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This isn't to anyone in particular (although if you read it and think it's to you, I guess it probably should be), but Shamus Young (the guy behind DM of the Rings* and all-around smart guy) posted an article this morning called "How to Forum," and I think it's a brilliant and excellent explanation of how people on forums should react to silly questions.

 

I'm considering linking it in the Rules post as "Recommended Reading" alongside the Wikipedia "Don't Bite the Newbies" article.  If we all followed these guidelines, we'd be a friendlier and more productive forum.  Take a read.  What do you think?

 

So, this thread: How do you forum?  How should you forum?  And what can we do to make sure that this is a welcoming and fun place to be?

 

*If you haven't read it, you totally should.  But beware: last time I happened upon it, I wasted almost an entire day re-reading it.

 

The Doctor: There was a goblin, or a trickster, or a warrior... A nameless, terrible thing, soaked in the blood of a billion galaxies. The most feared being in all the cosmos. And nothing could stop it, or hold it, or reason with it. One day it would just drop out of the sky and tear down your world.
Amy: But how did it end up in there?
The Doctor: You know fairy tales. A good wizard tricked it.
River Song: I hate good wizards in fairy tales; they always turn out to be him.

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A thought to kick off the discussion: How about a snarkiness "screaming room," hidden from anyone with less than 50 posts, where you can go and post all the snarkiness you want to post about a topic?

 

I.E., on the public forum, you might answer a silly question with:

 

I know you said you didn't want to, but you should really use layers for this.  The other ways won't get you results as nice, and they'll be harder to accomplish.  A lot of the power of Paint.NET is in its layer capability.

 

Then on the snark board (maybe we could call it Snark Attack), you post (with no links, usernames, profanity, or anger):

 

 

GUH I DON'T WANT TO USE LAYERS IN PAINT.NET AND ALSO I'D PREFER TO BE ABLE TO WRITE WITH THE ERASER OF MY PENCIL AND EAT WITH MY NOSE INSTEAD OF MY MOUTH

 

In the Snark Attack board, we could lift rules 3,4, and 5, and relax #9 and 27, by the way, for the purposes of effective snarkiness.  All other rules would be enforced (maybe even more so).

 

Keep in mind, it would be a snark board, not a derision board.  It's where you post your witty replies, your funny anecdotes, your clever remarks.  But not your anger, hatred, or newbie-biting (this would be very strongly enforced).  And once the user had enough experience to be able to see it, they could laugh with everyone else.  "HA, that was totally me.  I was ridiculous then, wasn't I?"

 

Also, this might be a terrible idea and maybe we shouldn't do it.  But I don't particularly think that's the case.  Just fodder for discussion.

 

The Doctor: There was a goblin, or a trickster, or a warrior... A nameless, terrible thing, soaked in the blood of a billion galaxies. The most feared being in all the cosmos. And nothing could stop it, or hold it, or reason with it. One day it would just drop out of the sky and tear down your world.
Amy: But how did it end up in there?
The Doctor: You know fairy tales. A good wizard tricked it.
River Song: I hate good wizards in fairy tales; they always turn out to be him.

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I don't agree in a Snark board, especially when the post / remark / attack is an anonymous one. I am with Welshblue on this one, if someone is having a dig at me, do it where I can see it being done. Back stabbing is not how I play ball. Then again my fuse is a little short sometimes, I think before I type most times on forums.

 

Again what someone might find funny or just an off the cuff comment can lead to a war of words (and the loss of good members - jim for one)  I always think before I play a practical joke on anyone - Would I like it played on me ? - If the answer is no, then I wouldn't play that joke on others. One persons humour is another's humiliation. 

BREtKQW.png

 

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Hmm.  I didn't know about that event.  You're right, the idea is significantly less awesome in light of that.

 

So, what does everyone think about the first linked article, then?

 

(BB: Oh, I will. :-))

 

The Doctor: There was a goblin, or a trickster, or a warrior... A nameless, terrible thing, soaked in the blood of a billion galaxies. The most feared being in all the cosmos. And nothing could stop it, or hold it, or reason with it. One day it would just drop out of the sky and tear down your world.
Amy: But how did it end up in there?
The Doctor: You know fairy tales. A good wizard tricked it.
River Song: I hate good wizards in fairy tales; they always turn out to be him.

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I don't think we need a public snarky forum. Let's keep this web site family FRIENDLY.

(And, if you really need to be snarky, do it in the mod forum like we do today.)

 

Wanna snark room.  WANNA WANNA WANNA! WAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHhhhhhhh......  (too many years of being nice to everyone :lol: )

 

I'm with you on this one BoltBait. +1

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Honestly, we don't discuss the forum users much unless they have distinguished themselves in a good (or bad) way.  Yes, it's possible to do both - sometimes virtually simultaneously.

 

So we don't discuss you guys much, except for Welshy - we have a whole thread devoted to what we're gonna do to him :mrgreen:

 

(Honestly.... all those rep points.  What are people thinking?) :lol:

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[...]

Again what someone might find funny or just an off the cuff comment can lead to a war of words [...]

I think the jokes are good when others understand. Not hurt a little relaxation.
But you should take into consideration the users who do not speak english and who often use Google Translate.
Translations made ​​so often create confusion and lead to a war of words.
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That's a good point.  How does everyone think we should work to accommodate ESL (or third, or fourth, or fifth, or not-at-all) users?

 

The Doctor: There was a goblin, or a trickster, or a warrior... A nameless, terrible thing, soaked in the blood of a billion galaxies. The most feared being in all the cosmos. And nothing could stop it, or hold it, or reason with it. One day it would just drop out of the sky and tear down your world.
Amy: But how did it end up in there?
The Doctor: You know fairy tales. A good wizard tricked it.
River Song: I hate good wizards in fairy tales; they always turn out to be him.

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The emoticons are language insensitive.  All cultures should be able to get these :lol::):mrgreen:

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The whole forum is my snark forum

And yet somehow you have avoided alienating everyone.

 

The Doctor: There was a goblin, or a trickster, or a warrior... A nameless, terrible thing, soaked in the blood of a billion galaxies. The most feared being in all the cosmos. And nothing could stop it, or hold it, or reason with it. One day it would just drop out of the sky and tear down your world.
Amy: But how did it end up in there?
The Doctor: You know fairy tales. A good wizard tricked it.
River Song: I hate good wizards in fairy tales; they always turn out to be him.

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I must not be working hard enough

 

Want something to do??  Good....http://forums.getpaint.net/index.php?/topic/27245-subforum-filetype-plugins/

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  • 3 months later...

What is childish?

 

The Doctor: There was a goblin, or a trickster, or a warrior... A nameless, terrible thing, soaked in the blood of a billion galaxies. The most feared being in all the cosmos. And nothing could stop it, or hold it, or reason with it. One day it would just drop out of the sky and tear down your world.
Amy: But how did it end up in there?
The Doctor: You know fairy tales. A good wizard tricked it.
River Song: I hate good wizards in fairy tales; they always turn out to be him.

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