[EricH]

I'm going to say the same thing as I did last time, but I'm also going to add a few things.

What I said last time:

Originally Posted by EricH

I've been thinking about this a bit myself, and came up with a list:

Watch spelling, grammar, and leet. Having the occasional misspelling, particularly on a hard word, is fine, but it's a lot easier to read a post if you don't have to deal with spelling and grammar issues. There is a spell check, which can help you with a lot of these issues. Leet can make a post unreadable without a translator. Dave Lavery has a quote in Spotlights that goes something to the effect of "bad grammar, spelling mistakes, and leet are not professional". (This is not a direct quote, as I don't remember the exact wording and Dave can write things like this better than me.)

On posting questions in the right place: first, do a search to figure out where similar threads are placed. This will also help you determine if there is an active thread addressing the topic (particularly in some forums, such as Rules/Strategy), and help deflect the dreaded "search before you post!". Second, look at the forum list (click the CD icon in the top left) and see which forum is the appropriate one, then see if it has subforums that are even more appropriate. Figure out where it needs to go, and then start the thread. If there are two places or more, put it in what you think is the most appropriate.

Answering questions the right way: First off, read the entire thread. You may gain insight into what others think on the matter. Second, think about your response. Third, be respectful. Nobody wants to see "I think your idea is stupid, don't do it!" when all they want to know is if a new drive idea is likely to work, even if it is a bad idea. A better way to respond to this situation is "I'm not sure this would work because XX and YY. Have you considered option ZZ?" or "It might work, however, you might consider AA." This is known as constructive criticism, and is a much better way. Fourth, preview the post to see what it will look like. The post composition window is not all that big! Fifth, don't just say something like "yeah, what he said!" Try to offer a different view, if possible.

Now, these are ways to help newer members avoid people complaining. This does not mean that they should be ignored! Instead, it may make the difference in the impression a first-timer makes.

New material:
Be yourself! Let us know a bit about you through what and how you post.

Be clear. If we can't understand what you are asking, we don't stand a chance of helping you. If we can understand, we may or may not be able to help, depending on what you ask. (We here is collective--many may not know about the nuances of C. Others may not know what 80-20 aluminum is, but can tell you all about C.)

If someone suggests a way to improve, follow it. If you can't understand why the suggestion is made, private message (PM) that person and ask for clarification, and I'm sure he or she will be happy to explain.