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Helpful tips for those who want to be "must reads"
- Lists and newsgroups are text based communities, not websites. If
you're sending HTMLized e-mails/posts, please turn off this feature when
posting. Remember, many news and mail readers won't accomodate the
feature and many lists/groups forbid it, including The Monkees Mailing
List.
- Newsgroups and lists are communities which communicate solely by the
written word. Many Internet users
are blind or do not read English and make use of voice or language translation software
to "read" the English language text on their screens. You don't have to be
the spelling bee champion of all time, but if your spelling is
extremely poor, use a spell-check
program or consult a pocket dictionary before posting to mailing lists or
newsgroups.
- Be yourself. Genuine people shine like rare precious gems in RL and
on the net. When you write to a newsgroup or list, write as though you are
speaking to a friendly acquaintance (leave out the overly personal stuff
you'd say to close friends.)
- Sig files are meant to be *tiny* glimpses into who you are or what
you do (a quote, a quip, a clever one-liner, your position/profession, etc.)
and/or a URL directing others to pages that will tell them more. Short
sig files get noticed and read while lengthy sig files are considered
extremely rude. On the net, whether it's sig files, texts, graphics or
what-ever, less is always more.
- Don't sweat it if you post and no one answers... even if you post the most brilliant thing
ever posted on the Internet. It's nothing personal and it happens to all of us. Maybe you
said it all and nobody can think of anything to add. If you asked a question, maybe nobody
knew the answer. Maybe they're all afraid their responses would pale in comparison to your
genius. Unfortunately, on most forums, you can trust that if other forum members don't like
you, you'll get plenty of responses to let you know it. Note: On Monkees List,
you don't have to worry about this. Personal problems with other listers are
to be kept off-list.
- If you join a forum that is supposed to be on-topic, set a good example for new
members by staying on topic, even in the most tempting of circumstances. If others stray
from the topic, don't compound the
problem by straying from it, yourself. Don't answer the off-topic post, on or off of
the forum and don't complain on the forum or privately to the author. If it is a real
problem, which you feel violates the rules of the forum, contact the forum's owner,
moderator or staff, privately. If it's a forum with no management, such as an unmoderated
Usenet newsgroup, just ignore it.
- When it isn't fun, anymore: The best "kill file" and "spam filter" you'll ever have is your
own eyes (or ears if you read with voice translation software) and no forum
is going to change to suit you. It's up to you to pick and choose what's right for you.
If you don't want to read something, don't. If you don't want something on your computer,
delete it, filter it before it comes in or unsub the service sending it. If you don't like
and have no intention of following rules, don't join a forum that
has them. By the same token, if you expect others to behave a certain way or for a forum to
be relatively free of spam, trolls and/or flame wars, don't join a forum without both rules
and a staff that enforces them. If a forum causes you stress, wears you out, gives you panic
attacks, makes you angry, etc., don't put yourself though it. It isn't the enjoyable or
interesting leisure activity you hoped it would be when you joined. Leave the forum (resist
the urge to send an exit post, it'll only make you look childish and vindictive) and
find or start one that is right for you.
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