honesty and good will. (Golden Rule Anyone?)

1. Don't insult, embarrass, demean or harass other members. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and their posts and comments.
2. Free Speech does not mean you can say anything in any manner you want to say it. Your rights end where your fellow member's begins. Break rule #1, use profane or vulgar language or basically go too far... your posts and/or comments will be removed as will your ability to make any future posts or comments.
3. This does not does not mean constructive criticism is not allowed, in fact it's encouraged. Keep in mind that most forum users think that if you are going to criticize, you should also offer a possible solution. People who only offer "constructive criticism" and don't try to offer solutions and post very few positive comments, well... they shouldn't  be surprised when other members start offering "constructive criticism" to them!
4. Make sure you offer accurate comments or posts. People are asking for advise DO NOT want advise based on inaccurate information. Don't pretend to be an expert because it not only can cause problems for the person you are giving information to, if a "real" expert sees inaccurate info you could be publicly embarrassed with verifiable facts. :(
5. Read & Understand Lesson #2... Forums are great, but starting a new discussion when there is one already started confuses "newbies" (new users) while it is highly irritating to others (the old farts). You should be able to go to a forum and find information and opinions that are of interest to you. Understanding the difference between Discussions and Comments is very important.