Suggest adding "Do"s to posting rules

[Xuc Xac]

There are some things that irritate me every time I visit these forums. I just checked the rules thread to see if there's any mention of it, but there isn't. The rules thread is a long list of don'ts but it could use some dos. In particular, I would appreciate it if people gave more descriptive titles to their threads. This forum doesn't have mouseover previews like some other forums I visit. Every time I see a thread with a non-descriptive title like "a question" or "a suggestion" or "what do you think of this?", I get annoyed that I have to open the thread to find out if it's something I'm interested in. Would it really be so difficult to write "A question about X" in the title?

Perhaps the posting rules should have something about how it's polite and generally just good form to not make threads with vague and meaningless titles?

[Quincunx]

I would like that just so I could say "read this" instead of explaining the theory of descriptive titles for the nth time.

Saying "do" works a bit better than saying "don't"--no negative to be skimmed and forgotten.

[Weimann]

I can get behind that, but as a suggestion rather than enforced policy. Getting banned for not being descriptive enough seems like a bad thing.

[Tirian]

I can get behind that, but as a suggestion rather than enforced policy. Getting banned for not being descriptive enough seems like a bad thing.

Nobody gets banned for violating the minor rules unless they continue to do it after being repeatedly warned.

The mods have the right to change the name of threads that are inadequately described, and IME they have done so in the past when asked nicely (which is to say when you report the initial post of the thread). It isn't specifically enumerated in the Forum Rules, but I think of it as an obvious corollary to "Minor Spam" that the title of the thread should contribute to the discussion.

[Kobold-Bard]

There are some things that irritate me every time I visit these forums. I just checked the rules thread to see if there's any mention of it, but there isn't. The rules thread is a long list of don'ts but it could use some dos. In particular, I would appreciate it if people gave more descriptive titles to their threads. This forum doesn't have mouseover previews like some other forums I visit. Every time I see a thread with a non-descriptive title like "a question" or "a suggestion" or "what do you think of this?", I get annoyed that I have to open the thread to find out if it's something I'm interested in. Would it really be so difficult to write "A question about X" in the title?

Perhaps the posting rules should have something about how it's polite and generally just good form to not make threads with vague and meaningless titles?

It seems someone listened to you, because apparently we do now.

Edit: Wow, now that it's here, I actually find it quite annoying.

[Haruki-kun]

It seems someone listened to you, because apparently we do now.

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t288/Vaarsuvius89/thispleaseslamperouge.jpg

[Xuc Xac]

It seems someone listened to you, because apparently we do now.

I'd also like a pony and a plastic rocket! :smallbiggrin:

[Rockphed]

So far as I can tell, you want something vaguely like



On the other hand, please:
Contribute meaningfully to threads
These forums are an online discussion board. Seeing as having everybody say the same thing isn't much of a discussion, posts should raise, counter, refute, continue, expound or expand parts of the discussion.


That is, of course, just one example of such things, but I can't think of any others to post.

[NerfTW]

That's already in the rules, really, under minor spam:


Minor Spam
Minor spam refers to posts that do not add to any discussion; often, one word posts will fall under this ruling (outside of SMBG games which require one-word responses of course). For example, quoting another users post and putting "QFT" or "quoted for truth," or a similar agreement, without adding any additional information of your own would fall under this rule. Posting any page or response claim - for example, "first page! or "first response!" would also fall under this heading, even if you include other discussion in your post. Posts that note "in before the lock" or merely warn that the thread will end badly are also minor spam. Likewise, posts that merely bump a thread (whether that post is "bump" or "this happened") are minor spam. It also includes comments hazing new posters no matter how innocuous. Posts of this type will be removed or edited, and the poster may be issued an Infraction.