Joining Forums and Forum Etiquette
~ by Frances McColl Stewart
http://www.N-etiquette.com ~
http://www.Dynamite-iT.com ~
http://www.AnyFrontPage.com When researching a problem, search engines
frequently will list forums as a resource. Take a good look at these forums,
not only for answers to your current, and possibly future questions, but as
networking opportunities. Where else will we get to meet our peers on the
‘net?
Joining a Forum is easy. Unless you have been a past abuser of the Forum, it
is simply a matter of registering and signing-up.
Familiarize yourself with the forum before doing any posting. Read the rules
- and abide by them. Good Manners are Good Business.
The major purpose of a forum is sharing knowledge. Do not provide answers to
posted questions privately (by email to a poster). Do not reply by email to
someone who has given an answer that brings up other questions. This denies
the answer, and perhaps more importantly, the development of the answer to
other members. It can also be rude to link to other forums in your answer or
in your signature as it confuses people as to where they have posted their
questions. The information is easily posted to the forum, rather than
directing others to a completely different website to read one post.
Many forums have a range of emoticons or Avatars for the use of their
members. This eliminates the need for capitalization to make a point. A
message that is delivered in capitals is considered "shouting" or "flaming"
on the internet and is considered rude.
While your post to the forum is available to the group as a whole, you
should generally use the name of the person to whose comment you are
responding for two reasons.
1) It makes a better impression. You are trying to expand your network as
well as perfect your skills.
2) It focuses you on the fact that there is a real person on the other end
of your message. Too often, we feel an anonymity on the internet and respond
in ways that we would not respond person to person. If anything, we need to
be kinder on the Internet. It is fast paced. We tend to forget that once it
is written - it is always there.
Do not clog the forum with repetition, subjects that are not pertinent, long
personal anecdotes, or inappropriate language.
Many forums call for critiques from members on a particular project. This is
a wonderful learning tool if handled properly. Remember, this is a learning
process. If criticism is too harsh, someone may be dissuaded from presenting
his or her project for criticism. If criticism is not honest, no one will
learn. Both extremes defeat the purpose of the forum.
If you are being critiqued: Do not take criticism personally. Evaluate it
and decide if you can use it. If you can't, then put it totally out of your
mind.
If you are critiquing, unless you can offer an improvement or substitution
that you feel would benefit the project, do not comment. (Others will.)
Never comment on a subject outside of the forum. (example: if the forum
deals with website coding, do not comment on the content or the graphics of
a website.)
Do not, at any time, post something on a forum that would be embarrassing or
personal in nature.
“Give back” to your new community and practice making it look easy.
Forums generally have a constant influx of "newbie" participants. If you
have done well in responding to a particular problem - explained the answer
clearly and simply - keep the answer, it will be needed again. Better yet,
if your Forum has archives - keep a note of the location of your answer and
respond with a direction to that archived material.
As it is difficult to know your internet audience in a forum - and in the
interest of appearing professional - this is one place where humor is best
avoided or 'gentled'.
Most of all, enjoy meeting new people on the net who have the same interests
that you do. After all, they will love meeting you – you are SO polite!!
(Smile)
Below are some Typical Forum Rules and Guidelines (from
www.n-etiquette.com
):
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Typical Forum Rules and Guidelines
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
All Rules are open to different interpretations. The moderators of a Forum
should have the final decision as to what constitutes an infringement of the
rules as well as the responsibility to remove, edit, move or close those
posts that they see as being harmful to a forum.
All members of a forum should have the right to contact the moderators
privately if there is a need to further explain a position or a post.
ADVERTISING
The purpose of a Forum is a free and open exchange of ideas. It is
understood that there are times when the idea itself requires that a product
be mentioned, critiqued or evaluated.
There are also times when the recommendation of a product is the answer to a
posted problem.
Blatant advertising on a Forum, however, is rude. Such postings should be
removed.
The definition of 'Blatant Advertising' is generally at the discretion of
the moderators of a Forum.
APPROPRIATE TOPICS
Cross-posting (i.e. post the same message in more than one forum board) is
rude. Choose the forum topic that is closest to your post, and place it
there only. If you should create a post in one forum, and later realize it
would be more appropriate in another forum, please delete the original
before posting it again.
FLAMING & ABUSE
Please, no messages that harass, insult, belittle, or threaten another
member.
LANGUAGE
Offensive words and / or graphics should not be tolerated.
WRITING TO MODERATORS
Please do not write to moderators or admin with questions by email - a forum
is for the benefit of all who may have the same or similar question.
Questions and responses should be posted on the forum for all to benefit
from.
Special Notes:
Sig (signature) lines should be subject to all the rules and guidelines that
a post is - including links.
Frances McColl Stewart is the
Webmaster of
N-etiquette.com and an editor of AnyFrontPage Bytes Ezine.
Subscribe to the ezine
and get FREE FrontPage E-Books upon joining.
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