Etiquette for Newbies?

[Joe Murphy (Broin)]

The 'charter' of Forge etiquette at the top of this forum is excellent. Is there any way to ensure that newly registered people see this?

I don't remember how my own registration went, but could the confirmation email include this charter?

Joe.

[Ron Edwards]

Hi Joe,

I think that receiving a list of rules with the confirmation email would be off-putting.

Plan A is, and has always been, to direct people to the Guidelines thread routinely when they join the discussion or if they seem to need reminding. I plead that everyone do so politely rather than "You haven't read the Guidelines, have you, you stupid nit," etc.

Plan A-prime: I suggest, if possible, that the confirmation email include a mention that the Site Guidelines are available.

It may be that the confirmation email can't be customized (I know nothing about this side of the process). If that's the case, then we're stuck with Plan A by itself.

Best,
Ron

[Clinton R. Nixon]

The confirmation e-mail can be customized, methinks. It's not "customize from an easy interface," but I imagine I could dig in the code and fix it if necessary.

I'll be blunt, though. I've seen a lot of new people here lately that ignore questions and statements directed straight at them, choosing instead to blast off at the keyboard with any ol' thing that goes across their mind. I've seen new people try and start online games in Actual Play when the purpose of the forum is right there in front of them. I doubt people like this are going to follow a link. It's worth a try, though.

[Ron Edwards]

Hey Clinton,

Oh, there've been one or two real bizarros like that Actual Play guy. But most people adjust quickly after one or two rough posts, and a fair number of the new posters (whether in Indie Design or The Riddle of Steel, our big draws currently) have turned out to be real gems.

I'm generally really happy with the process - we just have to recognize that it has to be repeated, that every new person is new. Although that link or point in the confirmation email would be great, if it can be done.

Best,
Ron

[Joe Murphy (Broin)]

Thanks, both.

Considering the high quality conversations here, I just wondered if there was anything we could do to make life *easier* for people who join.

'Here's the kind of conversation that works really well, here's the kind that's more challenging and may not get you friendly responses' etc.

Difficult to do without sounding elitist, impolite, or off-putting.

(Ron: I'm sure you're not allowed to say 'bizarros' ;) )

Joe.

[Clinton R. Nixon]

Cool-io - I'll stick that link in the confirmation e-mail.

Apologies for my comments above - I just read that RPG.net thread from one end to the other, and humanity's overwhelming me. (I also haven't had my first cup of coffee yet.)

[Valamir]

Thats why I swore off RPG.Net long ago.  There are some real gems buried there, but every visit hammers home the atrocious state of the American education system.