The purpose of this thread is to establish etiquette guidelines for the USMS Discussion Forums. Most of the nearly 900 forum members use common etiquette when posting. Unfortunately this is not always the case. Please use this thread to list suggestions for "netiquette guidelines" for posts on the discussion forums.
Hugh Moore
USMS Communications Committee Chair
Parents
Former Member
I think it would help if there were LESS use of the "quote" feature. In fact, I wouldn't mind at all if Jim could find a way to disable it. I would rather see posters simmply summarize the issues they want to address whenever possible.
The "quote" feature makes it too easy to take someone's words (inadvertently or not) out of context and, in effect, challenge them with it. It also allows multiple, almost simultaneous, challenges that seem directed AT a specific person (even if that's not intended). It may be a weakness of mine, but I for one find it difficult to ignore a comment that seems to be directed at me -- I don't think I'm alone in that. The result is that a discussion can quickly turn personal, and become a fight.
I realize that quoting can make it easier to let readers understand a comment. Just understand that it can be misused and use it only when it's needed to make your comment understood.
I think it would help if there were LESS use of the "quote" feature. In fact, I wouldn't mind at all if Jim could find a way to disable it. I would rather see posters simmply summarize the issues they want to address whenever possible.
The "quote" feature makes it too easy to take someone's words (inadvertently or not) out of context and, in effect, challenge them with it. It also allows multiple, almost simultaneous, challenges that seem directed AT a specific person (even if that's not intended). It may be a weakness of mine, but I for one find it difficult to ignore a comment that seems to be directed at me -- I don't think I'm alone in that. The result is that a discussion can quickly turn personal, and become a fight.
I realize that quoting can make it easier to let readers understand a comment. Just understand that it can be misused and use it only when it's needed to make your comment understood.
