Message Board etiquette

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Message boards are like any other organized gathering of people; there are rules of etiquette that everyone is expected to follow. AOL aims to foster the widest possible range of different, vibrant communities with diverse viewpoints, supported by a vast array of content and services. In light of this goal, your AOL experience is bound only by a set of commonsense rules that ask you to be civil and show respect for others when you are online.

TOS Rules
These rules are part of the Terms Of Service agreement every member has with AOL. To view your complete TOS agreement go to Keyword: TOS.

Here are two key points:

Be kind and honest
Don't issue personal attacks, use profanity, or post threatening, abusive, harassing, or otherwise offensive language or images. You also may not impersonate another individual or communicate under a name that you are not entitled to use.

Do not post chain letters or advertisements
Chain letters are never appreciated in the online community, and they're a violation of your membership agreement with AOL. Advertisements are just about as unwelcome, though there are a few boards just for this purpose at Keyword: Classifieds, under the "Using AOL Classifieds" button.

Suggested Guidelines

In addition to your TOS commitments, there are some suggested guidelines for polite and responsible interaction on message boards A message board is an online discussion group where members can read and write messages to each other.:

Read the message board for a while before participating
It's best to browse a board for a while -- just reading -- before you post your first message. Read a couple week's worth of messages the first time you visit a board, and then read new messages for another couple of days. You'll see what topics are hot and which are cold, you'll get to know some of the key participants, and you'll become familiar with the demeanor of the board. Each one is different.

Communicate clearly
Write clearly when you compose a message. Review your message carefully before clicking Send; typos are confusing. Remember, if your message can be misunderstood, it will be.

Refrain from using ALL CAPS
Typing in all capital letters is frowned upon; it's the equivalent of screaming at everyone. It also makes your message more difficult to read.

Don't post meaningless messages
Posting messages that say nothing more than "Me too" is a quick way to irritate other members. If you agree with a posting, either enjoy your consent by yourself or reply with an informative comment about why you agree. Imagine how dull a board would get if it contained nothing but hundreds of "me too's."

Consider sending a reply by e-mail E-mail is typically a one-to-one communications system. With an AOL screen name, you can e-mail with other AOL and Internet users.
Some replies are better sent as e-mail, rather than posted to a board. Personal messages and especially critical comments are more appropriate when sent directly and privately. There's an E-mail to Author option on every Post Response form; don't forget this option.

Refrain from crossposting
Crossposting means posting a single message to several different message boards, and it is almost never appropriate. Such posts tend to reduce the quality of the discussion and needlessly increase the traffic on the board. Find the best place for your post, and please confine your message to one board.

Quote from the post you're replying to
Include a small section of text from the post you're replying to, so others will have a quick reminder of the topic.

Be careful when posting personal information
Be careful about including private information about yourself, such as phone numbers and street addresses. Private information of that nature may be better sent by e-mail.

Follow the forum guidelines
Check the message board area for specific Forum Guidelines, such as rules concerning which topics should be posted in which folders, and answers to Frequently Asked Questions. These guidelines are often labeled READ THIS FIRST or GUIDELINES.

Those are all excellent suggestions.

Thank you for posting them...

:hi:

Happy Mother's Day CPeg! :hi:

:spray:




I think that = "me too"