Treating new posters

---

I'm concerned that we are not giving as friendly a response to new posters as we should. I'd like to suggest:

1. It's scary to post on a new board for the first time. Everyone seems to know each other and you're new. It's even more scary when you're talking about something that is very personal that you haven't talked about to anyone else before. A friendly response is therefore very important.

2. As I've said before, the main purpose of this board isn't to provide a cosy home to old regulars, but to provide helpful answers to people with questions. Therefore new, uncertain, posters are what the board is about.

3. Some people have abrasive styles of speaking. Sometimes that is due to nervousness or feeling insecure. Sometimes it is due to other things behind the scenes that we don't know about. (There are some people here with horrific stories.) We should never be quick to take offence.

4. Under this new software, new posters don't get shown the dates of posts unless they make a selection in their preferences that they are nowhere told to make. It's therefore not fair to come down hard on people for re-opening old threads. I think it's something we fuss too much about, and cause more trouble over than it's worth. Either the re-opened thread can be left quietly to die again, or the poster can be politely told that the thread is old and the original poster gone. Occasionally, re-opening the thread may actually prove to be worthwhile.

Aye-Aye, mon capitan

Originally Posted By: Ineligible4. Under this new software, new posters don't get shown the dates of posts unless they make a selection in their preferences that they are nowhere told to make.Ah, ok. I was wondering where the dates where when I first registered. I think they shwoed up after I changde the thing in the settings where it asks how many hours offset (-1, 0, 1, 2, etc.) you are from the server.

I completely agree

If I'm extra nice to the new posters can I be extra mean to the vetrans?

Depends on the Veteran

I have noticed a drop in attacks over opening an old thread.I don't think it fair to let new posters attack anyone either. Telling someone to f off, is offensive no matter what. Even to veterans.*unless it is veterans teasing each other.We all need to exercise self control, but when a newbie starts cursing at someone, a mod needs to step in and tell them that it isn't ok.Of course, some people are abrasive, some veterans, and some newbies.

I made the time format a required registration setting a while back. I'm guessing it doesn't work? I just made the time offest a required entry, too. Maybe it only works after you've initially logged in and THEN make the change.Anyways, I think the site owner will be doing a site update/upgrade sometime soon and this bug might be fixed.

well said

Nicely said. I am going to "sticky" this thread

I think a public debate only leads to a big fuck you mess when its this subject, i submit the steve incident as my proof of this. so me and ineligible have been having this discussion in pm over the past few days.
That being said I can avoid the whole fuck you debate here and simply say that I may be lost on what you mean, but atleat on my computer I can see all the time and dates on each post, unless its a post that was carried over from the old board.
Am I one of the few? or am I lost on what your talking about?
I also want to add that recently I saw an mod *cough cough*helms*cough cough* get slapped for posting to old threads :laughing:
THAT made me laugh out loud, not just an lol *sneer* but an actual burst of laughter.

Hey, I didn't slap. I gently reminded. It was to good an opportunity to pass up. :grin:

I'll fill you in. When a new person registers and starts reading threads, they don't see the date of the posts. A bug in the system just shows the "post number", hence some of the people were replying to old threads. Some were being reprimanded for reviving old threads when in fact the person had no clue as the when it was originally posted.Only when you go to your preferences and change/set your "Time/Date" format, did the dates appear in the posts. Again this only applies to new registrants.

well if its only doing that to new people then its all the better that scotty "gently reminded" Helms that he done fucked up.if all i read here is correct though it soon will not matter and the bug will soon be fixed, correct?so we all lay off people till the new fix is in place when they post to old stuff, then after its fixed we jump, rampant and covered in blood, naked in the full moon to stab them and hit them and scratch and bite them for posting new shit to old stuff...Unless they post somethign worthwhile, or new, or soemthing that matters instead of a LOL yeah.in that case we stand in the shadows, thirsting for blood at the new life of an old thread but since its worth while we stifle the blood lust, and mark thier names ona pad so we can jump them later when they really fuck up.a lol yeah responce to an old thread though still deserves a kick in the nuts. infact to old or new, if thats all ya got to add, it deserves a kick in the sack and we shall save the murder and mayhem for the new thread lifers after the bug is fixed.

Nice stuff. Thanks for sharing....port wine

Well that's pretty random... Are you advertising wine or something?

now I fancy a nice glass of Port, dammit

Hi.....,I am newbie to this forum. And I am from United Kingdom. No spamming permitted here

Hello Everybody,
I am newbie here in this forum. I am from Bangladesh; I am a student and Freelancer. I wish I would get something helpful information from this forum.
Regards
Sumon

Welcome new newbee's, Welcome