You would think this would only be for the newcomer, novice and the neophyte, but sometimes even the experinced user needs a refresher course from time to time. So by requestā¦
What is Forum Etiquette? Simply put, it is mainly a term used to refer to the unofficial code of policies that encourage good behavior on the Internet which is used to regulate respect and polite behavior on social media platforms, online chatting sites and web forums.
Sometimes the rules of etiquette are dictated by the individual platformās Terms of Service such as the ones here.
Regardless, most rules always hold true, no matter where you are.
A forum is an online discussion platform where people can hold conversations in the form of posted messages. They differ from chat rooms in that messages are often longer than one line of text, and should be, to encourage discourse. At the same time, posts also should also not ārun onā so as not to discourage further reading. One or two pargaphs are ideal and leave you room to further the conversation later with what you didnāt type.
As you should think before you speak in person, you should think before you post online. Most forums are at least temporarily archived and sometimes pop up in Google searches.
Before commenting, or responding to a post, CAREFULLY read ALL the previous posts in the topic.
It is disrespectful to offer your sage opinion, which is nearly the same as a previous poster, as though it hadnāt already been said. If someone already said it, just give them the attribution they deserve.
Look at several posts, and model yours after the better ones. Most people do not like to read sloppy and disorganized writing. So read, and then re-read, before posting. Make edits if needed.
TYPING IN ALL CAPS is the online equal to screaming at someone. Some times though, a good AMEN!!! is justified.
Forums generally have Categories, which in turn usually have a description of what is acceptable to post within it. You should read these before posting OR replying. If a certain Category offends you, use your settings so as to not follow it.
As a rule of thumb, forums also have event triggers that are tripped when you do certain things. For instance, the blue āreplyā button at he bottom of a post is different from the grey one after a users response. Respond to individual users using the grey reply button (or @theusersname ), and not the blue reply button, which is for replying to the orignal post.
Do not post off topic. This is the most violated forum rule by far, often derailing the entire thread. A form of this is also called trolling. If it is not in line with the ORIGINAL, top-most post, donāt post it. When someone else goes off toppic, please donāt follow their lead. If you feel you must speak off topic, do it in a private message or start your own post on the subject in the proper category so as to be respectful to the other forums users.
Donāt be a Troll. This is a problem that plagues many forums (even here) and is encouraged by a lack of, or a poor level of, moderation, not to mention an adversion to flagging a violators post. They thrive on your reaction, so just remember: Donāt Feed The Trolls! Flag and ignore them instead. Wikipedia defines trolling as followsā¦
So how can you help this forum thrive? By working to improve your Forum Etiquette, fully reading the TOS and abiding by it, correcting or reporting violators, and conducting yourself in a manner pleasing to God, Christ and the Holy Spirit.
āRespect is a 3-way street. Respect God enough to respect yourself by respecting others.ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā - Unknown
Now for some Fritz Quotes:
One last ending noteā¦
āOur goal is striving for the unity of The Body of Christ. Please, LISTEN to others with your eyes, and give all your effort to understanding their point of view. I didnāt say, compromise your own POV, or always go-along to get-along, or agree with something you disagree with Understanding is a spiritual skill in which we all can and should continue to grow.ā - KPuff
Ā
*If anyone is in need of reviewing this (due to bad acting on the forums), send them the link to this page.
I should have known, meaning, this coming from KP, you included.
Correcting someoneās understanding should never come across as attacking their character. We can disagree boldly and still speak kindly.
When in doubt, speak as if the person youāre replying to is sitting across from you in church/home, I would definitely add āhomeā here, looking for hope.
I would agree with you completely on that one @wantthetruth im not perfect and writing that is perfect just seems fake sometimes. A lot of people feed the conversations through AI and post there response instead of their own just to look smart. Im just a normal person with my own conversation and sometimes (most of the time) it comes out sloppy, sorry im not a robot.
And Iām sure they have their own mods. I just want to see such a great platform do well and if I can give advice based on my experience, I do. If it helps someone, Iām happy. see?
Let the ones they have do it. Iām just pragmatic. I see new people show up all the timeā¦ and then fall off or fade away. And I see a pattern to it. Just trying to break that pattern with a bit of effort and enlivening to perhaps retain a few people who come here for answers, comfort, companionship, community and guidance.
Anyways, can we speak on something else, perhaps bolster the other categories a bit?
lol sorry i guess im in the not-most category, cause your examples still didnt bother me :] but, if ALL comments were like that, maybe it wouldnt be okay haha.
@Joe-Also
Iād like to add an amendment to the unofficial compendium of Forum Etiquette. Maybe Iām guilty of ānit-pickingā or maybe Iām just whining about my own pet-peeve, but, for some reason, an obvious neglect of the following (suggested) rule-of-etiquette just seems to purloin my peace. Hereās the suggested rule:
Before commenting, or responding to a post, CAREFULLY read ALL the previous posts in the topic.
Our goal is striving for the unity of The Body of Christ. Please, LISTEN to others (with your eyes), and give all your effort to understanding their point of view. (I didnāt say, compromise your own POV, or always go-along to get-along, or agree with something you disagree with) Understanding is a spiritual skill in which we all can and should continue to grow.
Also, it is disrespectful to offer your sage opinion, which is nearly the same as a previous poster, as though it hadnāt already been said. If someone already said it, just give them the attribution they deserve.
A lot of people feed the conversations through AI and post there response instead of their own just to look smart. Im just a normal person with my own conversation and sometimes (most of the time) it comes out sloppy, sorry im not a robot.
see?
