Have the DA Forums Gone Up in Flames?


Why is it that people will write things on a DA Forum that they would never even consider saying to someone else face to face? Does the relative anonymity of the net loosen up our social inhibitions? Or is it the fact that they know they aren't likely to get a punch on the nose for being so rude? Or do we all suddenly think we become experts once we sit down and start to type? (Hmmm... don't think I'll answer that last question!)

On most of the DA Forums that I visit, it is often possible to tell the content and quality of the post before even reading it, just by looking at the name of the poster. Some posters are always on topic and informative, some have their good and bad days, and others post mostly rubbish. Anybody who's spent a few months on some of the DA Forums knows what and who I am talking about. (I'll leave it up to the readers of the DA Forum to classify these posters as good, bad or indifferent as they see fit!)

Personally, I don't post on DA Forums all that often these days - I am too busy most of the time working on the DA Political Forum Club, the DA Religious Forum Club, and the newest formed DA Complaints Forum Club. I generally don't post unless I have something I think I can add to the thread, whether it is some humor, insight or a link to an article that I think might add some value. Whether I succeed or not is another matter!

But, I feel these days that there should be a written "Rules of Engagement", if you will, that could be universally be applied. There has to be an intellectually applied "Code of Conduct" so that Forums are not dominated by a select few, and turned into "Dens of Vipers" that inject their venom like snipers hidden amongst the shadows of the rocks the instant you turn your back.

I am, also, aware that the Forums are saturated with children, minors if you will, that are just coming out and feeling their prowess. Like puppies just opening their eyes, they must be taught, by example of adults, that there are proper and acceptable rules of engagement, and there are those that are not. I am offering my opinion on the proper Rules of Engagement.

DA Political Forum Club Suggested Posting Guidelines

Things to do.

[] Before you post a new thread read the titles of all the other threads. Posting multiple threads in the Forum with the same subject matter is a waste of thread space. If there already is a thread open about your topic, post a comment inside that thread and explain your position. The SearchButton is your friend. The Forum has this for a reason, to limit the number of threads of the same topic. Before you start a thread, make SURE there isn't another thread of the same topic. When you find one, post what ever you need to say regarding on the topic in that first forum.
It doesn’t look good if there are three threads in a row talking about how the color of the text should be changed. Yes, it’s a big issue, but not big enough to form three threads. Remember: It is always better to post in an existing thread than start a new one.

[]"Necro-Topics" are those topics that are so old, and buried that they should never be exhumed! Check the dates of the thread before you post on it. They are dead for a reason.

[] Do Check the Forum stickies. They are also there for a reason. Mainly a forum sticky provides information that will benefit to the community. That is why they are already first in the Forums. So you can read them before you start another thread on that same topic!
Mostly the topics in the forum stickies are topics most members think about. For example, rather than having over five thread talking about how to do the Tomahawk shot, Uchocobo has provided a very clear flash program that give great explanation to the special shots. Since this will be very useful to the albatross community, the Mn@ has made it into a sticky forum. Enjoy it!
"Dead Horse" Forum Topics are those topics that are posted over, and over, and over again in the Forum. Before you post your first Forum Topic, if you have any doubts, Note the DA Political Forum Club *DAPoliticalForum and I will be glad to coach you.


[] Do check to make sure you are in the right Forum
Read the description on each forum before you start posting. If you want to find or post a tip on the game, go to the Pangya pro shop, not to the tee times. And if you want to talk about the latest movie, go to the 19th hole, not Q&A with the Mn@. This will limit the chance that you will post a thread or a replay on a wrong forum. And you don’t want to do that, or else they may laugh at you.



[] Orignal Poster's should try to keep their Original Post as brief as possible, and provide whatever substantive links necessary to other documentation. The Original Poster MUST present their OP in a debatable format, preferably with a leading question at the end.


[] DO read the Original Post (OP) and any substantive links completely before you make comments in the Forums. That way you'll have a good idea about what the main issues are and it will also give you ideas about what to talk about.


[] Do take the time to get to know the Forum you are in before you make a comment, but do not be afraid to make a comment. It can be a bit embarrassing being the first person to speak up, but it's up to you to get the conversation started. Remember, your comments will stay on the website, so that other people can view and comment on them later, so even if there's no-one else commenting, it's worth posting a comment.


[] DO keep to the subject. If you want to talk about general issues with other Deviants, arrange to meet them in the DA Political Forum Chatroom [link] after you've finished with the Forum, which is your space to talk about what you want to. Here, we're gathering your opinions about specific thread topics, and if you want those opinions to be respected and listened to, you need to keep the thread posts clear and on-topic.


[] DO be constructive. While we're interested in your honest opinions, we don't just want to hear a long list of Flaming Complaints personally directed toward the OP, or any of the other Forum Deviants. Take time to say what you think is good, or make suggestions for ways to make things better.


[] Do know some English, but don't worry about being an English Major. If we don’t understand what you are saying, try to find a way to make us understand what you are saying. I know you may be from another country, (or just a teenager) and you like to hang around English speaking players. However, it’s also proper etiquette to let others know what you are saying without the hardship of trying to understand you. If you are from another country and you use the letter ‘U’ for the word ‘You’ that is understandable. However, long lines that seem like random words jumble up together doesn’t help us give you an answer to that you are looking for. Help us to help you.
This goes to all the well English speaking people. There will be members coming into the forums that will not be able to understand much about our language. So it’s our job to try to understand what they are trying to say to us. One way I like to do, is try to re-write the original post to what I think they are trying to say. Hopefully it won’t come to that. But never under any circumstance, we should flame another person with “Learn how to type good grammar!” and then throw English rules at this person, poor guy doesn’t know what is going on.
There will be also a time where a guest will break a rule in the forums. We can’t assume he did it intentionally or by accident. But still we can’t go on blaming everything on our guest. We just let him know as best as we can, that he as broken a rule and will receive a warning. Be gentle with the n00bs.

Things you don't do:

[] DON'T post comments that insult people or organisations, that use offensive/abusive language or hate-speech of any sort. Don't post comments that are racist, sexist, homphobic or discriminatory against any person, religious beliefs, or group of people. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. If you do, your comments may be removed, you may be Banned, and, in extreme cases, the Forum Thread may be closed, ending the discussion. So please, keep it polite, however angry you may be about an issue.
Personal attacks are not allowed. Any direct and specifically organized wording intended to disparage a person (including, but not limited to: personal qualities, beliefs, points-of-view, and political ideology) is prohibited. Personal attacks are clearly intended to smear, insult, or disparage.
All statements that begin with "you" are not attacks, although this is a yellow flag. However, if someone says "you frequently make negative comments about <insert group name>," that would be allowed if it accurately characterizes that person's posting style. However, if someone types "you are a liar" or "you always lie," then that post has crossed the line into personal attack because the comment asserts a negative personal characteristic.
Posting for the sake of provoking anger is discouraged. Continued posts of this type are considered trolls or flames, and the poster will lose posting privileges (gag or ban).




[] Do not "stalk" another member from one discussion thread to another.
[] Do not follow someone into another thread and try to continue a disagreement that began elsewhere (either in time or in space).
[] Do not disparage an individual in a thread where that person is not participating.
[] Do not start a new discussion thread with the purpose of picking a fight with another member.
[] Do not use your signature line to draw negative attention to another member or Moderator of the Forum.
[] DON'T give out any contact details, including your own. Don't give anyone's name, phone number, email, home or school address. We don't want you sent inappropriate mail or approached by people you don't know.
Respect Forum members right to privacy. Participants may not post information that violates the privacy rights of another member. Do not openly speculate that a new member ID is a re-incarnation of a previous or existing member . Should a new member ID openly and freely volunteer that they are an older or existing member, then this rule no longer comes to bear in regards to that new member ID only. There is more advice about personal details in the FAQ's.


[] Respect Copyright. Don't copy and post entire copyrighted articles. If you wish to reference an article, provide a brief excerpt and include a link to the original source. Generally, excerpts should not exceed two or three paragraphs. This rule also applies to images in signature lines.
[] Don't attack Moderators. Show Forum Moderators Respect.
Members may not publicly attack a Moderator or intentionally undermine a Moderator's actions. It is okay for a member to publicly ask a Moderator why an admonishment was issued. It is okay for a member to disagree with a Moderator. It is not okay for a member to harass, bait, or slander a Moderator.
If a member wishes to challenge a Moderator action that involves the member, this challenge must be raised in private, not public. Do not post disapproval of a Moderators' actions on their personal Front Page, or in their personal Journal!



[] DON'T post spam, adverts or disruptive text. ) Spam is prohibited. Spam is defined as posting identical or similar material repeatedly in one, or more, threads. Even if the posted material in question is on topic, do not repetitively post it en-masse.

[link] FAQ #263

[] DON'T let your debates turn into personal arguments. If someone else in the Forum is being offensive or aggressive toward you, you don't have to put up with it; on the other hand, if a thread turns into two people's personal argument, it doesn't make for good debate. We suggest you attempt to defuse the situation by :

remaining calm,
telling the person in a non-confrontational manner that they are upsetting you, eg. by posting "I'm sure you don't mean to, but what you are saying is actually really upsetting me", and
explaining why what they said was upsetting if they ask you.
If this fails, and the person continues to be offensive or continues to post offensively when you have asked them to stop, please alert the Forum Moderator and s/he will view the thread post and decide where to take it from there.

WORDS OF ADVICE

These are only the suggested recommendations for posting.
The deviantART policy you agreed to, the regulations in the FAQ's, and the instructions of the Admins and Forum Moderator supercede all of the suggestested recommendations.

Good luck, and good debating!


Founder, Administrator, Author.