Thread etiquette 05-03-2017, 04:53 PM
#1
I don't know what sparked it, but there's been a huge rise in gravedigging, threads in the wrong subforums, and bumping recently. A lot of what I'm about to go over is in the rules, but I'm going to be much more explicit with the definitions.
First, gravedigging is "reviving" or replying to old/dead threads. For threads with no replies in the last 90 days, there's a notice above the quick reply box telling you not to post unless you have good reason. This isn't a suggestion; if you don't have something crucial to add (e.g. new information, breaking changes in relevant software, etc), please don't reply. This also goes for threads with replies before the 90 day mark; check when the last post was made and use your judgement when replying, because adding "thanks for this" or "this helped" to a month-old thread does nothing but populate the recent posts table with content everyone has already seen.
Second, we have all our subforums here categorized and ordered for a reason. I understand that new users with low post counts can't create sales threads, but that's in place for several reasons, too. If you're unsure about where to post your thread, ask a staff member, we're here to help.
Third, on the topic of sales threads, bumping. There's been some discussion about this recently, but the rule of thumb with questions, requests, and sales threads is: if nobody has replied in a day or two, there's either nobody that knows how to help or nobody who's interested, and again, filling up the recent posts table likely won't change that.
Last, and not currently as big of an issue, LQ posting. Conversations in threads are fine, as long as they stay on the topic of the original post. If you realize or you're told that you're starting to derail a thread, please take the conversation to Discord, PMs, or Skype. I mentioned earlier that 3 word replies rarely contribute anything, and for the most part, that still stands. As well, if there's information that's already been introduced (e.g. sources, tutorials, articles), it's not necessary to repeat it. Quality over quantity.
A little addition to this that I personally find annoying (and one that's been addressed before) is quoting the original post. Why? That's the first thing people read when they click on a thread, and the OP already gets a notification when people respond, so what merit is there to repeating it? Plus, if it's a long-ass tutorial, that's a lot of unnecessary scrolling (and space in SL's database) that could easily be mitigated.
Tl; dr: go read it, it's important. But just remember to be aware of what you're posting.
First, gravedigging is "reviving" or replying to old/dead threads. For threads with no replies in the last 90 days, there's a notice above the quick reply box telling you not to post unless you have good reason. This isn't a suggestion; if you don't have something crucial to add (e.g. new information, breaking changes in relevant software, etc), please don't reply. This also goes for threads with replies before the 90 day mark; check when the last post was made and use your judgement when replying, because adding "thanks for this" or "this helped" to a month-old thread does nothing but populate the recent posts table with content everyone has already seen.
Second, we have all our subforums here categorized and ordered for a reason. I understand that new users with low post counts can't create sales threads, but that's in place for several reasons, too. If you're unsure about where to post your thread, ask a staff member, we're here to help.
Third, on the topic of sales threads, bumping. There's been some discussion about this recently, but the rule of thumb with questions, requests, and sales threads is: if nobody has replied in a day or two, there's either nobody that knows how to help or nobody who's interested, and again, filling up the recent posts table likely won't change that.
Last, and not currently as big of an issue, LQ posting. Conversations in threads are fine, as long as they stay on the topic of the original post. If you realize or you're told that you're starting to derail a thread, please take the conversation to Discord, PMs, or Skype. I mentioned earlier that 3 word replies rarely contribute anything, and for the most part, that still stands. As well, if there's information that's already been introduced (e.g. sources, tutorials, articles), it's not necessary to repeat it. Quality over quantity.
A little addition to this that I personally find annoying (and one that's been addressed before) is quoting the original post. Why? That's the first thing people read when they click on a thread, and the OP already gets a notification when people respond, so what merit is there to repeating it? Plus, if it's a long-ass tutorial, that's a lot of unnecessary scrolling (and space in SL's database) that could easily be mitigated.
Tl; dr: go read it, it's important. But just remember to be aware of what you're posting.
It's often the outcasts, the iconoclasts ... those who have the least to lose because they
don't have much in the first place, who feel the new currents and ride them the farthest.
don't have much in the first place, who feel the new currents and ride them the farthest.