My thoughts on proper grammar:

[Ben Mitchell]

This is simply a request for all posters to post with proper English.

When someone posts a message that is so riddled with typographical, grammatical, and punctuation errors as to render the message unintelligible, I personally find it hard to take that poster seriously.

Whenever you post, not only do you represent yourself to the FIRST community (This board basically IS a great portion of the FIRST community) but you also represent your team.

Think of your teammates before you post: post as though your English teacher was watching over your shoulder: if he or she would disapprove of your message mechanics, revise and edit it to make it more suitable for others to read.

I have three handy tips for posters:

1) Punctuation is your friend

The proper usage of periods, coupled with the use of commas are a great way to organize thoughts. Sentences include a subject and a predicate, and all tenses must agree. Sentences also include verbs that act upon the subject of the sentence.


2) This is not an online video game site

I hope this message board can remain a step above the posting quality of a video game message board - the l33t speak is fine in chit-chat, but if you want to be taken seriously, I suggest you refrain from using numbers in w0rds, and using the common online equivalents for common words. "b" for "Be," for an example.


3) Proper grammar and spelling makes you look good.

Not bothering to take the time to check spelling and grammar makes you look BAD. A few typos here and there can be overlooked, but gross grammatical and spelling errors detract from the meaning of the post, and make the poster (at least in my eyes) look like a fool. Posting without checking sends a message: The post was hardly worth the time it took for the poster to type. As a result, it is not worth our time reading.

Do everyone a favor, including yourself, and the team you represent, and use a spelling checker and proofread before you post. If you are in a hurry, at least glance over what you have written using the preview button, and correct mistakes. It only takes a few seconds, and greatly enhancing how you project yourself using these forums.

4) Think before you post: are you contributing?

Posts such as “I don’t know” or “I agree ^^” or “yes” or other nonsensical posts clutter up the perfect perfection of these forums, and make threads harder to follow and harder to keep track of. Please don’t make them.

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NOTE: It is not my intention to start a flame war, so don't bother trying to initiate one. This post is merely my opinion on the subject of the habits of posting that are beginning to creep into the forums as of late. I also would like to reiterate the fact that no one here has “Freedom of Speech” – this is a private message board, and we are all guests. Brandon Martus and his team of moderators can do whatever they wish without answering to any of us – it is their message board, and we should behave as privileged guests.